Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-17
LONDON NEWS NOTES
Gossip Anent the Succession TO
Speaker Peel.
THE
ARMENIAN
MATTER.
some Hard Things Said of the Chris
tinns Under the Turk-Iord-May
RenaIs Follows Judge VITA rx-
"mpic-sunday Observance.

lion. Arthur Wellesley Peel has
become heightened somewhat since
II is known that the retirement Of
Speaker Peel and the selection Of his
successor Is likely to involve a change In
the personnel OF the Cabinet. II Sir Will
liam Harcourt should succeed in per
suading his colleagues 10 accept his nom-
nee for the place, Mr.. Leonard u. Court
ney. who occupied the position OF Deputy
Speaker from 1856 TO 1892 the situation
would be made less complicated. Mr..
Courtney. II is believed, would be able
TO secure the chair in a struggle against
the conceded nominee OF thc Conserva-
tives-Sir Matthew White Ridley.
Among the Radicals there IS n feeling
against Mr.. Courtney, but although this
feeling IS strong It IS not sufficiently
bitter 10 afford any material assistance
20 the opposition In elccting Conserva-
tive to the speakership
Sir William Harcourt is so greatly in
terested in the candidacy Of Alr. Court
ney that he has personally conyassed
the Radical section OF the House of Com
mons in his behalf. against Mr.. II. Camp
bell-Bannerman. whose election IS really
desired by a majority Of the Ministerial
party.
SPEAKING FOR HIMSELF.
Gossip in the lobby Of the House Of
Commons has associated Sir William Har-
courts interference in behalf Of Mr..
Courtney against Mr.. Bannerman with
a personal inclination 10 secure the
speakership for himself. but II the candi-
dscy Of the Chancellor Of the Exchequer
has ever been entertained. the idea has
been confined 10 himself. as he is re-
garded as wholly impractcable. Apart
from the fact that he IS 66 years Of age,
and the additional fact that his defective
eyesCht IS getting worse. ne has other
physical disabilities which would render
* impossible for him 10 discharge the
5uties Of the Speakershp.
The Speaker Is sometimes compelled
10 sit at his post six hours without in
corruption. and this ii would be impos-
sih,e for Sir William to do.
However since majority Of the mem
bers Of the Cabinet have selected Mr.
Embellishments as their candidate
for Speaker, and that gentleman has oc-
ccpted the nomination. II appears to be
settled that he Will be the next incum-
bent OF the Office.
THE MATTER SETTLED.
Thus the matter appears TO be settled
The opposition rank and file admit the
eminent fitness Of the present Secretary
Of State for War for the place, and it is
quite probable that his nomination Will
be made unanimous.
Mr.. Gladstone has intimated that he will
make his temperance in Parliament
on the occasion Of Mr.. Peers retirement,
as a tribute TO the departing Speaker
The Chronicle. in an article on the pro-
liabilities OF the succession TO the speak
ership. forecasts the rearrangemcnt OF
the Cabinet in the event Of Mr.. Camp
bell~Bannerman's election. which II re-
CARDS as almost certain. The assign
ments. according 70 the article. are as
follows: Mr.. Henry Fowler. at present
Secretary for India, Secretary for War;
Mr. John Morley. Chief Secretary for Ire
land. Secretary OF State for India; Mr..
Herbert Gladstone. First Commissioner
Of Works. Chief Secretary for Ireland.
IT Is pretty certain. however. that II
this programme IS carried out, the Irish
Nationalist viii vchemcntlv oppose the
substitution OF young Mr.. Gladstone for
Mr.. Morley. The suggestion Of the re-
tlremcnt Of Mr. Morley from the irish
seCretaryship and the withdrawal Of Mr..
Cample, l-Bannerman from the War Of
fee az this juncture. moreover. may so
threaten 30 disturb the Ministry that a
CEdlkr VIII Ie caNHrA III li4t StlttAlylA u
a speakership candidate.
Mr. Pccfs resignation win not be sub
mittcd untu the return Of the Queen from
the Continent
ARMENIA.
Mr. Hugh Everard Hoare. Radical mem
Der o. Parliament for Cambr!Gseshire,
West. and other ant-Turkish members
in the Radical section. have recently been
trying 10 obtain the publication Of a
collection Of dispatches from Mr.. Hall
ward British Nce-cOnsul at Van, In re
ward 70 the Armenian atrocities. The
Armenian Association processes 10 have
learned that Mr. Hallwari dilates upon
the Armenian horrors. not as incidents
but as evidence OF the increase Of their
lrutalizing influence upon the Armenlans
themselves. The Foreign once has re-
fused 70 cause the publication Of the
dispatches, on the ground that their pub
LEFTY would prejudice the case already
under Investigation 10y the Armenian COM
mission Of inquiry.
Mr.. HallWard seems 10 have lent an ear
10 the Armcnians who. the correspondent
Of the Telegraph at kars, says, are
gifted with faculty Of eXubcrant lying
far beyond any other people. and are
ready to invent sausulnary battle and
b!ood-curdling massacres 70 degree or
coherence and plausibility that would put
FGlstah % the blush"
The Speakers correspond ent at Cen
stantinoplc has again come 10 The sur
face and reappears in the Speaker In a
letter. In which he re3ssertS the state
ments OF "a distinguished man. Than whom
nobody living has a closer knowledge
Of Armenia. and who has moral and in
tellectual qualities emitting hun to I'M
plicit confidence
This is q preamble TO a statement on
h.. % Ia N ba1 man. that
the belief gains ground that the au-
thOri;ies In COnstantinOple have no Sc
rlous intention TO intervene in Armenia,
and that If persistent agitation fails the
tate OF the Armenians and ali Chris
tians in Turkey IS sealed. The politi-
cal bias of the letter is so obvious as 10
deprive the Armenians Of whatever volue
the alleged facts regarding the situation
have collected
NEWSPAPER SUBSIDIES,
The long-suppresses scandal concerning
the subsidies which newspaper proprl,tors
drew from the Postal Department through
the system OF press telegrdphy, has OBJ
tained a slight ventilation through a de-
bate In the recent congress OF the cham
bers Of commerce.
The Postmaster General having stated
that upon the face Of the official returns
the annual loss upon press kilograms
was 10000 pounds. the congress discussed
a motion TO revise the press rates IN
Sucn way as 10 enable the cost OF
public kilograms 10 be reduced. Some Of
the speakers denounced the present sys-
TEN. contend.ng that the public service
was being injured by the immense sub
sidy 20 newspapers. Two members Of the
BODY, wealthy newspaper-owners. defend
"a the present system. and traced the
deficiency IN the revenue Of the Telegraph
Department 10 the eXtrayagant prices
paid for the purchase Of rights equip
msnts, etc. under which the State ac-
CURED control OF the teegraphs from
private companies.
In this contention the newspaper-owners
are unquesuOnably right, for IL Is a
matter Of history that corruption ruled
the purchase by the State OF the rotten
lines which the government acquired from
private companies which were nearly
bankrupt. The government officials and
others who were interested In the trans
actions know dat the press obtained the
establishment Of press rate which the
government actuarieS originally declared
Il would be impossible 10 make pay under
any circumstances. For quarter OF a
century the press has thus drained from
the public funds revenue which no
government during that time has had the
courage 10 oppose.
Although the telegram system Of Great
Britain IS well organized. the service
cannot be compared In any respect with