THE NEXT SENSATION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 23, 2 October 1885, Page 15

THE NEXT SENSATION.

tUR own Parliament having closed its proceedings for the yeur, those who yea<rn for excitement and have political tastes will look forward to the coming general election in Great Britain and Ireland T/ith great interest and anxiety. And the uncertainty of the result so far as party interests and the probable future of legislation are concerned will give additional zest to these. This general election may justly be regarded as the most important event of this century. It will not unlikely change the political and social state of between thirty and forty millions of people and influence more or less the destinies of one hundred millions whilst affecting in no slight degree the relations of all civilised countries. It ii always dangerous to assume the prophetic

rdle, and we shall therefore abstain from exposing ourselves to the ridicule such a role would inevitably provoke. But there are some things in relation to this event which appear to be certain and about which all politicians are pretty well agreed. Under the new franchise the electoral rolls will contain two millions of voters more than they ever did before ; and these two millions come neither from the higher ncr middle classes, but from strata of society which were never before represented in Parliament, If these two millions of additional voters possess intelligence and independence and vote according to the exigencies of their own interests a great change will be made in the composition of the House of Commons and party lines. This is clear. No prophet is required to foretell it. And that the new voters are in the main both intelligent and independent there is no reason to doubt* Momentous changes may, therefore, he looked for which can not fail to greatly modify all political and Bocial relations. There is another thing also which is quite certain, as is admitted by all. Ireland will undoubtedly return an overwhelming majority of Home Rulers, indeed we should not be at all surprised to see Ireland substantially unanimous in favour of a native Parliament. The old cries, the curse of that couutry, have now lost their significance. It is no longer possible to hoodwink the people by side issues and party emblems to the fearful loss which the nation sustains in consequence of not having the management of its own affairs in its own hands. And people are no longer such fools as to sacrifice their dearest interests for the triumph of either orange or green. With few exceptions then it may be fully expected that Ireland will give an unanimous vote for Home Rule. Even those who do not favoar such rule for Ireland admit that Mr. Parnell will have a compact party of eighty-five or ninety members in the new Parliament, and this is as certain as anything that has not actually happened can be. Mr. Parnell then will be a great power in the next session, and his position will compel party leaders to reconsider their policy and to modify their measures. To us it appears pretty certain that a measure of Home Rule of Borne sort must be granted at once to Ireland, but it will depend on the nature of this measure whether it will content or rather exasperate the Irish people. Mr. Gladstone's party calls upon England and Wales for such a majority as will enable him to defy a coalition of Conservatives and Home Rulers, but this is exceedingly unlikely. In the last Parliament this statesman began his career with a majority of one hundred and twenty. Mr. Parneli/b faithful followers did not exceed forty, and yet this gentleman was mainly instrumental in the defeat of the Gladstone administration. If, th«*n, forty brave, intelligent, and loyal men ultimately broke down the majority of 120, will not an united phalanx of eighty or ninety be more than sufficient to counteract, in the long run, I even a majority of two hundred ? the number asked for by | the most enthusiastic Liberals, as they are called. Is there any probability, however, of the Liberals being able to return a majority of two hundred in England, Wales, and Scotland ? Time alone can safely answer the question, but we may be permitted to say that, in our opinion, this is very unlikely. On the contrary, the indications are that the parties will be so evenly balanced, apart from Home Rulers, that neither j party can dispense with their support ; and we may rest assured that that support will not be given unless a full and adequate measure of Home Rule form a primary and essential j part of the programme of Government.