The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-15
A SREGIMENT OF GENTLEMEN"
Proposition Which the Marquis of
LansdOwne Has Declined.

Copyright, 1896. by the Associated Press)
LONDON, March 1.-THE Secretary of
State for War, the Marquis of Lansdowne.
has finally declined to form regiment of
gentlemen" a proposition which has been
haggled over in the press for some time past
as the outcome of a letter from a man who
was, according to one of his critics, evi-
IDENTIFY Of the opinion that he too good
to fight on equal terms in the ranks with
the descendants of men who fought at Wa
terloo an9 Trafalgar. The writer's idea was
to forniva regiment of so-cailed gentle
men," otherwise men whose clear proof of
utter lack of real gentility would be fur
nished in the joining such a regiment. A
gentleman, it has been claimed. can be
gentleman in the ranks or before the mast,
and to have formed a regiment Of so-called
gentlemen" would have been, said one
writer, a deliberate insult to the rest OF the
British army. Yet the proposition was urged
by influential persons and by a portion of
the press. 1t is true that they mainly sup
ported the proposition that the ranks Of the
regiment of gentlemen should be COM
posed chiefly of those who were physically
and socially fitted to be officers in the Brit
ish army. but who had failed to pass the
stiff army examinations The matter, ii is
claimed, will not be allowed to drop in spite
of the decision OF the Secretary of State for
War. and 1t is said that questions on the
Commons next week.
In Parliament during the past week there
has been a remarkable renewal of Irish ac-
tivity in the line of obstructing the passage
of different measures. This has called forth
some heated remarks from certain newspa-
pers. The Saturday Review, for example,
says: 1.-THE avowed policy of both sections of
the Irish party, as revealed during the week,
is to do everything In their power 10 force
a ra hv
the navy is a menace to the Americans.
whereas the naval programme was settled
on in November
In speaking of the proposed plan Of the
Bimetallic League to bring a motion before
Parliament favoring bimetal;ism. SIR John
Lubbock said: "Bmetallists have always de-
clined to commit themselves to any ratio.
But it is obvious that the results of a change
would. to great extent, depend on the ratio
which was adopted. At present, roughly
Value Of silver. Eve " There are are some @ bimetallists
who would insist on a ratio approaching the
market values. For practical purposes, how
In France the legal ratio is still l5ls to 1.
and no French authority has shown any dis
position to accept any material change.
view. Practically then, bimetallism means
ratio Of Is or 16 to /: that Is. that foreign
countries should be permitted TO send US any
quantity Oh silver al OOuDtc IT'S present price.
B;metalists tell US that If there was any
practicable probability Of the adoption of BIZ
metallism the value of silver would rapidly
rise / doubt, however, whether this would
be the result We should rather, think.
see a great stimulus given TO silver mines. a
great increase Of production OF silver, and
all creditors would do their best to call in
their debts while they could still claim pay
ment in gold.
Several prominent sporting writer's insist
that the National Sporting Club has not for
warded articles of agreement to James J.
Corbett for boxing match with Robert
Fitzsimmons. but there Is reason to believe
the clubs denial of the report that 1t has
put up q ten-thousand-dolar purse is intend
ed to prevent the English authorities from
interfering 1t has been learned that the
National Sporting Club has requested we'll
known sporting editor to draft the required
articles. which. after being approved by the
club VIII be forwarded TO New York.
The Field commentlng on the announces
ment that 9 crew from Yale University will