New-York tribune., 1888-04-14
MINISTER PHELPS IN TOWN.
PLEASANT DIPLOMATIC TALK FROM HIM


v,,ou,s NOTHING ABOUT THE CHIEF JUSTICE
A'N sTtp Am ryADEs THE IRISH QUESTION.
= pholrs tho United States Minister to England,
had not caught glimpse OF MS nauNe iahd since May
g 1sss when he sailed for London, until yesterday
~ ho.rd tho steamship Aller when no sighted Sandy
ryoo, on b,s first return trip to spend two months
....rO,n, nrvate business affairs. He will return
- - 20 the intervening time being spent between,
49,, ,,, and Washington with tho exception Of o ten
-, ,sit to his home in Vermont. His brother-in-
,ar, and sister who had come from there met him
=, a n m yesterday In q revenue cutter down the
-. The Minister left the big ship and was taken
m N 1rwenty thrdst, whence he went to the Claren-
aan Hotel, where he IS staying. He looked like an
rrglsh tourist, being dressed in suit OF West OF
rnsland tweed with hat and overgalters made of
,ns same material His face which looked somewhat
honyed and atherbeaten, due doubt TO his deer
,.,lns and shooting expeditions in the Scottish
highlands bore out his own remark that the climate
over there agreed with him. lie was courteous and
sven warm to the newspaper men who called on him,
but wouldn't offer opinion upon more than ono
or two questions.
az know nothing he said, "about the vacant
Chief Justiceship Of the Supreme Court and am certain
nav name has not come up in connection with the
matter at alexcept, Of course, in the newspapers.
I am satisfied with my present post, and have no
notion Of giving 1t up until successor is appointed,
q matter which can doubt, DO moro definitely
spoken of after November
PRAISING THE FISHERIES TREATY.
"whai is your opinion concerning the Fisheries
Treaty?'
@wen,D he replied, with animation, al really
OF the opinion that It IS fair, just and equitable
adjustment, and hope 1t will be ratified"
"Have you found the English favorng it,
at seems satisfactory In England as far as l
could learn. Bat the English people have really
little interest In the subject except to satisfy Canada
What satisfies Canada viii satisfy England That Is
the sum Of what may be said concerning English
feeling. There has been Parliamentary debate or
discussion tho Treaty.
ais there any camor in England for the ratification
OF tho Extraditon treaty."
"There is especially strong feeling on the matter.
The British Government have to it, but It is
not nearly important to them as 1t is to u.s. They're
not anxious about IL at all. ! hope and believe
IL will be ratified next winter. Perhaps should say
there Is some misunderstanding about that treaty
1t simply extends the provisions Of the existing treaty
that made in 1912 to several additional crimes
and contains
Mr.. PHELPS stopped short here, looked embarrassed
and began scratching his head. won't tell you any
more about that he resumed with a dry smile.
"while IT is pending before the Senate and the obi-
CATION of secrecy is not removed dont feel free to
say what would otherwise say"
The Minister looked at the reporter and laughed
ais it fair to ask thatl" he said. al have always
as my position requires been very careful to abstain
from taking sides upon any political questions; l
should regard 1t very improper to do and
have done So The subject Is very large and great
deal depends upon the meaning Of the term Home
Rule To express opinion thereon l should first
have facts which have no means of ascertainng.'
STRONG WORDS ABOUT MATTHEW ARNOLD.
Were you angry reading Matthew Arnold,s tirade
against America and Americans ~
Il was, and so were many EngllShmen too. Mr.
smalley, THE IRIBUNEs London CORES pondent, whom
I know we'll, told me that he cabled his opinion
against IT in his dispatches to THE BU
think Mr.. Arnold's article unjust, unfair, dis
courteous and to very large extent without founda
ton l very sorry to 1t in print because of
the effect it VIII have upon those people in England
who have never been in America
Mr. Phelps expressed the opinion that the status Of
the American representative in london should be
raised to that of Ambassador The salary be said
"is much too small, but would not like to suggest
how far IL should be increased for that would bo pro-
posing my promotion
"The English people are beginning to Think he
SAID that free trade would be bad for them &C
count of the almost certainty of the industrious and
entsrprsng Americans driving them out of the market
altogether. The English undoubtedly admire Mr..
Cleveland but not because he is in favor of free
trade; for rule the people there know little
and care little whether a Is Democrat a
Republican"
He spoke Of Mr. Blaine who received in London
"with most marked attention.; of Chamberlain,
destined to play great part in English politics."
and a man whom he much admired and Of Parnel as
clever tactician. able speaker and man whom
he never met in society, because there many
people in society in London, you know, and one may
go long time without meeting one. At all events
Mr.. Parnen is not much In London when Parliament
IL not sitting"