Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/119

 1899.] Lord Spencer at Trowbridge. [Ill

blunders, especially that by which he had given away in Mada- gascar an independence which had not been theirs to give ; just as in Tunis and in Siam he had given away what was not theirs to give, against their interests. In China they could discover no settled policy ; but he said not a word which could suggest that he was prepared to abandon Wei-hai-wei, or to submit without protest to the encroachments of Eussia.

Lord Spencer, m his speech at Trowbridge (May 26), kept away from dangerous topics, and seemed a little uncertain whether "the additional gloom " caused by Sir Wm. Harcourt and Mr. Morley's retirement, or the "bright sunshine" of Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman's succession was the most distinctive feature of the Liberal situation. The hopeful view on the whole predominated; but he was careful not to darken the prospect by any reference to questions on which the party is divided. When he dealt with old-age pensions, he left it un- certain whether he approved or condemned them. He was in favour of a " large measure of Home Rule " for Ireland, a con- veniently ambiguous term, which might stand for anything from County Councils to virtual independence. He declined to define imperialism, but he claimed for the Liberal party that it had drawn the component parts of the empire closer together. On the other hand, on the points about which the parly was united he spoke with much decision. He would not hear of countervailing duties, and demanded local control for voluntary schools, on the ground that " the clerical managers of many of these schools hold doctrines which are repugnant to children who use them." Lord Spencer, who spoke with the authority of an ex-President of the Council, evidently wished to give local control a very large field. The school board, or the parish council, or the overseers, or whoever might be the local au- thority for the purpose, would have to inquire not merely into the religious teaching given in voluntary schools, but into the opinions of their managers. It was not enough that the parents had the right of withdrawing their children from the religious lesson. The feelings of the children themselves were also to be considered, and if they disliked the Scripture teaching they ought to be able to make their views known to an independent authority. Lord Spencer, however, was careful to explain that it would not become the duty of the Liberal party to consider this question, any more than that of the House of Lords until " once more they have a large majority, and are in office."

Sir Wm. Harcourt also found an opportunity of expressing (May 31) the aims and views of the section of the Liberal party of which he was still the acknowledged leader. Speaking at Nantyglo, among his constituents, he spent a considerable time in discussing the meaning of jingoism, imperialism, and the little Englanders, regardless of his colleague Mr. John Morley's contemptuous definition that such work was "con- tending for the shadow of the jackass." Sir Wm. Harcourt