Tue personal estate of Cardinal Manning has been sworn for probate at something over £500, so that here was a Prince of the Church who practised what he preached. The Spectator remarked the other day: as far as we that write can judge, we stand just now between two absolutely opposite tides, a distinct revival of Roman Catholicism on the one hand, and a steady spread of Rationalism on the other." Cardinal Manning did a great deal to extend his adopted Church while he lived, and in his death he has still left lesson, which some of the prelates of the Church of England might take to heart. It is not often that an Anglican Bishop or Archbishop di yr as Cardinal Maning. We are glad to seo that the promemorial to him is to take a practical form; it is to be a refuge for the homeless poor without distinction of creed.
The only business of importance in Parment during the last week of April was the rejection—but not by a very large majority—of the Parliamentary Franchise (Extension to Women) Bill. Mr. Gladstone's firm disapproval of the measure was rather taggerer to those who profess to believe that the Grand Old Mi will do anything to get back into power for among the interested advocates of the change are some of the most earnest workers on the Liberal side. The Spectator believes that the majority of voting women would be found to be Radicals, Women of society," it says, "may be inclined, as atule, to the Conservative doctrine, as the one least opposed to social refinements and distinctions; but women of society would be now! if li women could vote;.and the majority of the active political women who influence, or attempt to influence, masses, who sit on School Boards, and vote at municipal elections, are apt be rather pronouncedly Radical, not to say Red." Without Mr. Gladstone's advocacy Female Suffrage, the Spectator is sure, has no place on a list of projects that may be realised; and it says It is large-minded of Mr. Gladstone to speak out so frankly, for he is naturally secking votes, and his pamphlet may cost him a good maw. The present position of the question we believe to be a little peculiar, Female Suffrage, as Mr, Gladstone intimates, has never been considered, much less accepted, by any large body of electors, and if proposed to the country for a mass-vote, would probably be rejected summarily by 95 per cent. of the whole electoral body, which would perceive instinctively that it must in the end transfer the ultimate governing power from one sex to the other. The voters would recase with plant and final decision to enter upon any such course. and the measure would be laid aside certainly for a century, probably for ever. Nevertheless, the ques: tion has its influence at elections. In every electoral district, female suffrage is supported by a few who are honestly convinced of its justice, by a few more who think it would strengthen their own party, and by a few more who are willing to gratify women to whom they are attached, or on whom they are dependent, and who think their exclusion involves a sort of humiliation, It is as an assertion of equality with men, and not as an instrament of power, that. the majority. of "advanced" women desire the vote. Aa the proposal is not practical, and irritates no '+interest," a candidate ina severe contest is therefore' such tempted to give a pledge which he is confident is unreal, and which binds to his side—this is equally true of both rties—some of the most successful and enthusiastic canvassers in the world. A close election may therefore be frequently carried by the friends of Female Suflage, and fr. Gladstone in speaking out s0 plainly will undoubtedly lose votes. "The fanatics of the cause wil abstain from, supporting him, and many of his most active female supporters will not only abandon him, but will be profoundly irritated, not by his refusal to vote for the Bill, but by his '*fatal" reasons. That sentence about the difference of social office" between the sexes conveys the doctrine which is to them anathema, and. which, as the differences are incurable, cuts off hope. They will ery aloud, and perhaps snatch eagerly at an unfool hope which they may think they can see on the other side. It is utterly unreal, for though ong or. two of the Tory and one appears sincerely to believe in it, leaders have coquetted with the, proposal, the mass atthe party are just of the type to whom the whole proposal appears a monstrous inversion of the natural order of things, if it be not, indeed, irreligious, Still, as between Mr.' Gladstone and Lord Salisbury, the balance will, the women's minds and their friends' minds, incline to the latter and we, therefore, heartily congratulate Mr. Gladstone, who is never blind to anelectioneering " upon his cou and his Piluciple. He ike ended the question for this generation by a declaration which, as he no doubt fully perceives, may redound to his own hurt.
Docause itis the chief topic of importance We hare given so much apteo to this, in the papers but another important subject came up in the House of Comm daring the week, in the shape of a motion by Sir B, Birkbeck th stations, lighthouses and lightships should be telephonically or telegraphically connected." The government. undertook to appoint a Commission to enquire into the subject. There is no doubt that lives would often be saved, if the lighthouses and light-ips were in telegraphic communication with the shore.
Very little business had been done in the the se of Commons because, as the Economist pointed out, very little business is ever done in a moribund House. We give two extracts on the Parliamentary Situation, both dated the 25th of April we know meanwhile by wire that-the Small Holdings Bill has pass its third reading, and the Irish Education Bill its second reading; but what has become of that much tore iniportant. measure, the Tri Government Bill, we do not know. Standard writes almost despairingly 5 only hopes that. Ministers will show that that they are in earnest; while the Daily News says that it has ceased to matter whether Mnisters are in earnest or not. The Standard says The House of Commons reassembles this afternoon, and should, without: unnecessary
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.