The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-19
THE OLD WORLDS
CURRENT EVENTS,
Diplomatic Sparring Match
Between Salisbury and
Olney.
FAURE's INDIsCRETIoN.
Bismarck Protests Against Ger
man Exhibits at the Paris
Exposition.
WATERING CRETAN OUTLOOK.
Royalty Quarreling Over the Pro.
gramme Arranged for Princess
Maud's Wedding.
WATERING CRETAN OUTLOOK

LONDON, Enc, July 1s.-No one can
complain of the tone of English press
comment on Lord Salisbury's unexpected
arbitration speech and on the blue book of
diplomatic correspondence on the subject,
which is publicly summarized to-day.
Enthusiastically enough, Englishmen
are more interested in he smart gladia-
torial display between Mr.. Olney and
Lord Salisbury than in the fact that really
no definite Roadway has been made toward
settlement of the question in dispute.
They distribute praise quite impartially
between the two combatants, and for the
rest express the conviction that eventually
everything will come out all right. 1t
should be remembered that the Briton is
accustomed to delay in everything. 1t is
the rule of political movement here that
one generation agitates for a reform and
the next one, or perhaps the next after
that, sees it accomplished. When a mat
ter is once taken up here that in it.
self is enough for the present, and
there is no national fund of impatience or
OF nervous, hustling eagerness to draw
upon for the purpose OF accelerating the
result; hence, while in America til ere may
be disappointment that nothing is yet de-
cided the feeling here will be one of pleased
surprise that Lord Salisbury and Mr.. Oh
ney should have written so many letters in
so short time. So far as the correspond
ence has been analysed here by public
men they are disposed TO think it shows
that the two countries are pretty near each
other already and that the expression of
British opinion for which Lord Salisbury
asks will be in the nature of a mandate to
him not to let any failure there may be in
reaching complete understanding be his
fault.
Arthur Balfour's illness at the beginning
of the week was at the time talked about
with winks and mods. 1t was supposed
that he desired to escape from an engage
ment he had made to attend the Bimetallic
League meeting on Monday. There, how
ever, 1t turned out, both in Professor
Walkers address and by the remarks of
everybody else, that the p1metallists were
just as much aghass at the Chicago plat
form as the gold men were, so nothing
happened which could have compromised
the First Lord of the Treasury. Then
came rumor that his alleged illness was
graceful preliminary to his retirement
from the Commons leadership, and this
found many believers. The fact that in
Tuesdays big Irish debate it was Mr..
OuHLu ocI4hiu WIN dsSuIneu the feaQ In
Mr.. Balfour's absence was accepted as
confirmation of this view, and the Stand
ara even limited at it in print; but when
Mr.. Balfour appeared it could be seen
that he was truly unwell, and, somehow,
now the rumor that he is to resign has ali
faded away again.
President Faures harmless little emf
sode with the lunatic on Tuesday was
hardly twenty-four hours sensation, for
the next day at Rheims he uttered q word
which has attracted attention all over
France, to the exclusion of all else When
the venerable Archbishop Cardinal Ian.
genieux received him in front of the new
statue OF jeanne d Arc with an address,
the President replied with the phrase: al
know that in your teachings you never
separate the paramount interests OF the
France OF the republic and the France of
religion"
This does not seem TO be an especially
striking remark, but it borrows interest
from the fact that it is the first time in
eighteen years that the President of the
republic has dared publicly 10 mention the
word religion"
Although Germany has formally ac-
cepted the invitation to contribute exhib-
its to the Paris exhibition of 1900, it is by
no means certain that some way will not
be found out of it later on. Bismarck,
through the Hamburg Nachricbten. il
protesting vehemently against the idea as
a gratuitous and foolish humiliation of the
Germans before their natural and i'm plaza
Bile enemies, and the baser Partisan papers
are not alone in disclosing the feeling
which exists at the French capital that the
Germans will do we'll to stay away. What
Bismarck has been saying is what Others
have been thinking, namely, that the con-
seriousness of Russian support has made
France keener about revenge than ever.
Inc Cretan outlook continues to waver
DAY by day, now toward temporary pacifi-
cation, now toward savage violence. The
English Government lis being pushed by
powerful home influences to play a more
active part, and it has gone far enough in
this direction to arouse the widest hopes
among the Greeks and Cretans, but here
" has been forced to stop short by the
com bined protests OF the other five powers.
and we have Lord Salisbury once more
explaining that he had arranged for great
things, which the concert of Europe will
not let him carry out. These reiterated
confessions of impotency after the event
are. not very exhilarating to national
pride, but, as said above, the English are a
patient people.
From political as we'll as from dynas-
tic point of view the choice by the Duke
OF Orleans OF an Austrian Archduchess for
his bride is regarded as very able move.
In spite of the triple alliance the French
have never had any such rancor toward
the Austrians as they feel toward the Ger
mans or the Italians. There is a sort of
intuitive feeling in France that Austria
yokes herself with these allies because
she cannot help herself, and viennese
music, Viennese pictures and Viennese
beer are as popular in Paris IS at home.
Moreover, this new marriage being quite
as distinguished and grand as any which
King of France could have made two
centuries ago shows that after fifty years
of exile, the Orleans Bourbons still hold
up their heads with the highest. This
Will not fail 10 produce an impression on
the French mind, though, OF course, many
other things would have to happen to in
vest 1T with practical Importance.
The Austrian War Department has
adopted an improvement on the Mann
| licher rife which brings the weight of
that weapon down to seven pounds four
| ounces, and makes it by far the lightest
magazine gun in the world. The new pat
tern will not at once supeysede the old
one, as the bore is unchanged and the
same cartridge Is used for both, but the
factories at Steyr-Pesth will henceforth
make nothing else, and the substitution
| will be as rapid as il Is convenient
| The completed Belgian elections show