St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-12
QUEENS SPEECH DECLARES FOR
PEACEABLE SETTLEMENT OF
VENEZUELAN DISPUTE.
APPROVED BY ALL PARTIES.
SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT SAYS
THE POSITION OF AMERICA IS
A JUST ONE.
TO WHICH MIR. BALFoUR AGREES.
Some Exception, However, Is Taken
to the Attitude Of the Throne
on Armenian Affairs. W

| LONDON, Feb. H. = There was an
unusual amount of interest in the open
ing of parliament today owing to the
many important questions that will
come before the present session. Nearly
all the members Of both houses placed
themselves on record before the party
chiefs as having needed the calls for a
full assemblage. Both houses assem-
bled at o'clock. By o'clock large
number Of seats had been taken. The
Irish benches alone were not crowded.
| Many supporters of the government
were obliged to stand, owing to the
lack of seats. The speaker, Rt. Hon.
| William Court Gully, took his seat
| at LBS p. M, and the members filed past
| and shook hands with him. At 2:05 o.
m. the black rod summoned the mem
bers of the house Of commons, who
were then crowded in the gangway,
and in the lobbies behind the speakers
chair, to attend the house of lords for
the reading of the queens speech The
! lord chancellor, Lord Salisbury f1anked
by two peers Of the realm also mem
| bers OF the commission, motioned to
the clerk, who then read the queens
! speech. 1t was in substance as fol-
I lows:
My Lords and Gentlemen: I continue to
receive from other powers assurances Of
thelr friendly sentiments An agreement has
peen concluded by my government and the
| government of the French republic having
for It's principal object more secure estab-
hshment OF the independence of the kingdom
or Slam. copy thereof will be laid before
you. The commissioners for the delimitation
of the frontier which separates my Indian
empire and the territory of Afghanistan from
the domfnions of the emperor of Russia have
agreed upon line which will be accepted by
myself and the emperor.
The government Of the United States have
| expressed a wish to cooperate in terminating
the differences which have existed for many
| years between my government and the re-
! public of Venezuela upon the boundary Of
that country and my colony of British Guiana
L have expressed my sympathy with the de-
sire to come to an equitable arrangement
| and l trust that further negotiations will
lead to satisfactory settlement. The sultan
! OF Turkey has sanctioned the principal re-
! forms in the government of the Armenian
| provinces, of which, in conjunction with the
emperor of Russia and the president of the
French republic, I felt 1t my duty to press
| | deeply regret that fanatical outbreak upon
the Part of section of the Turkish population
has resulted in a series of massacres in those
provinces which have caused the deepest in
dignation in this country. Papers on these
! transactions will be laid before YOU A sud
den incursion into the South African republic
| control of the British South African company
resulted in deplorable collision with the
burgher forces. My ministers, at the earliest
possible moment, interyened to probiht
through the high commissioner this hostile
action. and to warn all my subjects through
out South Africa in taking part in aid of it.
| The origin and circumstances of these pro-
ceedlngs Will form the subject Of -
"a SEARCHING INQUIRY.
''The president of the South African repub-
lie, acting In this matter with moderation and
| wisdom, agreed to place the prisoners in the
hands of my high commissioner and l have
undertaken to bring to trial the leaders of the
expedition. The conduct of the president up
| on this occasion, and the assurances which
he has voluntarily given, leads me to the be-
lief that he realizes the Importance of re-
dressing the legitimate grievances of which
complaint has been made by majority of
the persons. now inhabiting the Transvaal'
The speech concludes with references to the
Chitral and Ashanti expeditions and saws:
| While | rejoice to be able to announce that
| the objects of the Ashanti expedition have
been achieved without bloodshed l have to
aeplore the loss from the severities of the ell
mate of some valuable lives, including that
| Of my beloved son-in-law. Prince Henry of
Battenberg, who voluntarily placed his serv-
ices at the disposition of myself and his
adopted country I and my dear daughter
are greatly touched and comforted in this
heavy bereavement by the widespread sym
pathy proven by my subjects throughout the
| empire, at home and abroad
In the second message, or portion of the
queens speech addressed to the house of COM
mons, her majesty says: 1.-The estimates have
been prepared with the utmost regard for
economy; but, the exigencies of the times
require an increased expenditure.
.M1 m 1he a.aa third "a message the queen remarks
and Improvement of the naval defenses of
| the. empire is the most important subject to
! which your efforts can be directed and will
| doubtless occupy your most earnest attention
Il regret to say that the condition of hus-
bandry is disastrous beyond any recent ex-
perience. Measures will be laid before you
| with the object to mitigate the distress of
| that industry
The speech then announces the ap-
preaching Introduction Of bills for the
assistance of voluntary schools. provid-
| Ing compensation for injuries to work.
men, to amend defects in the various
land acts, for the avoidance and settle
ment of trade disputes, to facilitate
building light railways in the United
Kingdom, for checking the import Of
destitute aliens, to institute a board Of
husbandry in Ireland and other minor
purposes.
The ceremony was finished at 2:25
p. m. The house of commons resumed
| business at o'clock, and was soon
| crowded. The speaker read the
queens speech, after which Mr.. George
GOschen, Jr., Conservative member for
the East Grinsted division of Sussex,
moved the address in reply In NOV
ing the ADDRESS Mr.. GoSchen said he
trusted that the negotiations regarding
the Venezuelan question would not ONLY
result in a satisfactory settlement. but
in a complete reconciliation and firm
friendship between Great Britain and
her kindred across the Atlantic. Con-
tinuing. Mr.. Goschen made a glowing
reference to the outburst of patriotic
feeling in Canada and in the British
colonies during the recent political
| crisis.
HARCOURTS MANLY WORDS.
Sir William Vernon Harcourt said he
was rejoiced at the paragraph in the
queens speech with regard to Vene-
zuela, as it held out the hope that the
question could be settled at an early
date. He added that no words that
could impede such a settlement would
fall from him. This remark was greet
ed with loud cheers, as it diSposes of
the report that the Liberal leaders had
determined to make an attack upon the
governments policy in regard to Vene-
| zuela, Which course necessarily would
have led to an exchange Of warm re-
marks, which might have impeded the
progress Of a settlement of the dispute.
/ Continuing, Sir William Vernon Har-
/ court said that roiSlIndarCt1.hod both