Morris tribune., 1885-06-24
II. w. RANDALL.
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 23-Saturday morning the
cabinet cases had no new features except
the proposition of Lord Salisbury in the
! lords Friday afternoon to let the dlstrlbu-
tion bill go over until after the present ad-
| iournment This was received with fierce
denunciation. The marquis urged 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 pubic buSi-
ness. Therefore, after taking the best legal
advice on the subject, hedecided not to allow
the seats bill to pass into law until further
consideration has been had. 1t IS lmpoSsI-
BILE for the new bill to come into operation
before November, hence Lord Salisbury in
sists upon having liberal pledges: mot to will
fully obStruct the Conservative leaders. The
Conservatives are alarmed at tho tone Of
Mr. Chamberlain'S re cent 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 we'll
as throughout London, over report that
Lord Salisbury had decided that he cannot
in the present difficult circumstances form
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 per-
suaded to resume the direction of affairs.
There was a suspicion that Mr. Glad
stones announcement in the house OF COM
mons Friday that he would publish the cor
respondence 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-
tion resembles game of bluff. Lord Sails
bury's best card is his ability to negative or
at least postpone the extension of tie fran
chise. Mr.. Gladstones best card is his
ability to refuse supplies. Each side knows
where these cards are, but neither is quite
so certain about the side cards. and each is
afraid.
Saturday morning Sir H. G. Ponsonby,
private secretary to the queen, delivered to
the marquis of Salisbury a message from
her majesty. The marquis immediately
upon receipt OF the message, telegraphed
Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Mr. Arthur Bal
four, Rt Hon. William Henry Smith and
Rt Hon. Sir Richard Asshston Gross, that
he desired to meet them in council. Within
a short time the gentlemen named were in
conference with the marquis of Salisbury in
his house.
The extreme Radicals already recognize
the potency of the queens influence in the
pending negotiations, and, with fine incon-
sistency, are crying out against involv-
ing the queen in a partisan move
nlent For years they have ridiculed the
throne as a purely ornamental and useless
adjunct Of the British state. Now that the
influence Of the throne is being actively ex-
srted. and on their opponents side, they
want the throne to remain the gilded piece
Of antique bric-a-brac they have always
pictured it as being.