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Parochialists, '" (1)
8.
This feeling was considorably promoted by
the Liberal split in 1886 over Irish Homo Rule, - an Imperial
incuo centring on the important question of whether doccntralization
in the Empire was pormiccablo, or whether it would mault in
disintegrations Even tho remaining Liberal Party by 1892,
was at odd® over African expansion; 1osobery who, like the
Consorvativeal was prepared to accept certain commit*1enta in
Central Africa* found himaclf opposed to the old Gladatoniun
guard of Harcourt (a rival for the loadcrahip of the party), and
Porley. The concept of continuity in foreign policy developed
the idea that Inporial interests out acroon party lins and were
respected by atateamon of both parties. In the Door War a full-
blown Liberal Inporialinm developed with an attitude to the war
scarcely different fron that of the Conccrvativea,
It was widely realised that in the last three decades of
the ccnturr a general change of public opinion had taken place
in relation to the value and importance of Em; ire in general.
The Liberal G. P. Gooch traced the change - "The influence of W. E.
Foroter und Sir Charles Dilke among politiciano, of aeoley among
historians, the lofty exhortations of Tennyson followed by the
amorgonco of Lord Ronobery and PMr# Chamberlain, the enthuoinam for
the Queen revealed at the Jubilees and the change of opinion in
the colonies thomsolvo®, together with the improvement of
(1) ! Intional Ftaviewt January 18869 ppa. 651-8, "Parochialism or
Inperialian' by an ox-Liberal Sel". p. 652.