The morning call., 1892-06-12
BRITIsH COMMENT.

The London papers are pleased at the
defeat Of Blaine, but not much enthused
over the nomination Of Harrison. The Pres
ident is regarded as The less Of two evils.
The London star looks forward to the
nomination Of Cleveland as aff0rding an
opportunity for the play of British sym
pathiss. But the ST. James Gazette shakes
its Johnny Bull head aud sees no hope in
Democratic asceDdency. it reminds its
readers that almost the last act of the late
Democratic Cabinet was TO insult the Brit
ish representatives, at Washington. The
belief was at one time entertained that
Great Britain did not allow her representa-
tiyes to be insulted with impuuity As the
American Government has never been called
to account for its treatment Of the British
resentatives, we can only assume that
the British lion is not so easily aroused as
he was at one period Of his existence. The
Gazette also says: "Presideat Harrison,
following less adroitiy Blaine's example.
carried Draggadocio TO abSurdity in the
Bering Sea negotiations until he found it
vain, when be dropped it and climbed
down" The climbing down act was not
visible in any part Of the United States.
st one stage in the negotiations there
arose a question as to whether the
modus Yiyendi of last year should
BE renewed. President Harrison thought it
should be- Lord Salisbury thought it should
not He compared the stock Of seals in the
disputed ground to the moving Of grain in
a meadow that was in dispute. 1t is not
necessary to follow the line of argument by
which the British Premier was convinced
that his comparison would not hold it is
70 ind hot Ia
modus vivendi was renewed. II there was
any performance Of the climbing down act
it was visible only acl oss the Atlantic
Another London journal says that President
Harrison is a "quiet unassuming old gen.
tleman CT great personal integrity, but with
out great ability" Il is admitted to be diff
cult to measure accurately the ability Of
living man. Some men make a great show
and accomplish nothing. Some men write
well, but fail to devise any measures which
meet the approval of their associates.
Others who are less attractive to the public
eye possess the ability to devise measures
IC meet the public needs. They come
forward with plans to meet a crisis.
These plans are found so sound
and so practicable that they get place on
the statute books that the snowy contem-
HUIdIl IbhEI ltdELEos II Is a ul6LtuEulSN-
ing feature Of President Harrson's admin
istration that be was equal to every emer-
gency that presented itself. When the
leaders Of the Republican party got tied up
in a knot in Congress the Presidents good
sense helped them out BE always had a
measure that fitted the necessity. He has
always been as big as the occasion. When
this can be said Of man the assumption is
free that when a bigger occasion presents
itself the man Will rise to Ii. The English,
of course, assume that they have two or
three men in public life who may be called
great Possibly they have, but the great
ness Of their great men is most apparent in
talk. What has Gladstone succeeded in
doing with the Irish question? What has
Salisbury done TO check the admitted CON-
merciai decadeEce Of Great Britain? What
practical plan has ever been outlined look
ing to imperial federation9 While we do
not propose TO compare policies, It is not
difficult to record results. The administra-
ton Of this mediocre American President
has given the country an industrial "boom"
that the English themselves admit the force
Of and in this respect 1t contrasts wildly
with the failure Of British statesmen 10 pre-
sent measures to avert growing evils.