PROSPECTS OF LIBERALISM.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11250, 15 April 1908, Page 4

PROSPECTS OF LIBERALISM.

The point is being much discussed whether Mr Aequit-h, in taking over the Premiership from Sir H. Campbell Bannerman, will be able to stop the rot that has recently set in in Liberalism in England, as shown by the results of recent bye-elections. We have noticed in the English papers of the last few months what appears to be a very well organised attempt to overthrow the Government. Daily attacks are made in all the leading Unionist papers, and the public are being appealed to in a variety of ways to replace the ins by the outs. One of the strongest denunciations of the Govern-, ment that we have read appears over the pen name "A Radical Stalwart,".'. in. 'the. columns of the National Review. The! writer predicts in. his title "The Coming Liberal Debacle." He can see no pros- | pect for the Government surviving for any length, of time. He quotes the Go- I vernment defeats at the bye-elections of Brigg, Mid-Devon, Hereford, Jarrow, and Colne Valley as symptomatic of larger defeats in store, and since the article ap r peared there is the Peckham loss to be added. A point, however, that is {sapparently overlooked by the contributor _s ; that SSi" Henry Campbell Bannerman.had a majority of 200 members in his favor after the last general elections, so that there is room for a few detachments ; in fact, as the late Mr Seddon must have often', found with his unwieldy majority, a narrow margin of parties' is sometimes a greater advantage, than otherwise, tendirtg to. greater cohesion .ind more loyal support. The Review writer argues that the Government have ranged the clergy in opposition to tliem by the terms of their ; new Education . Bill, which leaves the religious difficulty unredressed, arid has antagonised the liquor trade by its Licensing Bill, He predicts an ■■■•'u.nholy I alliance'' between -the -sChurch and tho 'liquor interests for. tlie overthrow of -Liberalism'....:' The Government are blamed for neglecting the uneriiployed, , and Mr John Burns is Roundly rated "rfs the incarnation of stiff, unbending authority, of law and order, indifferent to, human suffering." -Had. Mr .Burns', not exercised the authority of law arid order vested. in him. he Avoiild" probably have been chastised for permitting' his syinpathy with the workers' <jo override the law. "The Labor party, V he . writes, "offers Socialism, the Conservatives /promise tariff reform; the 'future is 'between these two. A ' Liberiil Government, that, professes its chief business is to ; mnintain .freetrade, in other words, tp; keep things as they are, is out of ilate ; and the coming debacle, will see not only the most disappointing Ministry of modern times, > but the utter d isintegration Of a party .'that has outlived its usefulness." This' is; the sort of thing that h being circuited fyery widely iii' England v at the present time, and it rernains. to be-seeri whethfer it will have sufficient influence on the -masses to induce them to reyolce the decisive mandate that they gave in favor of Liberalism three years ago.