New-York tribune., 1890-06-29
DRAMATIC EN TN
n,p IN THE TRIBUNE

Aoh"n' l.. dow exbiiits the French a'l-
,borties in an aggressive attltude ana '.e h.'
covernment firm in its assertion ol bil'lsn ,~is ~
S.,dom has Lord Salisbury written sharPr
a;srstch than that in which he rep"os ~ "
,Waddnoton. the French Ambassador IN hoii'on'
who sought TO justify the seton OF Tue oon'''
"t ,ho Drac The English Minister repels ana
even resents the claim of the frehch " VN,,''
iursdction over British subjects. NJ "auuihS-
ton is told that his doctrine is both mover ana
dorcerous ENGLAND cannot admit that frehon
oecers should control the fishing operations vi
British subjects and requests Fronce 10 aps'i"
In future from such attempts to exercise autloIi'
within British territorial jurisdiction. ihS "''
match, dated May 20, lacks neither clearhess Nv.
frmness; nor is there any doup'lui no'c III -:
language of the chief Conservative journal Wi',n
is indeed considerably more strenuous unah up
macy would think permissible IN dispa'ch, i"I'
ore signs that public opinion here Is az i'Sv IA
terested in the lobster fisheries OF NeWioun'l""'
and the rights of British subjects on 'he o'A'i
aide of the Atlantic
Tho Anclo-German agreement continues 10 pe
discussed all over Europe; not less eagerly on 'i'
Continent than here in England Inc rF"','
rress pursues its usual line me pes' ri'HC"
;onrnals are quite unable TO conceal Ineil 0n"ei'
that concord should exist between Ehgianu "n"
Germany. two countries which they seem 10 JUS
Elxe eouallv The attitude OF the rrehch wv
ernment remains correct France co'isiue,'
sbe has claims 10 be consulted before ackno"l-
edring the English protectOrate over Hali~i'
The negotiations proceed amcaby.
Prince Bismarcks opinion on the Angio-Oernon
AGREEMENT will prove of some help To the hhgils"
Ministry The ex-Chancellor thinks II 100
favorable 10 England, doubts whether Hehgolahu
will be useful to Germany. and condemns the EhS
Itch nrotectorate over Zanzibar. What Is most
characteristic in Prince Bismarcks brlet ana al
most contcmptuOus handling of the treaty Is HIS
remark that il will cause great dlssa'islac'ioh
-, ,bo enthusiasts for German colonial en-
,erprisc of whom am not one. lhal IS uie"Io
as n reminder 10 the German people that 'hei
hos, advisor * still against that colonial policy
which 50 many Germans heretofore cooi-headeu'
are beginning to think justified by success
Mr. Gladstone, if friends account NAV DE
trusted is opposed TO the cession oi HeHgoi'H''
He has been deeply impressed oy 'he S'afii'"O
,ha, in case of a war between Germany and France
the possession Of this island by Germany may en-
barrass the operatio5ns of the French fleet in the
,altic. lie demands, therefore, a stipulation
from Germany that Hegoland will not be con-
ver,sd into naval fortress. There may I've some
connection between this attitude and his answer
10 request 10 take part in the Peace Arbitration
meetings next month in London. MI "Ia"S'ohe
replies that he Will give the invitation the noS'
favorable consideration in his power, but ne Is Ill
n Doston of peculiar difficulty, because everything
H., saws is liable 10 be "over-interpreted III is
q sad fate.
4 variety of interesting news reaches England
This week from America. One correspondent nc
clares that President Harrison has lnterveneo III
the Bebrng Sea settlement from jealousy oi otcio-
,ar,, blaine Another assures the British public
that Mr. Blaine has ceased TO be power LII
America On equally good authority Mr.. blaihc
is renresented as denouncing his own party ana
his colleagues in Congress England Is iurther
told that though Mr.. Blaine had made up MS
mind to drive the poachers ont OF Beiirlhg sea-
Lord Salisbury has sent a dispatch TO washington
which caused him TO suspend his ac'ioh'
These idle tales have this importance that they
affect TO some extent the judgment OF Englshmen
who have no means of testing their authenticity
They do influence opinion, and may even influence
the official world and the relations between London
and Washington. The press, one portion OF
the press. accepts them with touching creduhty.
The Ministry are now chiefly occupied in wish
ing they had never touched the question OF license
Mr. Goschen, say the Tories, who still look
askance at an old Wing in Tory clothes, is re-
sponsible for all that has happened IL was his
bold bid for popularity and power. We'll, IL IL
were lie has made it to no purpose. The licensing
clauses of the Local Taxation bill are dead, and
compensation is dead The Ministry not dead,
but damaged; though less damaged than rhelr
enemies assert. and perhaps believe. Their friends
are very angry with them still, and their party
is perplexed by its confused and besitating leader
ship. Lord Salisbury sits up aloft in the House
of Lords, wondering why people should care so
much about what happens in that inferior assembly
OF mere cOmmoners. But they do care.
When Mr. Smith made up his mind that he
could not carry this measure, ne conceived plan
by which it could be half dropped He told the
House that the Government would not proceed
with the clauses for the extinction Of the licenses
by purchase, but having already passed the clause
by which the new spirit duties in England were
alocated 10 this purpose, they would do the same
for Scotland and Ireland, and then let the money
accumulate till Parliament could resolve what 10
do with it. The temperance people forthwith
declared that they liked this proposal as little
the other, and would continue TO oppose the bill
in It's new form. This on Monday. On
Tuesday the Speaker gently hinted to the Minis
tiers that their plan was probably unconstitutional
and certainly without precedent. Finally on
thursday the Leader of the House hauled down
MS licensing nag altogether and abandoned all
That part OF the bill There is great Joy in the
Gladstonian camp and much depression and some
1ii-'emper IN the Tory fold Both parties take a
party view. That is what parties are for The
country looks on and wonders how long il will
have Parliament
This collapse is triumph Of obstruction The
Ministry have surrendered TO obstruction True
they were i'll supported by their own followers.
many of whom thought their seats in danger on
account Of this bill bill which nobody really
liked except its unluclly author and which
pleased neither the temperance people nor the
brewers. 1t would. however have been car
ried but for obstruction. Tie leaders of the parry
OF obstruction have now succeeded in defeating
two OF the three chief measures of the session. and
the fate Of the third is still uncertain They
rejoice because the Ministry are discredited and
care nnfhinn IL Pa rliamnnf alsl, hn hionrnditnd