English Politics. Lord Randolph Churchill's Bid to the Democracy.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 179, 20 November 1886, Page 5

English Politics. Lord Randolph Churchill's Bid to the Democracy.

G. W. Smalley's cable special to the "Tribune" from London of October Gth says :— " Lord Randolph Churchill has accomplished a feat hitherto supposed to be beyond the powers of mortal man. He has! put the Irish question in the background It ha 3 been for some time doubtful whether the Toriee had any principles to which they were really attached, but it ia doubtful no longer. They have thrown over the old lot ac co much rubbish, and got a brand new *et, of which they seem as proud as of a new suit of clothes. No amount of turning of old coats would have produced a transformation co brilliant as they. On Saturday the Tory party was oppoeod to that method of restoring the efficiency to Parliament known as the Cloture ; opposed to land reform in the shape of three acres and a cow : opposed td the abolition of glebe lands and tithes ; opposed to legislative interference with corporato railway rights ; opposed to taxing personal property for local purposes ; opposed to'local government reform ; opposed to the licensing question known as local option, and, opposed to free education. On Sunday morning it diecovered that every one of these reforms makes a part of its political programme. It discovered more slowly that it had taken a long step even towards home rule. Lord Randolph Churchill eugared this pill, and only invites his party to lay the foundation of a system of popular government in Ireland. JNobody can say how large this forethadowed concession is, but there is no doubt that it is accompanied by a very strong declaration that the Government means to govern. The Ministry, says Lord Randolph, are absolutely determined, at all coats and' in spite of any danger, political or • othorwise, to maintain the law, maintain the rights of property and to preserve order. But he believes that the Irish question is agrarian at t,he bottom, and he undoubtedly . ineanß to „ settle the agrarian difficulty. Ho warns the landlords against harsh evictions, and sees, or thinica he sees, daylight ahead. But; as I have said, the Irish question is not' the chief question

jinthip Bpeecb. Lord Randolph's plain purpose was to ' reorganiee the Tory party on a democratic basis and bring the party^ and party leaders more closely in touch with the new democracy. Hie foreign programme < may have even ejroater immediate consequences. He does something more than echo Premier Tieza's speech. He pledges in express terms, not only the sympathy, but the support of England to Austria in her Russian -Bulgarian policy. Time was when the Liberals would have been up in arms against a Minister who thus committed England in certain contingencies to a foreign war, where no direct British interests were involved, but they are silenced by the aseertion of the principle of national sympathy with struggling liberty. The Liberals are in consternation. They accused Lord Randolph of appropriating the Liboral policy, and mournfully recognise that between the Liberal and Tory platforms hardly a difference remains, save on Home liule. Little now hinderß the cementing ot a complete permanent alliance between the Liboral Unionists and the Tories. T. P. O'Connor's cable special to the " Star " from London, of October b'th, says : Reports current at the clubs to-night represent Lord Salisbury a? restless and dissatisfied at bid eclipfte by Lord Randolph Churchill. JHe chaies an the secondary part assigned to him by the press of the country since Churchill* speech. The statement is in circulation that he has intimated 1113 intontion to promote a popular measure of reform connected with the peerage, long contemplated, but never yet considered within thopphore of practical politics. The reform in question consists of the admission of Peers to the right to sit in tho House of Commons, an innovation that would revolutionise the political system of the United Kingdom. A despatch dated London October 17th, says :—•• Now that Lord Randolph Churchill, who has been travelling on the Continent under the name of 'Spencer,' has been found, and his identity really established, the fickle public takes tesa interest in his movements. It is suspected that he assumed a shallow incognito in order not to attract attention. Even the Vienna papers have cea&ed to watch his movements or cataloguo his purchases. He is due in London next week. Therefore, it is unlikoly that he will visit Varyin if invited." This week's speoeh of J. \V. Lather, an able young Conservative, chows misgivinga toward Lord Randolph Churchill. Tho frees Association, however, announce that the Dartford programme is fruppoited by Henrj Matthows, Sir W. H. Smith, Lord George Hamilton, Sic R. E. Webstor, E. Clarke, Baron DeWorms, Plunkett! Ritchie, Alters, Douglas, Colonel Walrand, Sydney Herbert, Long, Gibson, Raikea and Marriott, all members of the Government, but only the first three are in the Cabinet.

A Liberal Syi>i23osiiini. The Loith Liberal Club was opened on October 23. Mr Gladstone sent an apology for his absenco, find hearty good wishes for the fcuccops of the club, adding : " Your club wus formed during an epoch of dangerous echism, which every good Liberal must desire to heal. It is ths object of the Tories to keep dissension aliva by postponing the question upon which it arose." Earl Aberdeen delivered an earnest address, in the course of which he asked his countrymen to consider whether tho time had not corn© to show that our policy toward often saddened Ireland is one of peace, appealing to the be=t aide of human natuiu Away, ho said, with the notion that that policy ia a base surrender to violence. No ; it is the policy, no matter which party carries it out, which is in sympathy with the best instincts of liberty. Lord Roseberry, in an apology for his absence, wrote: " For the present we are in the backwater cf a torrent of passion, which has ra^ed the greater part of the year. We have no policy to oppose. The Government's dealing with foreign affairs will bo guided by facts of which we -s\eie unaware, but can they use British influence to support liberty and older in the Balkans, firmly maintain tho neutrality of tho New Hebrides, and, while supporting the rights of the North American colonies, amicably settlo the fishery dispute? If they can they will receive the support of all their countrymen. Their Irish pjlicy is still undeveloped. The Liberals, therefore, must endeavour to he.il the schism in their ranks. I fear the leaders will be able to do little in this direction, but I have unlimited faith in the rank and file. If during the winter they set themselves to discuss, without passion or prejudice, the question dividing us, they may solve difficulties that appear more formidable than they really are. We can do nothing without the Unionists, and they can do nothing without us. Both sections will incur great roeboneibility if they allow the party to be permanently broken up without making an effort to prevent it."