The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-12
COMMENT OF OUR
ENGLISH COUSINS,
Regard the Chicago Conven-
ton as a Geological
Curiosity
AND BRYAN AS A COWBOY
References to the Despotism of
Lombard Street" Are
Not Understood.
BRITISH POLITICS TIREsoME.
Significance of the Reception to Bos.
tons Ancient and Honor.
able Visitors.
AND BRYAN AS A COWBOY
BRITISH POLITICS TIREsoME.

LONDON, Eng, July 11.-Thus far Eng
lish journals and English public also,
consider the Chicago convention much
more as geological curiosity than as a
serious political event. There is nothing
in their comment which would alter or
illume the opinions which our own
thoughtful men have formed about it. A
suggestion of cowboys ana bucking horses
and tremendous fusillade of blank cart
ridges from the roof of the Deadwood stage
coach colors the general British concep-
ton of the wild West, and young Mr..
Bryan, the boy orator, becomes easily
associated in "reminiscences with the
leather-lunged person who used to an
nounce Colonel Cody's programme to
listening thousands at Earls court. As to
the vehement references in the Populists'
platform to British gold monometallism
and the oratorical references to ''the des-
potism of Lombard street," no one here
understands them or discusses them.
British politics have no longer even the
merit of being picturesque. There is moth
ing remotely suggesting circus or any
thing else amusing or remarkable about
Parliament. Those inside share with those
outside the common emotion of wearied
disgust. To-day 1t is SAID that there has
been a mistake in the steering of the
finance Bills earlier stages through the
House, which will necessitate a consider
able extension of the time allotted for its
discussion on report, and thus throw the
whole ministerial programme once more
into confusion. Tory members hear this
with merely another groan. Gross mis-
management has come to be the expected
thing.
The Government sustained q grave
moral defeat over its scheme for forcing
India TO pay the expenses of the troops
that England is borrowing from her for
use in the Soudan. Twentv-three of the
most influential supporters of the Govern
ment voted openly against it. twice that
number refused to vote at all, and there
are not dozen men in the whole 400 who
are not privately cursing the mean stupid
ity for this transaction. The blame for it
is laid entirely on the shoulders of Sir
Michael Hicks Beach, who threatened to
resign if he vas not allowed to squeeze
this paltry sum out of India.
l have never seen more general and out
spoken disaffection in any party organiza-
ton than is TO be witnessed now in the ma
jority at Westminster. Gerald Balfour has
made quite as melancholy hash of his
chances as has his brother Arthur. His
weak attempt to please all sides with an
Irish land bill has finally evolved sort of
monster which nobody will accept. De
bate on it begins Monday, but its fate is
foregone conclusion, and its collapse will
hoh CHI yo off he
of their seats.
If this powerful Tory majority han any
leadership worthy the name it might have
had all its seasonal business well in hand
by this time. AS it is, chaos threatens
everything. So many people on all sides
are keen about the bill making the use of
motor carriages possible on highways that
it will probably get through, but there is
positively no certainty about anything
else.
The deceased wife's sister bill needs a
miracle in its behalf to secure a place in
the business schedule of the House of
Commons. Its hackers profess to have a
slight hope that this will be attained, but
the chance is hardly worth discussing.
The final victory of this measure in the
House of Lords yesterday was largely
helped by the disclosure of circular letter
which Cardinal Vaughan had sent to the
Catholic peers telling them that the Pope
wanted the bill beaten. This interference
of an Italian priest in English legislation
comes at just the time to make every body
furious. Englishmen were already angry
about the recent Anglo-Saxon Irritation
with the Vatican and about a report that
the Jesuits are to start a college at Oxford
inside the university system and if any.
thing could interest them in setting all
else aside and showing this measure
through the Commons it would be the
knowledge that Rome would take it as a
slap in the face.
The most interesting feature of the week
in continental politics has been the per-
sistent reports from various Levantine
sources that French occupation of Cy-
prus is under discussion at Constantinople.
Most of these rumors suggest that Russia
urges this upon France and that both of
these nations are pressing it on the Sultan.
For many reasons the story seems like a
"ballon dessai" rather than like refiec-
ton of actual facts; but even if it is merely
put forth as feeler it has some value
Turkey continues to fall in pieces. Each
week brings new reports of troops mutiny-
ing, and the provincial governments are
lapsing into anarchy. 1t is plain that mat
ters cannot go on indefinitely as they are,
and as the critical time approaches each
suggestion of possible action by one or an
other group of powers gathers fresh i'm
portance.
To-morrow's secondary elections in Bel
GUM have taken on new interest, owing to
the movement started at the last moment
inside the Liberal party to cast its vote as
between two evils for socialism rather than
for clerlcalism.
Last Sundays elections revealed the
clericals as about holding their own, with
a considerable plurality over the socialists.