Omaha daily bee., 1884-08-16

papers which support Mr.. Gladstone, on
the other hand, are vigorously pointing
out that willing as Germany might be TO
see a war between France and England,
she would also be able to seize upon such
a crisis as the opportunity for Kidding
herself forever of the threatened war of
revenge" A single generous act to aid
the French republic in an hour of need
would do more to promote good feeling
and blot out the ranking memories of
Sedan than a century of distrustful peace
spent In drilling armies and perfecting
military organizations.
The sudden death of the Duke of Wei.
lington, as he was entering a railway
train at Brighton, has caused 81 enor.
nous sensation in society circles, and re-
calls the death of his father, the Iron
Duke, which occurred almost as sudden,
in 1852, at Walmer Castle. The duke
who has just died was II years old ana
childless. He was married in 1929 to
Lady Elizabeth Hay, who was the daugh-
ter of the Marquis of Tweeddale and a
celebrated beauty, but the union was
never blessed with children.
The present death raises to the Ducal
dignity the eldest living nephew of the
late duke, Henry Wellesley, a lieutenant
colonel in the Grenadier Guards, and for
merly a member of Parliament from An
dover. The new heir ~presumptive is the
new dukes younger brother, Lieutenant
Colonel Arthur Charles Wellesley, of the
Grenadier Guards, whose domestic life
has been clouded by a sad scandal. He
was married twelve years ago to Miss
Kathleen Williams, by whom he had
three children, now aged respectively
IL, 8 and D years. After a few years of
marital prosperity, the dashing gren-
adler became enamored of Kape Waugh,
a pretty and popular danseuse at the
Gaiety theatre. Last summer he accom-
panied her upon her provincial tour, and
the scandal became so notorious that
Mrs. Wellesley had no difficulty in obtain
ing a divorce on the ground of adultery.
The climax of Colonel Wellesley's infatu.
alton with the pretty dancer was reached
a few weeks ago, when he took her to
Paris and made her his wife. As there
is now but one life between Colonel
Wellesley and the dukedom, it is not at
all impossible that the whilom queen of
the ballet may not yet wear the coronet
of a duchess.
There is no longer any doubt that the
Spanish government is seriously alarmed
about the disaffection in the ranks of the
army, which has lately led to violent out.
breaks at Barcelona. The official and
semi-official journals, TO be sure, persist
in denying that there is any dangerous
or widespread characterization, and
Senior Ruez Gorilla, the revolutionary
leader, who is now in London, is also
very busy with denisls of any plots for a
military uprising and of any recent com.
munication with the revolutionists in
Spain. There can be little doubt,
however, that Senior Gorilla, whether
he is for the moment in &C.
neva or Paris or London, is the
real director of the movement which is
agitating all the northern part of Spain.
The sinister activity of the revolutionary
propaganda has lately been a%larmingly
visible, and the government is taking
severe repressive measures. These con
sist mostly in the removal from active
service of suspected officers, but in many
cases the punishment has been extended
to dismissed from the army. In the case
of one regiment stationed at Barcelona,
nj less than seventeen officers, including
the colonel, have been oashiered within
the past few days on the charge of dis
loyalty.
Earl Granville's statement in the house
of lords that negotiations with Mexico
for a new treaty of mmerce would
shortly be resumed, recalls the recent
fact that the diplomatic relations between
England and Mexico, so rudely sus
| pended at the fall of the Macmillan en-
| pire, have been resumed, a settlement
having been reached as to the old English
debt. Diplomatic relations betw cen
France and Mexico were re-established
in 1880, and this was soon followed by
the establishment of a French bank in
the city of Mexico. At that time there
seemed to be an idea that
French capital would counter.
act the alleged baneful influences
of American capital then pouring into
the country. A semi-ofiicial paper went
30 tar as to say at that time: "We ap-
'plaud the protection that is give to
European capital, which is the one we
require and which will be more effica-
'cious to arrest the influence of the
American element" With the develop
ment of railroad and commercial enter
prises this absurd hostility is dying out.
Still, Mexico looks with longing eye up
on Europeaa money, and it is to her
credit that she is ''making up with Eng
land. We are interested in this matter,
as it gives us another rival in the contest
for the Mexican trade.
The recent outbreak at Brussels was
kmainly due to the conflict between politi.
cal parties over the educational ques-
tons. The recent abolition of sectarian
schools has brought on o conflict between
the Catholic, or clerical party, who de-
sire religious teaching or the public
schools, and the liberals, who oppose
such a policy. There could be no ques-
ton better adapted than this to excite
public feeling, and the riots which are
threatened in Brussels are the natural
outcome of the recent history of Belgium.
The question of public instruction ap.
peals to religious and anti-religious bigot-
ry, and it appeals also to interest.
Marshal Serrano, one Of the three fam
Gus Spsniards of the age, is reported dy-
ing. He Is seventy-four years old. The
pages of romance depict few more re-
markable careers than this mans. When
a lad a private in the Spanish army, he
has been, since 1874, dictator, captain
general, exile, foreign minister, president
of the senate, soldier of fortune, COM