New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-24
THE NEWS IN LONDON.
pREcARIoUs POSITION OF THE BRITISH
MINISTRY. =
INTRIGUEs IN EoYPT-THE CARLYLE 'AEAo1SH
-pRoFEssoR AcroN-MR. AsroR AND "rHS
- PAIL MALL"-r1soM FRYING PAN TO
FIRE AT THE cHRoN-
CLE' OFFICE.
(BY CABLE TO THE rRIBuNE.l
tCopwight; 1895; By TIE Tribune Assoetstton,


London. Feb 23-The weeks debates. or rather
the weeks divisions, plainly illustrated the
precarous position Of the Government They
are living 80 near tn. verge Of crisis that any
morning the public may awake to learn Of their
downfall. II their supporters were composed OF
a solid compact body majority Of from twelve
to fifteen would be enough for ordinary purposes
Of legislation. But when we rene ember the hete-
rogeneous composition and conflicting interests
upon individual issues Of those factions who sup
port the Minister'S 1t seems tempting Providence
to embark upon contentious legislation. In order
to overcome the difficulty of keeping their fol-
lowers at Westminster the Government have
deftly arranged their seasonal programme %
that Welsh Disestablishment and the Irish Land
bills almost pari passu In that way the
Irish Nationalists will Je kept well In hand %
as to secure a numerical majority for the Welsh
bill
On the Irish Land bill they are credited with
re-enacting clause 13 of the measure OF 1881,
which provides for purely voluntary arrange
ment between landlord and evcted tenant. by
which the latter may, II the landlord peases
come under the benefit OF the land-purchase
acts as though he were tenant in possession
Last year the Government refused to adopt the
suggestion for voluntary agreement; hence the
bill If the story be true Of an arrangement like
that just described the Ministry may count on
a good deal Of support from the Opposition for
their land bill; but it remains to be seen whether
the Nationalist members will be content with
voluntary arrangement. Up to the present time
they have not been.
The disastrous effects " the weeks divisions
stand out In threatening prominence. The de-
bate on Mr.. Chamberlans amendment developed
strength as 1t proceeded. The excellent effect OK
Mr. Asquith's tn quoque answer to Mr. Chamoer-
lain was rubbed off by Mr.. Courtney's SOLID.
argumentative speech: nor did the Chancellor OF
the Exchequer improve his position by his ratner
ponderous banter and iubilant anticipations OF
gratitude to the Opposition for giving the MIN
istry what he pleased to anticipate as
virtual third vote Of confidence. The aolest
speech on this occasion was undoubtedly Mr.
Balfours It has been classed by many critics
among his best performances In the House OF
Commons With light hand he deftly showed
up the weakness of the Chancellor Of the Ex-
cheuuer and for twenty minutes the House
roared with laughter over his satirical exposure
OF Ministerial weakness and follies. The memory
OF Mr.. Labouchere's Characteristic assault on
Lord Rosebery and the candid admissions OF his
Willingness 10 play the humble bkrt OF faK ass
in the Government team was revived when the
division was taken, for Mr.. Labouchere strayed
into the wrong lobby and only just escaped IN
time to avoid recording his vote against tho
Government he had abused.
The country hardly expected that division
would give the Ministers so small majority as
fourteen. This figure WIS so dangerously near
TO the smaller OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES last
week that the provincial wirepullers have been
for some days in active communication with
headquarters to prepare for a possible dissou-
ton Whatever may happen, the Government
and their supporters will spare no effort to avoid
A crisis until Sir William Harcourt has intro
duced the budget. Every expedient Will be re-
sorted TO by arrangement Of business and prom
!ses in order tide over the time between now
and April for it is an open secret that the finan
cial results of Sir William Harcourts reform In
taxation have produced substantial surplus
Tuesdays discussion in Parliament illustrated
one Of the real sources of the peril which sur
rounds the Ministerial situation. Mr.. Howard
Vincent proposed resolution with the object OF
excluding prison-made manufactures Of foreign
origin from English markets. 1t was an imprac-
icab,e propostion because of the impossibility OF
eor-ynarking mats, brushes, artificial flowers and
dozens of other articles made in the penal estao-
lshments OF Germany to distinguish them from
similar articles made by German manufactures
The Government whips were unable to keep their
men In sufficient numbers, and, owing to this CIR
cumstance the Ministry were compelled to &C.
cept Mr. Vincent's resolution.
Little Importance need be attached to the de-
bate on the Indian cotton duties. unwisey raised
by Sir Henry James. II was purely a Lancashire
grievance. illustrating how even Lancashire men
pace their pocket interests before their political
principles Lancashire processes dee per regard
for Indian welfare than any other part OF the
United Kingdom. but because the Indian Govern
ment had imposed per cent duty on Lahca-
| shire-made goods for purposes OF revenue, Lahcs
| shire rose in arms and, invoking the sacred pr'n
| ciples of Free Trade demanded that Impoverished
India should suffer in order that Lancashire
might benefit The Opposition leaders were IN
yited to make this Issue party ques''oh' am
some people imagined that they would be fooish
o,.,uon 20 An 40. +, would simply have been
nic,, Of political insanity to defeat the Govern
MON. end 20 to the country upon selfish local
,,or,i,, ~ This nature and confuse the issue o.
| the general election.
Lord sall.burys speech last Saturday respect
| , ,ho at,itule Of the House Of Lords on the
Home Rule question. which Ministers now declare
| constitutes their primary policy leaves no amol-
,n,,v as TO the intention of the Peers His decla-
a,on deserves to be recorded. that If the people
of Great Britain clearly and openly decided BY
deliberate determined vote In favor OF Home
| Rule the House OF Lords would not resist their
| will 1t was neither their function nor inclination
! t. do So At the time they were not such
iiots as to pay aiy attention to an appeal to the
| electors on cloudei issue. He even indicated
! that any legislative whm could be obtained from
the Lords, provided the Nation unanimously de-
manded it. This somewhat knocks the bottom
! out OF the cup which the Radicals have so labort
ously been filing.
The last week has witnessed another outburst
OF Anglophobism In Paris respecting the British
| occunat!on OF Egypt For the last three weeks
! French influence In Cairo has been vehemenuy