New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-09

TIME IN AMERrcA-HEAvY DE
CREASE IN BRITISH Ex-
PORTS TO AMERICA
fBY CABLE TO THE TRTBrNE.l
copyrfaht 1896 By The Tribune Amoco'ion.
London Aug S--England has declined with
dignity to do police duty for the Sultan In Crete
The proposal for international action there, IKE
the nrotect for concert OF the Powers on the
Armenian question came from Vienna, but the
nroud nation which was duped then Is now on
the alert Lord Salisbury, in refusing to commit
England to the senseless and immoral policy of
taking part in a blockade of Crete has the moral
sense of the nation behind him. Public opinion Is
we'll expressed by that stad. conservative Journal
THE Standard" which tells the Sultan with the
utmost panness that series OF amputations ~
necessary for the treatment Of the malady from
which his empire Is suffering. and that 1t VIII no
a clear gain to civilization and peace II the Cretan
Christians establish their independence This line
Of comment, which is clearly inspired by the
Foreign Office. Is worthy Of the best traditions
of English displomacy. The German press de-
claims against it as a betrayal Of the European
concert but the diplomatic buresque TO which
international action regarding the Armenian
outrages was reduced disclosed how valueless
and powerless concerted diplomacy really was
England has ceased to be good European In
Talleyrands sense, and is again completely iso-
lated in Continental diplomacy. but her DECISIONS
exercising an effective veto upon the immoral ac-
ton of the remaining European Powers. There has
been nothing in the recent diplomatic actions OF
England more creditable than her dgnhed ana
emnhatic refusal to take part In this fantastic
game of blind mans buff in the East Ii is
logical sequence to Englands decisive defeat on
the Armenian question. when the Foreign once
was baf1ed by the treachery and indifference OK
it's European allies. 1t now stands alone, but on
the highest possible moral ground
The Government defeats on the Irish Land Din
were the natural result of the vacillating policy
of seesaw in dealing with landlords and tenants
That measure was not carefully prepared al the
outset and the Government sought to whip IL into
shape and to concillate two classes whose inter-
ests were antagonstic by proposing amendments
and then withdrawing them. The bill was mutt
lated and made over before 1t passed the House
of Commons In order to suit the tenants, and then
II went to the Lords. where th' Irish landlords
have insisted upon restoring cL<uses whcn were
inserted at their request and then dropped at the
demand of their opponents The bill Is now IN
Jeopardy as the amendments carried against the
Government in the House OF Lords not mat
measure in it's present form is not satisfactory to
any section Of the Unonist supporters. and may
better be dropped altogether than enacted. The
process by which this deadlock has been brought
about is a good study OF English politics The
Government benches were crowded with hered-
itarv Legislators whose faces were not familiar 10
ordinary spectators. Some OF them had not taken
the oath although the present Parliament mas
been in existence for eighteen months and they
qualified on the same day when the divisions
were taken. The story goes that more than one
was ignorant TO where. the Houses or Faria-
ment were and required careful directions from
cabmen az to the right door 10y which 10 enter'
but the debate came on there they all were III
solid mass preoccupied with selfish interests as
landowners and determined To teach the Govern
ment lesson and to ride roughshod over Lord
Salisbury and his Ministers II necessary. Lords
Templetown Londonderry. Castleton AMI Inch
iauin led this intolerant rabble OF titled person.
ages and they did their work angriy ana ig-
norantly. but they had a majority behind them.
and although Lord Rosebery and the Liberal
peers supported the Ministry the Land bill was
amended repeatedly and converted into land-
lords measure Lord Lansdowne. although sup
ported by Lord Ashbourne. who understands the
land question better than anybody else on the
I-nionist side was powerless to intervene in be-
half of the Government. Lord Salisbury did not
venture to speak at all. reserving himself for the
COMPROMISE stage Of the proceedings next week
While the Government by this series OF defeats
in the Upper House placed In an awkward ana
discreditable position, they will probably be ex-
tricated from it next week by timely compro-
mise at the last moment. They cannot allow the
Land Bill TO be passed in its present form. ln-
deed. It will be impossible TO enact a measure
which Messrs Dillon Healy and Redmond unite
in describing as useless. for the Irish members
will nrolong the debate, II necessary and force
the Ministers TO drop the bill unless the Lords can
be compelled to retreat at least part way
The session Is drawing to close, and the men,
bers are anxious to leave London for the grouse
shooting What astute observers like Messrs.
OConnor and Power regard as the probable re.
suit of the deadlock is policy OF conciliation. BY
which the Commons will agree to some amend.
ments and reject others. and in this way leave
a bridge for the retreat OF the Lords. The Land
bill will probably pass in mutated form. espe-
cially as no other legislation of this class Is pos.
sible for several years 1t will be meagre show.
ing for seven months OF legislation. but It Will
hardly suffice to strengthen Lord Roseberys ar
gument that the Upper House blocks the way and
renders legislative industry impractcable Tho
Lords have meddled ineXcusably in the land lagis-
lation but the Commons have proved that 1t 10
impossible under the present procedure for the
representatives of the people 10 do any real work.
even when party has a large majority. The
present session has been wasted In barren debate
Of such measures the Scotch Rating bill. which
has been passed this week. being OF slight I'm.
portance In comparison with projects which have
been deliberately sacrificed.
Tha committee of fifteen appolnted to inyesti.
gate South African affairs in general and Cecu
Rhodes and the Chartered Company In particu.
lar is fairly representative. and will probably
stand Threats are made that Mr.. Laboucneres
appointment will be challenged on account OF h's
=. .s..i,I... Rhodes. hut II will be an un'