New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-10

playing low bass on Unlonlst poncies 10 hT'
Chamberlain's high treble on Imperial Fedora
tion and with Lord Salisbury and his Ministers
filling the pauses Of the GuIldha dinner with
dull recitative the curtain may be said to have
risen for a new season OF English politics. With
only one rehearsal in the Cabinet Council the
leading performers had not succeeded in master
ing their parts nor in learning their cues. The
overture does not suggest definite motives for the
piece. Much OF the byplay is political pantomime.
but the curtain Is up. The performance has be-
gun with the usual mummery OF Lord Mayors
show. and the claque Is out in great force 10
smother the first sbilant demonstration
Perhaps the closest approach to a cue Is fur
nished by the Duk. Of Devonshire in his warning
that the Government NAV require any day the
support OF all the parties In England, since tne
Eastern question has reappeared In critical
stage and its pacific or permanent settlement IN
wolves grave dangers and responsibilities. ana IN
his suggestion that many non-controversai mat
ters relating to depressed agriculture. colon'ai
trade and employers liability press urgently Tor
treatment and can be dealt with In a non-parusan
way. The warning appears unduly serious. al
though repeated within the compass OF fort-
night by the most phlegmatic OF English states
men II is true that the financial situation In
Constantinople ls chaotic that massacre IN
still the order Of the day for the Armenians. ana
that the great Powers. Austria being now includ-
ed. have united in a demand FOR the suppression
Of the revolt in the provinces. which the sultan
considers impra ctcable since It's enforcement VIII
undermine his authority ir his Empire But the
same conditions have prevailed many times, ana
the Porte's resources for delaying European &C.
t,on and renewing promises which are made only
10 be broken are inexhaustibe. One Vizer has
retired after an inglorious administration, ana
another fine old Turk has taken his place, with
new circle Of grinning Ministers. who will ask for
an additional respite. So that they may set the
sultan's house In order then after another pause.
this Ministry be dismissed. and fresh ono
appointed II European demands are again
sharply emphasized
ominous as the warnings Of the Unionist Lead
ers may be- II is reasonable TO assume that the
Government will have the support Of all parties
in any crisis that may arise In Constantnople or
In the more dangerous storm-centre of Eastern
Asia for that Is the best tradition and almost the
unbroken practice VI English public life But ft
Ia most unlikely that In domestic matters the
I-nionis,s will restrict their energies TO non
political questions That is cuckoo sons which
will not long be heard.
Irish lard measures there must be- the ques-
ton Of aiding voluntary schools from the Local.
rates or the Imperial Treasury Is pressing for set
tlement; the London County Council II breaking
down under the weight Of administrative details.
and a strong movement has been organized FOR
enlargng the powers Of the vestries These ana
other questions which are raised In the press are
| intensely controversial and a Government with
| nowerful majority behind II IL not likely 70 get
! ,bam aside and tc hunt about for issues which
! are non-politicai. The Duke OF Devonshire, after
mentioning agriculture and colonial trade. re-
-Eot pI0fS "a ~
the vnonists to take up; but there could hardly
/ be A more contentious political question.
The great shipping strike. which has thrown
! go 600 workmen ont OF employment on the Clyde
and in Belfast and paralyzed work on the new
navy has attracted general attention from lis
unreasona beness The origin OF the conflict was
n dispute over the wages OF few engineers IN
u.rlana q Woltrs yard In Belfast. When times
were bad two years ago their wages were cut
Aovr TWO shilngs A week. with the understand
ing that the reduction should be made good wnen
business improved. Times being better the en-
y,reers asked to have their wages restored to the
/ ,,er level The employers refused. on the
ground that. while there was plenty OF work they
| hod taken contracts at &c low rates that they
| .ould not raise wages The strike In Belfast In
voIved a lockout and futile efforts have been
| made IN settle the trouble. There was no ques-
ton at issue between the workmen and their en-
! nIovers on the Clyde. Their relations were
| friendly and a future advance IN wages had been
arranged: but the employers there had signed an
agreement 70 stand by the Belfast masters In all
| labor disputes and In obedience TO their request
ttev declared a partial lockout on the Clyde
| which brought about a general strike. Work has
ceased on the Clyde and may be suspended In
| other shipbuilding centres for the simple reason
that f. small group Of Belfast engineers had
Grievance and their employers have insisted
unon a sympatheti lockout. The conduct OF the
latter Is generally condemned. They have them
selves adopted an expedient which all employers
denounced when It was introduced by the New
ITnionists lockout In sympathy Is the compile
ment OF a sympathetic strike and is an equally
dangerous experiment. The business OF a great
irSustry is suspended when there Is an abun-
dance OF work and when Admiralty contracts e.
sential to the National safety are In process OF
execution The pressure OF public opinion is 90
strong that a compromise may be forced The
masters have done an unpopular tning IN oroer'
ing sympathetic lockouts and have exposed
themselves to agitation In favor OF compulsory
arbitration. When the Clyde masters agreed 70
advance wages In the near future. they virtually
admitted that the Belfast engineers had 1ea'
grievance yet they have turned against theis
own men In order to fulfil their contract with the
Irish masters. who have refused TO recognize thAS
grievance.
Mr. Chamberlain, while not present AZ tns
Guildhan banquet tonight, owing 10 his soeia
engagement with the Prince OF Wales VINO mai
been entertaining the King OF Portugal. Primes
Nicholas OF Greece ana other royal guests u
Sandringham. has made a brilliant speech OF
colonial policy. At the Natal and TransvaA
Railway dinner he took strong ground In favo'
, OF Imperial federation. as Lord Roseoer'
/, had done before him. and spoke In mos
sympa athletic tone Of the Colonies ana th'
!, obligations OF the mother country to draw
I them into closer and more harmonious rela