The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-06-22
A GAME OF BLUFF
GOING ON BETWEEN SALISBURY AND
GLADSTONE.
Report That the Marquis Has Thrown
Up His Hand-A Mule Looms Up
in the Russian Frontier Bus
iness-The Cholera.

LONDON, June q. Saturday morning the |
cabinet cases had no new features except |
the proposition of Lord Salisbury in the
lords Friday afternoon to let the distribu-
tion bill 60 over until after the present ad-
iomnment This was received with fierce
denunciation. The marquis urgei that IL
the redistribution of the seats bill is finally
passed the Conservatives will be
deprived of the constitutional alternative of
appealing to the country should the Liberals
unfairly hamper the co duct of public bust
ness. Therefore, after taking the best legal
| advice on the subject, hedecided not to allow
| the seats bill TO pass into a law until further
| consideration has been had. 1t IS impossi
BILE for the new bill to come into operation
| before November hence Lord Salisbury in
sists upon having liberal pedges.not to will
| fully obstruct the Conservative leaders. The
| Conservatives are alarmed at the tone of
Mr.. Chamberlain's re erent speeches, which
| denote an intention on his part to harass the
| Conservatives to his utmost The Conserv-
atives insist that the Liberals will yet be
compelled to accept Lord Salisbury's terms
Saturday afternoon, however, the situa-
tion appeared to change, and there was in
tense excitement in political circles, as well
as throughout London over report that
Lord Salisbury had decided that he cannot
in the present difficult circumstances form a
ministry, and had refused to make any
further effort to that effect The Liberal
cabinet was hastily summoned, and it was
believed that Mr. Gladstone would be por-
suaded to resume the direction of affairs
There was suspicion that Mr.. Glad
stones announcement in the house of COM
mons Friday that he would publish the cor
respoudence which had passed between
Lord Salisbury and himself at the proper
time has so embarrassed the Tory leaders
that they have decided that they could not
hold office in the light of the promised dis
closures
A correspondent says: The whole situa
ton resembles game of bluff. Lord Sails
bury's best card is his ability to negative or
at least postpone the extension of the fran
chise. Mr. Gladstone's best card is hi
ability to refuse supplies. Each side know
where these cards are, but neither is quit
so certain about the side cards and each /
afraid.
Saturday morning Sir II. G. Ponsonby
private secretary to the queen, delivered t
the marquis of Salisbury a message from
her majesty. The marquis immediatel.
upon receipt OF the message, telegraphe'
\ Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Mr.. Arthur Bal
q four, Ri Hon William Henry Smith an
Rt Hon. Sir Richard Assheton Gross, tina
he desired to meet them in council With
short time the gentlemen named were il
conference with the marquis of Salisbury j
his house.
The extreme Radicals already recogniz
: the potency of the queens influence in th
pending negotiations, and, with fine incor
sistency, are crying out against inyol'
ing the queen in partisan NOV
ment For years they have ridiculed th
throne as purely ornamental and usele'
ad junct of the British state. Now that Il
influence of the throne is being actively 81
erted, and on their opponents side, the
want the throne to remain the gilded piet
of antique bric-a- -brac they have alwa1
pictured it as being.