Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-11-15
THE SITUATION IS CRITICAL
riSh Farmers Refuse to Pay
Rents.
THEIR CROPS HAVE FAILED
And No = hey Are Practically Confronted
* With a Famine.
THE s LTAN'S SINCERITY is QUESTIONED
M ,ry Harbors of Great Britain Are to
I cS3e Strengthened-The Educational
Bill to Come Before the
Cabinet.
CROPS HAVE FAILED
; -TAN'S SINCERITY is QUESTIONED

London, Nov. 14.-Endeavoring to OBJ
tain from official sources further inform-
/ alton regarding the impending famine in
Ireland, representative of the Southern
Associated Press learned that, although
| the local Irish reported on the failure of
the crops In many districts, the official
view was that no serious or widespread
famine was anticipated. A leading board
of trade official, who is IN a position to
know, says that there would be distress
of severe kind in many districts, but nd
actual famine. There can now be no real
ly extensive famine in Ireland, the agree
ments for relief having been so perfected
that the central authorities in Dublin
| can assist the local authorities at almost
| moments notice.
Into the question of the suspension OF
rent payments by the farmers the offl-
| cials interviewed declined to go. From
| other sources ii can be affirmed that the
Dublin castle authorities have been
| warned of the wholesale refusal of the
small farmers to pay their rents on the
simple ground of inability. Their crops
have been destroyed and they have moth
ing to pay rent with
There has been up till now remarka-
BILE absence of agrarian crime In Ireland.
When the pinch of winter comes 1t Is
|
be renewed, unless the landlords hold
their hands and cease prosecutions and
evictions.
Notwithstanding the fact that the sui
tan has promised to execute sweeping re-
forms throughout his donations, his
promises are still looked at with askance
by those who have had experience with
his lack of good intention, and orders
have already been given for the putting
into effect of some of the reforms prom
ised.
The jubilation among the newspapers
over the restoration of the concert of the
powers, which 1t Is claimed here Is re-
sponsible for the pressure brought to-
bear upon the sultan which compelled
| him to grant the reforms, may be short
| lived. Cynical observers of the situation
| do not place much faith In the claims that
Great Britain had a prominent part In
the concert. They maintain that Russia,
acting through France, is the country
that deserves the credit for forcing the
sultan to understand that he must mend
his ways and do something besides max
ing promises that he never intends TO
fulfill If this Is really the case there is
little room to doubt that there will be a
radical change in the Turkish policy, Tor
the Russian is the only power OF which
the sultan stands in fear.
Great Britain may blow and bluster,
but the ruler of Turkey well knows that
she Is utterly impotent to do anything
more than make threats, and she Is not
threatening now as much as she ala a
year ago. With Russia, however, 1t Is
different matter. She has done no
threatening and, for that reason, the sui
tan knows she Is all the more dangerous.
OF course it hurts British pride to know
that Russia, acting through France, has
been able to accomplish more with the
sultan than has she, Turkeys SELF conSti-
tuted protector and it may be that 1t Is
this feeling of injury that leads official
circles here to believe that what England
could not accomplish would also be i'm
possible for France. But the fact re-
mains that 1t was to M. Hanotaux, the
French foreign minister, that the sultan
first promised the granting of reforms
more sweeping In their nature than those
promised to Great Britain months ago,
not one ever put into effect and already
some of these last promised reforms are
now being carried out. Time alone VIII
| tell whether the sultan Is now honest in
| his professions, but il 1t be true that Rus
sia Is proddlng him the chances are that
| he will have to be honest In spite OF his
| own desires.
The cabinet councils, arranging the
government legislation for the coming
session, have decided upon opening busi-
ness with the educational BILL followed
by a military works bill, and an elabor-
ate measure dealing with the appoint
ment OF a masters and Workmens con-
citation board.
The military works measure was pre-
pared for last year, but was postponed,
owing to the exigencies of the parliament
tary situation. Its proposals will at
tract the attention of the European gov
ernments concerned in the rapid progress
of England armaments for both often
sive and defensive purposes. The great
military harbors in Great Britain are to
have their armaments increased and the
works at Malta, Gibraltar, Hong Kong,
Singapore and other stations are to be
enlarged and Strengthened. Conjoined
with this military works bill Is schema
for aiding the colonial governments in
the protection of their harbors. The
government will ask the house to vote
supply for first part OF this military
works bill before the end of the current
fiscal year.