THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1893. BRITISH POLITICS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2472, 4 March 1893, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1893. BRITISH POLITICS.

Politics appear to bo getting warm in the Old Country. Meetings are being organised against the Suspension Bill in Wales; the Archbishop of Canterbury recommends the reading of special collects for three Sundays in succession against Homo Buie, and the Canadian Orangemen are sending firearms to Ulster so as to arm the Irish Orangeman. With regard to the (Suspension Bill in Wales this is the first step towards the dis-establishment of the Church in that ancient principality. The Welsh people are almost all Wesleyans, and arc decidedly opposed to the Established Church. Therq scarcely a Welsh member who is

not in favour of dis-establishing the Church, and the wonder is that a change lias not been effected long ago. The Welsh people are in the same position as the Irish people were before 1869. Up to that time there was an Established Church in Ireland ; and its ministers got largo glebes and splendid salaries for practically doing nothing, as in many parishes there were not more than a dozen Protestants altogether. Everyone has, wo presume, hoard of the famous story of the Rev. W. 11. Maxwell, the author of “ Bryan O’Lynn,” and other humorous novels. The rev. gentleman had a parish without a congregation in the West of Ireland, and his bishop intimated to him that he would pay him an episcopal visit. Mr Maxwell felt that the bishop’s visit would place him in a very awkward position, as he had no congregation to introduce to him. He was, however, one of the finest fellows in the world, anil the idol of the people—for let it be remembered that very often the Protestant parsons are among the mosi popular men in the rural parishes of Ireland. They are generally well off, and such of them as are charitable and kind to the poor are extremely popular. MiMaxwell was one of those, and his greatest friend was the parish priest, to whom he confided his trouble. If the bishop came and saw that ho had no congregation he knew there was nothing tor it but removal. “ Let that not trouble you,” said the priest, “I’ll lend you a congregation ” and he did, and the bishop went away convinced that MiMaxwell’s congegation was one of the finest in Ireland. That was the position of Ireland before 186 b, and it is practically the position of Wales to-day. When the Irish Church was dis-established it was then thought the Welsh, and (Scotch, and even the English, churches would very soon follow, and the fact that they have not yet been disturbed shews how slowly reforms come about in England. It seems to ns, however, that the Established Church is going on the high road to its own destruction in ottering up petitions to Cod to interfere in politics. The prayers of the church will not do much harm to Horae Rule, but it will do a great deal of injury to the church itself. There are thousands of Home Balers within its own fold, who will be disgusted, while the dissenting bodies will

take care to turn this departure of the church to her disadvantage. As regards the orange noise, there is wery little in that. The Orange men will remain noisy so long as they know that one of the great .English parties is at their back,and no longer. One of the peculiarities o English politics, however, is that as soon as one of the English parties finds itself defeated, it accepts the inevitable, and goes to work in a patriotic way to make the best of things. If the Liberals succeed in carrying their Home Rub measure, the Conservative agitation against it will cease. Some other subject will arise which will make a demand on their energies, and all the discussions about Home Rule will be soon forgotten. Let us suppose, for instance, that Home Rule has become law, that an Irish parliament is sitting in Dublin, and that the Conservative party is in power in England. Would an English Couserva tive Governtrnent assist the the Orangemen of Ulster to upset the deliberations of an Irish parliament, or encourage them to commit acts of rebellion 1 Certainly not. The Conservatives will make use of the Orangeman to prevent the passing of the Home Rule Bill, but once it becomes law the Conservatives will assist the Irish Pariavuent in maintaining law and order. The Orange noise must, therefore, be regarded as of no great consequence, but there is this to be said about it. Their throats of violence, and their ostentatious accumulation of arms admittedly for rebellious purposes, are in every respect treasonable, and the party in England who are aiding and abetting them, are guilty of treason. This may be permitted to go to a certain extent, but the Orangemen will hud that the British Government will put down their treasonable practices, jnst as they put down the Fenians. The outlook at present is, therefore, not bright, but there is a silver lining to the cloud. The liberals are winning most of the byeelections, and thus increasing their majority, and this gives a promise that if they go to the country again they will come back stronger than ever. The programme of the Liberals at present is splendidly Liberal, and it appears to us that if they have to go to the country they will come back victorious. This, uo doubt, is what is causing the split in the front ranks of the Conservative party. Lord Randolph Churchill is a Radical, and Ee no doubt wants to go “ one better ” than the Government in the bid for popularity, but his party will not go with him. Lord Randolph Churchill is a Home Ruler at heart, as will bo remembered by the fact that both he and Hr Stafford Northcote made overtures to Mr Parnell on the subject. No doubt His Lordship wants to put forward a more advanced programme now than the Liberals, and this is the cause of the split between himself and his party.