The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-11
Lord Roseberr,. Retirement.

! In his speech at Edinburgh Friday
night. briet synopsis of which was pub
lished in our dispatches yesterday, Lord
Rosebery said that his differences with
the liberal party on the Turkish question
was only one of the reasons for his re-
tirement from the leadership of that par
ty. No doubt there were other reasons,
but the refusal Of his party to accept his
policy in respect to the Turkish question
was undoubtedly the immediate cause of
his retirement.
Although Mr.. Gladstone is out of politics
he is the real head of the liberal party. and
he is largely responsible for the present
agitation Of the Turkish question in Eng
land. His articles in the newspa pers and
his speeches have aroused the English in
behalf of the oppressed and prosecuted
Armenians as they have not been aroused
in many years. In a speech in Liverpool
a few days ago he took the ground that
England alone ought to undertake to COM
pei Turkey to accord just treatment to
the Armenians. That speech is what
determined Lord Rosebery to retire from
the leadership of the liberal party at once,
because he does not believe it would be
wise for England to adopt the policy sug-
gested by Mr.. Gladstone. Such a policy,
in his opinion, would result in a great Eu-
ropean war; in which England might have
to stand alone. She might not have even
the assistance Of her colonies. In his
Edinburgh speech, Lord Rosebery declared
he did not think England would have the
help Of her colonies II she undertook
alone to fight the battles of the Arme-
mans.
Lord Salisbury the head of the English
government, occupies about the same po-
sition on the Turkish question that Lord
Rosebery does. He will permit his party
to be driven from power before he will
adopt the policy which Mr.. Gladstone is
trying to force upon him. He under
stands the danger to which England
would be exposed If she undertook to set
tie the Turkish question alone. He does
not believe it wise for England to take
such a risk as is involved in policy OF
that sort except in defense of some interest
vital to the existence OF the British en-
pire. If he adheres to that position his
party may be driven from power, because
the English people seem determined that
England without waiting for the assist
ance of any other power. shall give the
Armenians the protection they need.
But IL the liberal party should get con-
troll Of the government would it risk
great war for the sake of the Armenians?
It is doubtful. Even If Mr.. Gladstone
should come from his retirement to lead
it he would hesitate to plunge the coun-
try into great European war. AS mat
ter of fact, Mr.. Gladstone has always
been more conservative when he had to
take responsibility along with power than
when he only exercised power
1t is probable that Sir William Harcourt
will be the new leader of the liberals. APP
parently he sympathizes with the views
expressed by Mr.. Gladstone, but if he were
at the head Of the government the prob
abilities are that, while he might lead
the country to the verge of war, he would
hesitate a long time before taking the
final step. Power without responsible
ity is used quite differently from power
with responsibility.