New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-02


parneU Commission report fills space altogether
,ut of proportion to its real Importance. oociai
questions are to-day, as they were TWO mon'hs ago.
more vital and more pressing than any merely
political issues They are supposed 10 De- puV per-
hons arc NOT more pressing on the Continent than
m Fnoland because the German Emperor has
,aken some of them up. What his Labor Con-
fcrcnce intends is doubtful; what it will accom-
nlisb is more doubtful still. But an Emperor, and
a German Emperor most of all, is still consider
able parsonage in Europe, and his voice reaches
throughout the world. There was never any
danger that a conference proposed by such
notentate would fall stilborn His invitations
have. in fact, been accepted more generally than
he and his advisers expected and their acceptance
This week by France is a welcome surprise. Ger
mans talk of it as a diplomatic victory.
II is nothing of the kind; 1t is
an act of good sense on the part of the French
Government and especially on the part of It's
Foreign Minister. NJ Spuller. The Chauvinists OF
the Chamber will attack him because he treats
the German Emperor civilly, but he has the pub
lie opinion of Europe on his side. The programme
pf the conference has been modified. 1t was meant
to legislate for Europe on social and economies
questions. That TOO ambitious scheme has been
abandoned. II will seek solutions of certain prob
lens and will discuss remedies. but will not at
tempt to enforce them. This narrowing OF the
Emperor's original project it is which has made 1T
practicable for France TO accept his invitation 10
Berlin Three French delegates will attend, NJ.
Jules Simon, perhaps, at their head.
The social question is supposed to have had
something to do with the Bismarck crisis. which
has lasted all the week No two authorities how
ever agree respecting the real cause of this crisis
or the terms on which the differ
ences between the Chancellor and the
Emperor have been adjusted. Almost the
only fact accurately known is that there has been
a crisis. and that it is over. Prince Bismarcls
wish TO relieve himself of the burden of the
Prussian portfolio does not fully explain the meet
ings 1t is not alleged that he thought of retlr-
ing from The Chancellorship of the German En-
pire He did talk of resgning the Presidency
of the Prussan Council. hut talks of II no longer
The socialistic successes in Berlin and elsewhere
would of themselves suffice to keep him at his
post. They are important. though probably less
significant than at first supposed. The
second elections will settle the question of the
Parliamentary majority but majority against the
Ministry will not now. any more than formerly,
compel Ministers to resign.
The lonc-threa tened coal strike in England
seems rear The miners in the great coal coun-
ties in the north of England are demanding
not give Three months ago it was eight hours
which the miners were most eager to secure, but
The hope of more pay has pushed the eight hours
question aside for the moment. In this there
is nothing new What is new is that the col
liery propretors combining to resist the com
bination of the men. The strike, now imminent,
Is organizing on a scale which promises TO disturb
every industry in England.
Worth noting, also, is the space occupied in
The March reviews by social and economical dis
CUSHIONS "The Nineteenth Century" which keeps
its lead has the third of an admirable series by
Professor Huxley. In this one, entitled Gap
ital, the Mother of Labor" he once more pull
verizes what is left of Mr.. Henry George and
his windy theories. Mr.. j. d. Christie, who an
nounces himself as pastry-cook contributes to
the same review what he calls "WOrkngmans
Reply to Professor Huxley" Mr.. Christies logic
is as brittle as his pastry ought to be. and the
workingman. if he has no better reply than this.
had better keep silence. Lord Bramwel writes
on Property with his usual acuteness and brew
ity. Perhaps Mr.. Herbert Spencer's paper
Justice may be referred to the same category,
'hough ii is usual an prlOri argument rather
than a practical help toward any valid theory
of political ethics. Similar topics are uppermost
in THE Contemporary Review" where NJ.
Laveeye discourses on Communism, neatly APP
plying the knife TO some of its favoritc
dogmas Mr. Fletcher Moulon argues for Taxa
ton of Ground Rents and Mr.. Lyulph Stanley,
whose authority is high, discusses Free Schools,
a social question that goes deeper than most
others.
France has one more pretcndcr TO the throne,
whose claims may become serious. IL is sending
the Due dOrleans to Clairvaux Prison which
threatens to make them The Radicals, rather
than the Government, primarily responsible
for this mistake, though the Ministry might
well have stood ont against them. The Duo
dOrleans violated tie law by returning TO France.
from which he is by law excluded. The Ministry
might have sent him back 10 the frontier in
charge of civil policeman. and his cscapade
would have been forgotten in a week His trial.
conviction, two years sentence and removal to
ClaifvauX, if followed by long Imprisonment, are
likely enough to make him martyr He is the
first Oreanist for long time who seems TO have
some stuff in him. lie is willing to risk his
skin, or, unlike General Boulanger risk Jail for
political gain. The longer II is kept in Clair
vaux the longer will his adventure excite attcn-
ton and his supposed courage attract admiration
In present circumstances this is quite enough
to make him formidable whenever the Comtc de
Paris may choose 10 renouncc his own claims in
his sons favor.
Opinion on the Parnell Commission report fol-
lows foreseen course. IL hailed by the
Parnellites with shouts of triumph, AS "A nearly
complete vindicaton of the Irish party and their
leader. 1t was welcomed by The Times and
the Tories as q condemnation of both Discussion
of il in public has been almost entirely partisan
and of little help TO those. if any there be- who
desire TO form an impartial Judgment. The con-
test which RACES about this document has, how
ever, but jist begun, What may be called the
official debate opens on Monday, when Mr.. Smith
will ask the House to thank the Judges and to
adopt the report. Mr.. Gladstone meets the Tory
leaders motion with amendment framed
in more violent language than that
Old Parliamentary Hand was ever known to en-