South Canterbury Times, WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1886

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4140, 21 July 1886, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1886

Thk elections of members of the new English Parliament are now completed, and we are able to judge of the relative strength of parties. The aspect of politics in Great Britain has changed considerably since the time when there were only two sections pitted against each other, namely the Conservatives and the Liberals. The former, indeed, still maintain their old name, but a Tory of, say, ten years back would look on the Conservative of to-day as a very extreme Badical. There are, however, no Liberals nowadays, or at any rate they do not affect that title, la this general election the divisions were Conservatives, Unionists, Gladstonitos and Nationalists. This clearly enough shows that the future Government of Ireland was the one question upon which the contests were fought out. Nor can there be any doubt that Mr Gladstone has sustained a serious defeat, and that his proposal to grant the Irish Home Bale does not meet with the approval of the country as a whole. Let us consider the figures. The Conservatives have gained 316 seats, and the Unionists, who, we take it, are at one with the present Premier on his general policy, but would vote against any repeal of the Union, number 78. On the other side, Mr Gladstone has 191 followers and Mr Parnell 85, so that on the great question of the boor, the Conservatives have a majority of 118. It is, of course, a foregone conclusion that the Government will resign, bat it is not easy to see who are to replace them. According to the latest cablegrams there has been some talk in England of a possible coalition between the Marquis of Salisbury and the Marqnis of Hartington, hot this is probably another of the numerous instances when Eenter depends on bis imagination for his facts. The Conservatives will no doubt return to power, bat how long they will remain in office is very problematical. The time has gone by when the Irish difficulty can be shirked. The Marquis of Salisbury must be prepared to offer some alternative to Mr Gladstone’s scheme of Home Buie. The only alternative that we can imagine is coercion, and if. this is attempted England has only herself to blame, should snob a policy be followed by terrible reprisals on the part of the oppressed. Let it be noted, too, that on any other question but that cf the Government of Ireland the Conservatives cannot depend upon a majority. The Gladstones, Unionists and Parnellites combined, outnumber the Tory party by thirty-eight, so that the latter will find themselves in this dilemna : they must bring forward an Irish policy that will satisfy their temporary friends, the Unionists, or fluffier defeat upon some other question, say, the tenure of land. Politics at Home are certainly in a topsy-turvy state just now and it is impossible to foresee what the outcome will be.