Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-28
NIGHT AFTER NIGHT WASTED
in Debates Upon Bills That Fave Been I'm
properly introduced.
INTEREST IN THE COMING ELECTIONS
by CABLE TO THE DTsPArcH.l


of the whole House. The night was en-
tirely wasted, therefore, as the bill will
have TO be brought in again, and the men,
bers of the opposition are not likely to fore
go the malicious delight of repeating their
speeches.
Last night one innocent little motion au-
thorizing the use of a State subsidized
schoolroom for public meetings at certain
times under certain conditions was moved
from the Liberal benches and opposed by
the Government, but after five hours de-
bate Baliour was compelled to premise to
bring in bill embodying the principle of
the resolution.
Even in such a small matter as the word
ing of a resolution expelling Decobain, the
fugitive member for Belfast, Balfour man.
aged to put himself in humiliating posi-
tion. The resolution was couched in afro
ciously bad and ungrammatical English,
and Balfour had to accept an amended ver-
sion from his old enemy, Thomas Sexton.
Halfour's Un1tness for Leadership.
In other and smaller matters Balfour is
demonstrating his unftness for leadership
He is constantly late in his arrival at the
House, delegates to others answers to ques-
tions to which the leader is expected to re-
ply, shirks routine work. and is prone to
give needless offense, alike to friends and
opponents.
Some say that Balfour is bored, that his
fine soul is offended by the sordidness of
Parliamentary life, ond that he requires the
stimulus of Gladstone's presence and op-
position TO restore him to himself 1t is
most likely that Balfour is oppressed by a
sense Of the unreality of his position.
There is reason to believe that at the
Cabinet council held last Saturday the min
listers decided What bills would be proceeded
with, and fixed an approximate date for the
general election. If that be so, Balfour |
knows that his leadership will be of brief |
duration, for 1t is an open secret that not |
one Minister doubts that the general elec- |
tlon viii result in Gladstone's return to |
power
In these circumstances it is not surprising |
that Baliour should be careless and his fol |
lowers Respondent, and that the feeling |
should have become general on the Tory |
side, that The sooner the suspense is ended |
by an appeal to the country the better.
The Two vexed Irish RilIs.
The Irish local government bill has been
printed IT contains as clauses, and affords |
boUndleSS opportunities for obstruction -
The Irish education bill, which has also
been introduced this week, contains some
Objectionable features, but 1t is essentially
q compromise measure, and as such the gov
ernment can pass it into law if it really de-
sires to do So
Mr.. Chaplin, on behalf of the Govern
ment, has submitted to Parliament a useful
measure designed to revive the moribund
class Of yeomen or small freeholders by
helping them to buy farming up to 80 acres
in extent. The chief defect of the bill is
the absence of the principle of compulsion,
and the lack of compulsory powers has |
made the so-called allotments act practical |
failure The latter measure was intended to |
benefit agricultural laborers by empowering
local bodies to acquire land, cut it up into
small plots, aud let it to steady men at
reasonable rents, but in most places these |
local bodies, composed largely of land
owners. declined TO take advantage of the |
act and no one was able to compel them to |
move while in some districts the owners of
land refused TO sell or demanded an exor- |
bitant price for their property. 1t is feared
that Chaplin's scheme will partly fail from
similar causes, if it should pass in its proper
form.
improvements to Be Made.
The Liberals have given the bill very
friendly reception, but they will endeayor
70 improve il by the addition of compulsory
clauses and in other ways. If they should
tail the bill will be allowed TO pass and the |
Liberals will wait for a more favorable op-
pOrtunitv for amending it. With all its |
faults however, this small-holdings bill is
the longest step in the direction of Ggrarian
reform in England ever taken by the Tories.
and no discredit attaches to its authority
from the fact that it is directly due to the
couferment of Parliamentary franchise
upon agricultural laborers by the Liberals
In 1885. Both political parties believe it
Will be given to the highest bidder.
The Government has promised to afford !
facilities for discussion upon the Chilean af-
fair The Irish members will take lead I
ing part in the debate, with a view to clear ,
ing up certain matters at present obscure /
relative to intrigueS carried on by British I
subjects and British officials against Minis
ter Egan, but it is understood that no COM
plant will be made against Mr. Kennedy,
the British Minister
Inefficiency of the British ARMY.
Over year ago constant complaints re-
Epectirg the ineficiency of the British
army compelled the Government to appoint
committee of inquiry. The committee j
took an enormous mass of evidence upon Q
which 1t would draw up report, which has s
this week been presented to Parliament | 7
alter an Intellectual effort by the Govern
ment to suppress its publication.
The report affords full justification for the G
critics, ana, III consequence, is calculated to
cause serious public alarm. 1t does not re-
qulre oyer-much perspicacitv or expert |
knowledge 10 see that the trouble is largely
due to necessity for keeping large army in =,
India, virtually upon permanent war foot y
ing, the need OF which is constantly en- q
phaslZed IL the lar East In theory each T.
Of the regular force has two strong Q
battallonS, one abroad and one al home and O
the two should never be abroad at the same I
time, but in fact there are Is. 900 more in O
fantry abroad than at home. with the result s,
that two battalionS of the same REGIMENT are b
often abroad at the same time and even
when this is not the case the home hattalion
is drained of its best men to keen its linked
up TO war strength This drain.
coupled with the difficulty of obtaining re. 5
cruitS Of the right Sort has had startling re- Il
suits. 1.
admissions by High Officers. W
The Duke of Cambridge, commander in u
chief, testified that every battalion at home 81
IS virtually inefficient. Sir Redvers Butler q
AGiutant General, declared that with the II
exception of the Guards which are never
sent to India, there is not q single infantry
battalion effective at home And Lord
W Nolseley, now commander in chief in Ire
and, picturesquely asserted: "After The III
traits for India are provided for, the home II
battalion will be like lemon when all the :.
uice is squeezed out of it. 81 -
The prospect is not alluring, from what =;
ver point of view it NAV be regarded 1t "
$ declared to be imperatively necessary to h.
a:se five more regiments, and that would to
Id about 81, 500, 600 to the yearly military W
expenditure, which already exceeds e1S,-
100 OG0, but under the existing conditions it
S with the most difficulty that recruits can
,e obtained 10 keep the army up to its pres
mt standard The terms of service will si
l., j.. 4