The sun., 1894-10-30
Lord ROsebery's Ideas.

In the speeches which Lord RosEBERY
made last week at Sheffield and Bradford,
he enabled his supporters TO form some con-
ception of his foreign policy, and also Of the
way in which he purposes to deal with the
veto power exercised by the Lords.
One would not wish to score too sharply
the effusive reference made by the Liberal
Prime Minister to the Car, because the
latter's sufferings have aroused general
sympathy. An expression of coincidence,
however, need not violate good sense. We
scarcely expect from a man protesting to be
a statesman such rhodomontade AS the as
sertion that ALExANDER III. will "enjoy in
history a reputation as victor in peace not
less undisputed than the reputation CESAR
and NAPOLEON enjoy as conquerors." The
plain truth is that history will say that
the present Gar, during the greater part
OF his reign OF less than fourteen
years, was peaceful, because without
gross raShness he could not he other
wise. Until two or three years ago,
the French army had not been brought up
to the pitch of full efficiency, and all the
Russian soldiers have not even yet been
armed with perfected weapons Up to that
time Russia could not venture to commit
a breach Of the peace on her western from
tier, because the States united by the Triple
Alliance were entirely qualified to act as the
policemen Of Europe. Neither, beyond the
insignificant demonstration at Penjdeh,
has ALEXANDER Ill undertaken any move
ment prejudicial TO British interests in
Asia, being we'll aware that pressure upon
his part would drive England into a
xrit ha raI
Even OF late, since France has seemed
a military factor whose cooperation might
prove of great value, the issue of war in
which Germany and Austria would have
the advantage of moving on interior lines
has been deemed so problematic, that the
Cars hesitation to engage in il may be
more reasonably ascribed to prudence than
TO any other motive. AS to his having been
"a victor in peace" he has won nothing
during his reign except Sarakhs and
Merv from the Turcomans and they were
gained only by hard fighting; while he has
lost the ascendancy in Bulgaria which was
supposed TO be the principal fruit Of the last
war with Turkey.
Lord RosEBERY's assurance that the re-
cent Cabinet council was not called owing
to the existence OF any dissension between
France and England, would scarcely have
been given but for the foolish assumptions OF
the London newspapers, none Of which since
the death OF Mr.. DELANE has exhibited
much knowledge Of foreign affairs. The
assurance was certainly superhuous TO those
conversant with the diplomatic history Of
the last few years, for not only does France
possess by treaty protectorate over NADIA
gascar, substantially identical with that
which England herself exercises over the
Transvaal, but the prOtectorate has been
formally recognized, first by Lord SAILS
BURY's, and subsequently by Mr.. GLAD
STONES Government The reference 70 the
present Ministry's policy with relation to
China and Japan was clearly disingenuous
England does not want to see the
overthrow of tine corrupt and effete Manchu
dynasty at Pekin, simply because such a
revolution would deprive her OF the lions
share Of the trade with the Middle Kingdom
The substitution of japanese for MAnchu
rulers in the Celestial Empire, instead Of
involving, as Lord ROsEBERY alleges, " the
gravest possible catastrophe to Asiatic ciyili-
zation," represents probably the only means
by which that civilization may be recon
structed in accordance with European ideas.
The announcement made by the Prime
Minister Of the position which, he thinks,
should be taken with regard 70 the Lords, is
ambiguous and unsatisfactory. He says
that the House Of Lords can be abolished,
or for that matter stripped Of its veto power,
only by revolution. This is true enough,
but inasmuch as not one human being would
| lift finger for the Peers, the revolution
would be a blOOdless one. Lord ROsEBERY
! apparently objects % revolution even