New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-18
MR. BALFOUR IN PERIL.
hENACED DAILY WITH THE FAYE OF LoRD
FREDERICK CAVENDISH.
,opp LONDONDERRY IS LESS DANGER-Mh. PAR
NELL LEARNING LESSONS FROM ENGLISH
opI<IoN-TuE R,LFoUR BLUNT EPISODE
MR. nUsKlN's LAMENT - THE
JOCKEY CLUE SCANDAL
THEATRICAL
fBY CABLE To THE TRrBUNE.l

iBY CABLE To THE TRIBUNEl
Copvrtoat lsSs Bv THe Ne'c. York Tribune
LoNpox, Jan. l7-Oficial anxiety about MT.
Balfour has of late much increased The police
authorities say that he is in greater danger of
assassination than ever Mr. Forster was, whose
repeated escapes were nothing short of miraculous.
This opinion is based not upon the general na'reu
shown to Mr. Balfour by the Irish Leaders anu
their English allies but upon speclnc lnlorm",ioh
which the police believe is absolutely accuraoo'
Plot after plot to murder the Cher secretary h"S
been formed and frustrated The lnvlncioles are
steadily at work. They believed that they hau
chance when Mr. Balfour spoke lately at Man
chester and an attempt would certainly nave ocen
made had not the police insisted on his Sleeping
in the Town Hall. which is also the police head
quarters The assassins thought that was raVher
too hot place TO venture into.
The precautions now taken at Dublin are
greater than ever before. The Viccregal Lodge,
where the Chief Secretary lives, and Phoenix
Park in which the Lodge stands, swarm with
detectives and he is never allowed to take step
alone His custom is as his enemies well KNOW,
to walk every morning from the Lodge to the
gate Of the Park, often playing golf by the way
Mr. Balfour, like most young Scotsmen, is proh-
cicnt in this national game At the gate car
riage is waiting and he drives to the Castle with
strong cicoFt During the drive during the day
at the Castle during his return, and all night long
at the Lodge, he is surrounded by every safeguard
which the wit of the police can devise; ana IL Is
needless to say that the experience oI the lrish
police in such matters is extensive
Thus goes on sort Of duel between the assassins
and the police with the life Of the ruler of Ireland
at stake Much more than Mr. Balfours life is
at stake The triumph of the assassins would
ring the last knell of Home Rule. None know 1t
better than the Home Rule leaders. None have
more cause to pray for his safety. Yet none so
bitterly revilc him, needless of the fact that
every insult and calumny heaped ON him fur
nishes many more provocations and preteAts
TO his would-be murderers.
Lord Londonderry, meanwhile, is thought to be
in less danger lie eflaces himself. lie hardly
takes more than formal part in the business of
govern ng Ireland. When he appointed Vice
roy the Nationalsts denounced him because he is
n Castercagh. Now they say it is becausehe is
Castlereagh and an Irishman that his life is COM
parativelJ safe.
Mr. Parnclrs manifesto has made a sensation in
more quarters than His wise counsel against
obstruction is not rclished by the wilder spirits
of the Irish party hut they are l believe given
to understand that this self-denyng ord-
nance may be found to have practical limitations.
If, for example, the Ministers propose new rules
OF procedure of the kind foreshadOwed by rumor,
Mr. Pame will held himself justified in resisting
them to the bitter end. lie will not submit if
he can help it, TO seeing his supporters suspended
for the session for n second offence.
Putting aside such possibilities Mr. Parnell is
doubtless sincere in deprecatng the continuance of
the tactics which proved futile last session He
takes far accurate measure of English
opinion than many of his colleagues, some of whom
do not seem to care to- take any measure Of it.
He regards the result of the Winchester election
a. throwing some doubt on the practical utility
OF lr sh methods applied to English politics lie
sees that in the long run the English Will not stand
having all English business put aside by the Irish
And he has the courage TO tell his friends the truth
Mr. Blunt has lost no time in alternating the
sympathes which L said lately his sensible be-
haNiOr IN prison had been winning for him. 1t
is thought here that the ITtsoD autllaCilcs and
Mr. Blunt are equally foolish about the oVcrcOat
question. But the amazing story about Mr. Bal
four has eclipsed all other follieS Whether Mr..
Blunt said what he is reported TO have said is
doubtful Whoever said 1t, nobody believes that
MIR BafOur ever told him the Irish question would
be settled by SIX months Imprisonment of the
Irish leaders, anything like it. The Chief
Secretary has been accused of many things, but
not Of beng an absolute idiot
Mr.. Ruskn to-day again raises his voice in
melancholy protest against what he persists IN
,gardiny as the dccadence Of England He un-
G'rtakcs to define English character and manhood
:, uustworthiness of word and work. independ
tncc Of other peoples opinions, respect for old
fashions and honor for women. These, he cries,
discarded conceptions of our insular strength
and felicity. Yet he turns from these visions of
national debasemcnt to complain that people will
longer write novels to suit him. This Is the
burden OF his present letter.
a greater grievance for the moment than the
dcgcneracy of the British Empire, the Chctwynd-
Durham controversy, has advanced one stage
more. The stewards Of the Jockey Club have
asked Sir George Chetwynd whether he means to
g. TO law, saying that if he does not they will
sall general meeting of the club This, OBJ
fiously meant as a threat is met by Sir George
with the reply that general meeting Of the
Jockey Club is precisely what he desires. That
not court Of law, is the tribunal to which lie
has all along appealed
Mcssrs. Hare and Kendall began their series of
farewell reviyals at the St. James's Theatre with
A Scrap Of Paper" This English version of NJ.
Sardou's Les Pattes de Mouche" has held
the English stage many years. If played as 1t
was last evening it will hold it many years to
come. Mr.. Hare reappcaIed after a long absence,
and was heartily welcomed. Ills curlously rcalis-
tic minute study Of Doctor Penguin has gained
rather than lost by repose. Mr.. Kendals Colonel
Blake" is a spirited and sympathetic piece of
acting. Susan Hartley" in Mrs. Kcndal's hands
Is both spirited and sprituclle, played without
false note from beginning to end, and alto |
gcthcr delightful. q. W. s.