GLADSTONE A FALSE PROPHET.
Under the above heading the Obicago Daily News of March 28 has the f0110ir...ing :
The present Anglo-Russian political situation is one of the most signal indications of the policy of the late Lord Bea- - cons field on record. At the same time it. exhibits Mr. Gladstone in the light of a statesman whose theories and methods have been utterly falsified in the outcome of events. Yet it was through the presentation of these theories and methods that Mr Gladstone attained to place and. power; it was because Lord Beaconsfield proposed to do what Mr Gladstone then opposed, but now in turn proposes, that Lord Beaconsfield lost place and power. - r. It is thus that the whirligig of time bal vindicated the dead and condemned the living statesman. . . •, 0 Ever since his attainment to office Gla- j, alone has been going back on every, profession made in bis Midlothian speeches. There he pasa onately and disgracefully denounced Austria and Austrian policies, for which he has since abjectly apologised;, at West Calder, on tha 27th of |Jbvamb€*. ... 1879, after complaining that Lora Beaconsfield had “estranged from .his country the feelings of a nation of eighty millions,” he said : “ I have no fears of the territorial extension of Russia in Asia; I think they are old women’s fears.” Not only did he thus speak, but he apolo- " gised for Muscovite aggression on the' ground that Russia was the victim of a -- remorseless destiny ! He said : “ She has * been compelled to extend ’her frontiers ■ southward towards central Asia by causes insome degree analogous, but certainly more stringent and imperative, than the ; causes which have commonly led us to extend far more importantly our frontier in India.” He finally held out a hope t that there would be no mere Russian forward movements, the reason for 'which cheering prediction is extraordinary read- o ing in the light of present events. “ When we were in office,” he said,' “ we "* made a covenant with Russia, under .• which Russia bound herself to exercise no influence or interference in Afghanistan.” ~ Now that Russia ruthlessly breaks this ■ covenant, and at the same time falsifies every prediction by which Mr Gladstone attained to power, no wonder that “ the a grand old man ” is the very last personage, in bis government to practically admit bjr most enormous war preparations that he is the falsest political prophet of his time.
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1537, 11 May 1885, Page 2
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401GLADSTONE A FALSE PROPHET. Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1537, 11 May 1885, Page 2
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