The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08

cerIis every pouy IN Europe, the weeks de-
velopments in Washington and Madrid
about Cuba would have attracted much
more attention than they have. Sundry
uninformed journalists on the Continent
started at the beginning of the week a tale
that France had begun negotiations with
Spain to lend her the necessary money. or
otherwise support her in Cuban matters.
in return for which the French were to
occupy, with SPANS consent, certain Nor
occo territories and receive guarantees
that Spain would contract no other alli-
ances for given period.
This has been repudiated both in Paris
and Madrid, but the spirit of it still colors
European comment on the subject, while
the reports of warlike preparations and
popular tumult in Spain are much exag-
gerated. 1t is understood that there is
no doubt that Canovas will be overthrow
If he attempts to meet in any way the
terms of the House resolutions, or treat
them as at all open to discussion At
present there is no way in which any other
power could exhibit practical sympathy
with Spain in her dilemma. but if later on
any power is to do this fancy it will be
Germany rather than France, and GER
tainly not England.
An obscure scuffle has been going on in
side the Liberal party here ever since the
session began about the organization and
leadership, and it seems likely now to come
to the surface in an open skirmish next
week. 1t is an extremely complicated
light, having its origin in the period when
Cham berlain was the head of the radical
wing OF the party and built up at Birming-
ham a national Liberal federation, which
he controlled and used as club to coerce
Gladstone and the Wings when he catered
to the Tories. This federation fell into the
hands of the official Liberal and has been
there ever since. Now the Radicals desire
to get hold of it again ana employ it as a
weapon against Roseberv and his subser-
Went party machine, but their bark is
much more impressive than their bite.
Much to everybody's surprise Campbell
Bannerman last night gave notice of
motion to strike out the additional $4,000
year of pension to the Duke of Cambridge
IN the estimates. This is the first time an
ex-Cabinet Minister ever led opposition
to royal grant. 1t is true that the pres
ent case is peculiarly aggravated, because
Balfour gave specific pledge August so
that no such pension would be proposed
in addition to the S11 900 which the Duke
already has as colonel of the Grenadier
Guards and it can hardly be denied that
the Ministry has broken faith with Pariia-
ment, but, all the same, it is felt that
ampbell-Bannerman would hardly thrust
himself into the breach if ii were not for
the uncertainty about the Liberal leader
ship, which makes it worth his while to
play bold move for the chieftainship of
the fighting Radical wing.
There are rumors that further anti
Healy measures will be proposed at Tues
days meeting of the Irish party, but the
minority who are thus threatened profess |
entire indifference The mystery OF 1
Davitt's having seconded Dillon's election |
as chairman. after publicly declaring that
he would not vote for him, seems ex-
planned by the fact that one of his special
labor agitator pets named McGhee has re-
ceived the nomination for the South Louth
vacancy.
The convention will be shamelessly
packed by outsiders, and McGhee himself
is one of the lowest types of professional
strike organizers who is not even known
to be a home ruler in politics. Not few
of Dillon's better class of supporters in
the party frankly admit the disgust which
is being expressed openly by decent ma
tionalists all over Ireland, but l am no
longer sanguine that anything can be done
to save the party from disgraceful rum.
1t has practically a majority now of ig-
norant paid heelers who vote as the bosses
command, and as vacancies occur the ma
chine is strong enough to bring IN more
creatures of the same sort.
The betrothal of the daughter of the
Due de Chartres to the Due de Magenta,
son and heir of the late Marshal Mac
Mahon, creates more interest than any
other Orleanist marriage for generation.
1t is the first time that the Bourbon roy
atty has entered into relation with the
Bonapartist family, and the spectacle of
an Orleanist Princess wearing title of the
second empire will, it is foreseen, have a
great effect in the French conservative
politics. Naturally rumors revive of
com bination between Bonapartist and
Orleanist pretenders, but inasmuch as
neither have any dynastic chance which
he could pawn for $40 bill, interest in the
subject is purely academic.
During the current spasm of enthusiasm
for big navy frequent reference has been
made in Parliament, and out of it, to some
supposed remark of Wolseley that the
navy was not so important as the English
were disposed to think, and that tbs army
ought to receive more attention. Lord
Wolseley in a lecture last night disclaimed
this idea, and made a highly rhetorical
iingo speech about the glorious inde-
pendence of both services. Incidentally
he eulogized as a grand thing the fact that
in American schools children were brought
up in the conviction that they belonged to
the greatest nation in the world, and that
their people were the mightiest people in
the world, and that they were prepared to
fight all creation. This sentiment was
greeted with laughter and cheers by big
military audience, but its effect in type on
the civic mind is to raise the question
whether the professional fighters on both
sides of the ocean might not with advant-
age wear tighter muzzles.
General Teeheverin's death is discussed
as likely to put an end to the system of
secret police terrorism which he built up
around the person of the late Gar. Very