The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-02

PLAYING WITH FIRE,
Three OF the English Cabinet Disnp.
prove OF Snlisbury's Action.

London, Feb. 1.-The speech delivered
by Prime Minister Salisbury last night
was very disappointing. for the reason
mat he gave no Indication that he was
doing anything tn settle thet trouble with
the United States and also for the rea-
son that mis- statement concerning Ar
menda showed that there WIS little If
any hope of the British Government do
Ing anything to mitign te the evils In that
afflicted part of the Turkish dominions.
More definite information on all the
questions that have caused so much
comment and uneasincss recently Will
undoubtedly be furnished, but II will
require interpretations In the House of
Commons to compel the Government to
give It, II Is certain that Lord Sails
burS,s speech has only whctted the de-
termination of the Liberals to chal-
lenge by amendments TO the address
LII reply to the Queens speech opening
the session of Parliament the policy OF
the Government towards Armenia and
Venezuela. Though explanations may
be demanded anent the Transvaal and
Germany, no action attacking the Gov
ernment In this direction will emanate
from the opposition. Parliament can
not effectively discuss the raid OF DR.
Jameson into the Transvanl while Judi
cfal proceedings are pending against
him and his followers, and the inquiry
that Will be made into thr British South
Africa Companys completely in the raid
will postpone debate on the subject IL
can be said that the whole strength of
the Liberals, which will be added to by
number of malcontent Unionists, will
be brought to bear on the Government
In trying to obtain explicit statements
regarding Armenia. The opposition will
want TO know why Great Britain's policy
toward Armenia was foiled. the nature
Of the entente between Russia and Tur-
key. and also why the difficulty with the
United States concerning the arbritra-
ton of the Venezuelan boundary dispute
has been prolonged.
Within the past month Liberal opin-
ion has set strongly against Lord Sal
isbury's treatment of the Venezuelan
question. In his address to the electors
at Arbroath Thursday, the Rt Hon
John Morley, formerly Chief Secretary
for Ireland, in Mr. Gladstone's last adj
ministration, who is contesting the
Montrose district, of which Arbroath Is
a part, said that Lord Salisbury ought
TO know that he is playing with fire
in using. In replying TO Secretary OF
State Olney, language bearing an inter
probation of an attack on the Monroe
doctrine, which the United States were
resolute in uphoiding The criticism
covers only q small part of the liberal
objections to the policy of the Govern
ment III is now asked every day by
both Liberals and Unionists, why 1t is
that the Government allows the trou-
bile to drag on. Since Lord Salisbury's
dispatch to Secretary Olney and Mr..
Cleveland's message to Congress ignited
American feeling. three members of the
Cabinet, the Rt. Hon, A. j. Balfour.
First Lord of the Treasury; the Rt Hon.
Joseph Chamberlain, Secretary of State
for the Colonies. and Sir Michael Hicks
Beach, Chancellor OF the IIxchequcr,
have declared their approval of the
Monroe doctrine. While, so far as
known, Lord Salisbury has taken no de-
cisive diplomatic action to reconcile the
Washington government or to get the
dispute settled by proposing such arb-
tration as would find favor in the
United States. strong minority In
Parliament will be found urging that
there be no delay in the solution Of the
difficulty and that Great Britain should
not even wait for the report Of the
American High Commission, but rather
that she should restore at once the most
friendly relations by some mode of ar
bitration akin to Mr. Morley's sugges-
ton for the appointment of n commits
sion to be composed of an equal number
of representatives Of the United States,
Great Britain and Venezuela