New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-14
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
THE NEWS IN LONDON.
TROUBLES OF THE GOVERNMENT AND
THE OPPOSITION.

PERPLEXITIES OF THE SITUATION IN
CHITRAI-THE NEW SPEAKER AND
HIS CHIEF RIVAL - PENSIONS
FOR THE AGED IN FRANCE.
IBY CABLE TO THE TRTBUNE.l
Copyright: 1895: BIZ RE Tribune A"''taass'
London April 13.-Genera Lows initial suos
against the Chtral ,ribesTen seems, ao-
cording to this mornings News TO have
knocked all heart out of his opponents The
machine and mountain guns at Malakand Pass
taught a lesson the force Of which even young
bloods among the hillmen have been compelled
to acknowledge and to-day we hear OF Umra
Khan being virtually deserted, while the opposi-
ton to the march OF the main army seems melt
ing away Colonel Keys brilliant feat Of cross
ing the Shaudar Pass has caused a diversion.
and the release OF Or. Robertson the immediate
object Of the campaign, appears within arms
length Of accomplishment, With the prospect OF
little or perhaps more. fighting.
There now rises the question. What shall be
the frontier policy of the Indian Governmentf
Lord Roberts proposes that Chitral and the coun-
try between it and the rest OF the Empire be re-
tained not only to control the exit by the passes
of the Hindoo Koosh, but to prevent the Pathan
tribesmen from Joining Russia. should she ever
descend by the Chitral route Mr.. Neville
Chamberlain. who. II Is suspected reflects the
opinion Of the Indian Government, deprecates
that proposition. He argues that such policy
would the stirring up Of the lveliest
hornets nest on the frontier and the financial
strain upon India is enormous already; 1900 men
are engaged In this campaign alone In addition
to the great divergence of opinion On the leading
principle OF the policy thus described. there is
another difficulty before the Government. They
n inst cd int
lily disputes in Chitral, unless IT be true, as ru-
mored that one OF the claimants to the throne Is
making overtures to Russia, and that IL will be
impossible TO restore the dethroned ruler with
out the presence OF a large military force. In
truth. the greatest difficulties relating to this
subject are likely TO arise wnen the campaign
Itself Is ended
Trifing differences Of opinion in the ranks Of
the Unionists have afforded some measure OK
plausibility 10 the reiteraton by their opponents
Of the statement that the alliance between the
two great sections OF that party is weakening.
The selfish attitude Of the Ulster tenantry re-
specting the Irish Land bill undoubtedly COM
pelled the Unonist leaders TO moderate their op.
position 70 the measure. at any rate until the
committee stage has been reached II they IN
sist upon maintaining what Mr.. Chamberlain
calls their unreasonable demands, they may lose
all nv erasping at too much. Mr.. 7. W Russell,
who s formulating amendments covering the
Ulster demands is himself disposed to 60
further than the Unlonsts. Allusion has already
been made to the diatribes OF The Standard
against Mr.. Chamberlain for having claimed the
Leamngton seat for "A Liberal Untonst Anony-
nous attacks attributed to Conservative In
spiratlon have appeared in other quarters, harp
ing upon the aggressiveness Of the Liberal
he chic
censured Mr. Balfour unsparingy for advising
the LAamington Conservatives TO withdraw their
candidate from the field. These indications OF
the revolt in the Unonist camp have been seized
upon and magniied by enemies into a serious
rupture but all this is mere fudge NO douoe
some measure Of irritation exists among the
Conservatives az Leamington but 1t unlikely
that IT will be pressed 10 the extent OF surrender
ing safe Unionst seat TO the first Radical
carpet Dagger who comes along.
Another phase OF public feeling also causes en-
barrassment to the party In certain utra-milt-
tant quarters Mr.. Balfour's Parliamentary pug
nacity and earnestness are called into question.
feeling exists that he is not eager enough 10 trip
his opponents or TO force dissolution This II
held 10 be the more ineXcusable since the Govern
ment continues TO exhibit increasing feeolenesa
TIRE. they have passed two important items OF
hill and the Irish Land bl-through the critical
second reading stage: but their most ardent we'll
wisher does not venture to assert that either bill
Is vet safe on the contrary. the ordeal OF the
committee session is beset with dangers which
may prove fatal at any moment. The Ministry
have not gained fresh strength in any direction.
No by-elections have been won; no diplomatic or
administrative successes have been achieved. In
truth they maintain their policy merely by hold
ing on as nakedly as ever. The division on the
election Of a Speaker demonstrated how slender Is
their Parliamentary majority when bereft OF the
support OF the Redmondies and II is increasingly
evident that that faction is fast becoming utterly
irreconcilable. To make matters worse. II has
lust leaked out that Mr.. Sweetman. and-Parnell-
tie Member for East Wicklow. has resolved 10 re-
sign his seat and cast his lot with the Redmond
ties He declares he Is tired of being mere vot-
ing machine at the service OF a Government which
is neglecting it's duty TO Ireland IT, as is believed
to he likely. Mr.. Carvll Member for Newry, fol-
lows Mr.. Sweetman's example. this constitutes
significant reminder to the McCarthytes that
their policy is not so favorably viewed by all
classes Of Irishmen as the anti-Parneites pro-
fess to assume
The proceedings In the House of Commons con-
nected with the Speakers election are character
ized as a display of partisan feeling. II not with
out precedent. yet certainly not shown for very
long period. Ordinarily the members elect their
own president without party bias and without
Ministerial pressure. on the present occasion
neither the Ministry nor the OPPOSITION selected
the Speaker. On the contrary. he has been forced
upon the House by a noisy though minute group
of Radical malcontents. headed by Mr.. Labou-
chere The man best fitted for the position was
unquestionably Mr. Courtney, but the cabal
against him the part Of some Conservatives
who resented his NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. as Liberal
Unionist wrecked his prospects. Then the Con-
servatives determined 10 nominate Sir Matthew
White Ridley. Sir William Harcourt and many
Liberals would have acquiesced In this decision
had not Radical dssentients compelled the Minis
try to propose their own candidate, at the