, 1896-05-30
spectator, April 25th.)

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Mr., Smally, in his long telegram to Wed
nesday's "1imes,' has certainty intended to
alarm us airesh, and to some extent perhaps
has alarmed US afresh, as to The danger of
war with the United States He points out
shat we have come to no agreement with
Venezuela, that we have rejected the pro.
posal for arbitration on the subject as between
the United States and This country. that
Congress viii adjourn Mt the end of May,
that no treaty can be ratified with the United
States without the assent of the Senate, and
that as soon as Congress nd iourns the canvass
for the next Presidential election will begin
in earnest, and that with 1t all the party
manoeuvre., which ale more or less inevitable
in a Presidential contest, viii be in full
swing, and that we may find the war scare
leaping into full prominence as one of the
most effective of these nIanmuvres. More
over, Ire points out tlat the United States
Commission is hard at work drawing up its
decision as to What the true boundary
between Venezuela and British Guiana
onght to be, and that if it reports u%nf"vor-
ably to Great Britain-which is likely
enough-thele is sure TO be a great cry that
the Government of the United Suites is
bound to stand 10y that report and enforce it
against us, and enforce ii with oil the mors
peremptoriness because England bias declined
to recognise the right of the United States
to interfere in a particular quarrel between
Venezuela and herself. OF couis9 the Irish
party in the United States will jump at the
chance of rekinoling the ferl win England,
and so the presidential cunpai2n may
easily become u most dangerous element i'll
the question, unless we can succeed III
settling the quarrel before the last heat Of
that campaign fairly begins. OF course,
therefore, Nj. SnaIiey's general conclusion
is that we are still in great prt,i of war, and
that unless we agree with or adversary
quickly while we are in the way with him.
we may find ourselves suddenly plunged into
a foolish and fratricidal contest, without
meaning. without limit, and without any
probable prospect of final adjustment.
The debates in the Reichstag on duelling,
caused by tho death Of Herr Won Schrader,
nave proved as stei lie as debates in Germany
often do. DR.. Bachem, speaking for the
Centre on Monday, denounced the practice
AZ contrary alike to morality and law, and
made the extremely sensible proposal that
while the law OF libel should be strengthened,
the Government should declare all who
fought duels incapable Of place for a term
of ysars-a regulation which, in all But the
most extreme cases, would render it impOssi-
bile to send a challenge. No man would be
willing, out of temper, to deprive another of
his living. The Imperial Chapcell0r re-
piled to this speech by proxy, DR.. Boettlcher
reading in his name q declaration which III
fact meant that dueling could not We helped.
The Government wenld carry out the laws,
but cit is quite plain That those who are
determined to fight will find ways and
means to carry out their purpose The
Imperial Chancellor is inqniring if better
means can be discovered to enforce the law,
but his inquiries "are not yet concluded
and, we may add, never will be. The Radical
leader, Herr Richter, strongly supported Dr..
Bachem. DR.. Won B~onningSen, Of the
National Liberals, was also on the sam SIDE ;
and in the end u motion WAS carried asking
Government to " combat the practice" as
totally at variance with law, bat nothing
will come of it. The Emperor approves
dueling, and though the middle class do NOT,
they are not yet strong enough to dictate to
the Emperor, the ariStocracy, and the Army
ell at once.
On the subject of South Africa Mr.. CHAM