The morning call., 1892-05-22
Salisbury'S independence in Expressing
His IieWS.
HIS OPPOSITION TO FREE TRADE.
Political Parties Confused by the Actions Of The
Premier-His Reciprocity Policy Con.
fOuRdS His Supporters.
Special to THE MORNING CALL,

NEW YORK, May 2l-Smalley's special
eablegram 10 the Tribune from London says:
There is probably no precedent for the easy
Indifference to politics which is shown by
the present Prime Minister Of this kingdom.
Lord Salisbury is not only the Prime Min
lister, he is the leader of great party, or
peThais two parties. one greater than the
other. The general election is at hand, yet
this great party leader goes down to Hast
ings and there delivers his soul Of a sreech,
one section of which is we'll adapted
TO throw his party into confusion.
What be says of free trade aud tue retalia-
tory tariff is in direct hostility 10 the whole
current of thought in this country for at
least a generation, and not less hos tile to
the system on which its business with
foreign countries Is conducted. There was
nothing to provoke it. The i'm
immediate cause Of the most press
Ing economical troubles in England
Is not tree trade Free trade is
the ultimate cause. The immediate cause
is the systematic assault Of labor on cap
ital. The dogmas Of Golden and Bright
are snll To the great majority of Euglish-
men the accepted way Of salvation. You
hear now and then ftful splutter about
fair trade. but it has hitherto come from
men who have no hold on the public and
no party behind them. Il is not a question
of practical politics. There is not even a
respectable minority in the House Of
Commons for protection in any shape or
FORM or was net yesterday. There Is more
over great issue before the country and
multitude OF minor ones, lncludlng on one
side the whole Newcastle programme On
this great Issue the country Is presently 10
be asked to give its Judgment Confused no
doubt by the multitude Of minor issues
which were deliberately cOnjTIyed III order
10 confuse IN secret; StIll with this chief
question to be answered by every voter:
DO you OF co you not wish the empire
broken up by giving home rule to Ireland ?
these are the Il cum Ia. c IS IN Which Sails
bury, as il from pure llghtnesS Of heart,
takes up the question OF free trade aiTesh
and presents it to the already somewhat
muddled minds OF his cOunuymen as one
that presses for an imm, date answer.
The first effect Of SalisbuTy's Hastings
speech is a protest from his most powerful
supporters IN the press. He Times tells
him that 1t is q mere dream TO suppose that
bis ideas have any chance Of acceptance.
The Standard tells him that he had better
have omitted that part Of his speech. Other
Conservative journals DO the same. That IS
quite enough 10 show how lmprCdent tie
manifesto is. if you look at it from purely
political point of view. Man, however,
uDGo DuL i've ~ AOtAtlLo hiDAN8 asN Wv y
are signs in Saiisbury'S speech that, lmpTu-
dent though it may be and terrifying to the
mere politician, il is not lIght-heaTted,
not a reckless, nor casual comment, Dut a
well considered declaration.
The English find much comfort In the
news thai Persia Eas rejected the amiabe
offer Of Russia to lend her &5OQO0O Tor the
payment of the English claims on account
of the tobacco concessions. Tobacco may
not seem a mOmentous subject, but this IS
none the less very considerable diplomatic
triumph for England over Russia IN ASIA.
The threatened and openly announced
ascendency of Russia in Persia is, TO say the
least, postponed.
Rnssia's domestic troubles with her Jews
are not diminished She is not encouraging
but discOuragng immigration, promising
all The while 10 help Baron HIrsch and u ing
his hands with red tape
The refusal Of the Newfoundland Legs
latUFe 10 pass the French shore bill elcits
strong language from the beloved mother
country Of that TecaciiTant colony. Ii IS
here held that Newfoundland stood pledged
to pass il, and only by that pledge was
tie passage of al imperial act prevented
Newfoundland almost deserves 10 be
handed over to France or America ex-
claims John Bull in his wrath.
The public prosecutors correspondence
With the law court officials, published this
week, sliTs even the English press TO criti-
esm. IL seems probable that Sir Augustus
Stephenson tried as hard as the traditions
of his office would permit 10 obtain the doc
uments impounded 10y the court which
heard the case Of Evelyn against Hurlbert
and had he obtained them he would have
prosecuted Hurlbert for perjury in rather
less than seven months after the perjury
was, as he thought, committed. The Judges
treated the public prosecutor as an inter-
loper, who had no business to be meddling
with their affairs. They certainly did not
n
rules and enforced them in a WOO len, Off
eia way, which ought not to be possible in
any civilized country and is possible in all.
Sir Augustus does not explain how the issue
Of a warrant against HurlbeTt became
known or how il happened that the paper
which Hurlbert formerly edited in New
York gave him warning just in time TO
alfop him to peennp