The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-12-26
CABINET MINISTER'S ENJOYING
VACATIONS AND WORRYING
LITTLE ABOUT WAR.
armenian QUESTION LOSlSIGHT OF
With the Venezuelan Question to be SCI
tied there is no Prospect of Concerted
Action in Turkey-0ther Inter-
esting Items.

lions, although their effects have been
felt on the stock exchange. There has
been some unloading of American Sc
curities, but the cabinet ministers are
all enjoying the Christmas holidays in
the country, and outside the utterances
of the newspapers there is nothing to
indicate that war is apprehended. Of
course, the strained relations between
Great Britain and the United States have
been uppermost in the public minds, es-
pecially during the latter part of the
week, and the matter, which was at first
treated lightly, is now more deeply dis
cussed and there are indications that
the gravity of the affair is now fully
grasped by the people Mt large. A strik-
ing fact is that without single excep-
ton, if the utterances of the press and
those of the representative men who
have spoken on the subject can be relied
upon, the whole country stand behind
president Cleveland. In addition to the
financial disorder, which has been the
first feature of the trouble, there is one
phase of the reception of the war scare
here which deserves special attention,
not only in England but in the United
States, The alarming reports circulated
have been seized upon by the agricultural
party as a justification for the demands
which they have recently made on the
government for change in the policy
of Great Britain from free trade to pro-
lection.
Mr.. James Lowther, NJ. p, leader of
the Protection party, indicates this in
a pointed letter printed in the Times,
and showing the grave condition in
which Great Britain would be If her food
supplies from America were stopped.
Mr.. Lowther points out that 80 per
cent of the British food imports comes
from the United States, and he there
fore asks that British agriculture be pro-
tected in order to make this country as
Independent as possible of American food
supplies.
Fears are expressed that the war scare
will materially assist this agitation for
ports, although the Statist today gives
utterance to grave warning to the pub
lie not to be frightened into supporting
import duties upon wheat. In spite of
such warning, there is little doubt that
the agitation here in favor of protection
will be further strengthened by bellioose
utterances on both sides of the Atlantic,
and with a strong Conservative govern
ment in office it is thought some meas
ure for protection and fostering of Brit
ish husbandry is not unlikely to be intro
duced shortly and to become law in
the due course of time.
General Lawrie, formerly a member
of the Canadian house of commons, said :
''There is a serious risk of certain hot
heads on the frontier attacking what
they cordially hate-the British flag So
far as Canada is concerned, the chief dan
ger lies in q small party of those jingoes
crossing the frontier in moment of ex-
element and insulting the flag in way
to at once call for reprisals."
With the Venezuelan question on the
tapis there is no prospect of any con-
certed action in Armenia at present.
A Constantinople correspondent, who
has been unusually well informed
throughout the crisis, writes regarding
the sultan's triumph, and at the difficulty
Great Britain is placed in, and says that
England nor any OF the powers has yet
done anything to save the 100000 Ar
menians who are now facing the alterna-
tive of starvation or conversion to Mo-
hammedanism. The sultan, the cor
respondent continues. is confident and ex-
ulting, and has never before been seen in
such spirits. He impresses his visitors
as being more clear-headed and logical in
conversation than usual and more de-
termined than ever to carry out his own
plans In fact, it is said that the sui
tan is ten times stronger than he was
six months ago, and that he no longer
fears the Turkish revolutionists, much
less the powers.
The Speaker, commenting upon the
subject, says: President Cleveland has
done badly for the Christians of Armenia
and exceedingly well for the murderers
fthe Yildiz Kiosk.
The Duke and Duchess of Marlbor-
ough are stopping at the Grand Hotel,
Monte Carlo. They will soon proceed to
Italy. ,.4.r.,t
A newspaper correspondent, referring
to their visit to the Casino, says that both
the duke and duchess staked five francs
there and lost. Apparently satisfied that
they were not in good luck the young
couple did not venture upon any further
gambling.
Mrs. John Farris of Philadelphia,
relative of President Monroe, is to be
married on Monday at the Catholic
church of the Assumption, this city, to
Il. j. Brallatour ex-secretary of the Par
is legation. Mr.. Thos. II. Bayard, the
United States ambassador, is to give the
bride away, and many prominent Ameri-
cans will be present at the ceremony.
The Prince and Princess Of Wales and
the princesses will leave today for Sand
bingham, where Christmas festivities on
a large scale will be in order next week.
The Prince of Wales, by the way, has
always taken keen interest in billiards,
and while visiting the Earl and Countess
of Carnovaron on Wednesday last, Eu-
gene Carter, the American billiard play
err, who has been giving brilliant exhibit
tons Of his skill at Egyptian Hall here
for some time past, easily defeating the
English champions, was summoned to
High Clere. There in the billiard room
of the castle aCrter's clever strokes de-
lighted those present and earned for the
expert billiardist the warm praise of the
Prince.
An anonymous donor has again sent H.,
600 six-pence, amounting to $1375, to be
distributed among the wOrkhouse chill
dren.
The queen is at Osborne, where Christ
mas day will be celebrated with custom
airy splendor. The queen Is specially
thoughtful and liberal to all these events
on these occasions, and always has a
gorgeous Christmas tree, in the decora-
ton of which she is greatly interested.
Every servant and member Of her majes-
TVS household receives some present, and
most of these are decided upon by the
queen herself The servants also have a
srlcndid dinner, which y followed by n
ball on Christmas night
il is now once more understood that
soon after parliament meets, the home