The evening times., 1896-03-07

| London. March THE political event
OF the week has been the question of Lib
eral organization. The Radical section has
long been dissatisfied with the intima te con
nection between the National Liberal Fed
Grafton and the Liberal Central Association,
which. they contend, amounts to fusion.
The official Liberals deny that there is any
fusion bet ween the two associations, and
contend that their principal functions are
and will remain separate.
The main sphere Of the liberal central
association is in Parliament. it being Of
ficered by the party whips. On the other
hand, the National Liberal Federation is
supposed TO weld together the various
liberal associations of the country and to
voice the views OF the party independently
OF the official leaders. Outside of these
primary duties the two societies have many
objects in common.
PARTY PURSE NOT PLETHORIC.
For purposes of economy they are housed
in the same building and worked by the
same staff The party purse, which was
greatly strained In the recent general elec-
tion, Is now altogether too straiteHed TO
admit OF a doubling OF offices and sala res
The Radical committee which Is leading
the agitation. OF which Mr.. Henry Labou-
chere, Sir Charles Dixie and the Hon. Philip
Stanhope are the most prominent men,
bers, wrote recently to Sir william Vernon
Harcourt, the Liberal leader in the House
Commons, submitting their views and ask
ing his advice.
Sir Williams reply has not been allowed
to transpire. II is known, however, that
he believes that the original coupling OF
the societies was mistake, but that an
alteration is impracticablc under the pres-
ent condition. The radical committee met
in one OF the committee IRONS of
the House of Commons yesteriia V.
adopted resolution declaring that
the value OF the National Liberal Federation
depends entirely upon its Independence aud
representative character, and that its lib
eral relations with tho Liberal Central As
sociation imperils its independence. There
FORE, the committee regrets the failure OF
its representations to the leaders and main
tains its opinion that the relations between
tue two associations ought to he immcdi-
a:eiy and effectively terminated.
GREAT STIR IN PARLIA MENT.
This has stirred parliamentary circles a
Sieat deal, and the matter will be discussed
~ meeting of the party to be held On
March 10. ...-... .-.
There was quite an uneSampled rush of
members of the House OF C0irmoB yester-
day to obtain the Venezuela blue book
When the Rt. Hon. George Curzon parlia-
mentary secretary OF the foreign office,
announced that 100 co-ies were availa bic
in the vote office the members hastened to
that office. crowding and hustling each
other in their anxiety to obtain the book.
The Prince OF Wales is timed to arrive
in the south OF France on March 49, spend
ing a day or two at Paris, en- ronte He
is enjoying unusually good health.
London. March The Manchester Guard
ian, commenting on the Venezuelan blue
book, says:
The report Will require much expert
examination. II is evident that the British
case is strong, and there is. therefore, the
more reason for submitting it to a suit
able body. perhaps the American boundary
commission, with some additions"
The Westminster Gazette says the con-
tents or the blue book does not preclude
n, gotiat ions upon the subjects OF the
dispute.
The st. James Gazette 81 The histor-
ical and geographical ciaim is the strongest
possible. hut We delude ourselves il we
suppose that Il settlement has been virtually
reached by the publication Of these elab-
crate and exhaustive Blue Books
The Globe says. Though the British ca Sc
has thus been brought into court, it is a
profound mistake iu assume that it will be
submitted formally or informally to the
American GO ernment. Great Britain has
never recognized any American tribunal
and jurisdiction whatever in The matter and
never will.