The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-24
Debate in Parliament on the Address in
Reply to the Queens Speech
Has So Far Been Adverse to the Hopes
of the Liberals.

Persuasive Voice of the Govern
ment Whip Throws a Chill Among
the Irish Unionists.
LONDON, Jan. 23.-The developments
of the debate on THE address in reply
to the Queens speech have so far been
adverse to the hopes of the Liberals,
and especially of the home rulers, who
expected the Government to be greatly
weakened over the Irish finance agita
ton The much talked of coalition be-
tween Irish Unionists and Nationalists
is not the particular sort of common
action which the Nationalist leaders de-
sired and were led to believe would be
effected. Since Parliament met views
have been exchanged between Colonel
Saunderson, Horace Plunkett, Mr.. Dill
Ion, Mr. Healy and others of the Irish
members as to how far their agreement
of opinion on Irish finances meant active
cooperation towards a common end.
The Nationalist leaders have found that
the recent warmth of feeling upon the
question has among the Irish Unionists
distinctly got chilled. The persuasive
voice of the Government whip has con-
WINGED the Saunderson faction that
working relations with the home rul-
ers on any question would entrap them,
and it is known also that the Govern
ment has empowered the whips to
promise full reconsideration of the
matter The Irish Unionists, therefore,
while continuing to support in abstract
and sentimental fashion the Irish de-
mands, will not vote against the Gov
eminent, whose majority against the
Dillon, Redmond and other amend
ments remains intact.
The length to which this Irish debate
promises to run is another illustration
of the impotence of anti English Gov
eminent to stop Irish questions blocking
the way to Parliament. This was to be
in no respect an Irish session, yet there
is certain prospect THAT Ireland will
a bsorb the larger portion of the par
liamentary year. The three great Irish
questions which have been forced upon
the consideration of the Government
and the country-financial reform,
Board of Agriculture and a Catholic
University for Ireland-compete with, If
they do NOT overtop in public interest,
the purely English measures before the
House.
The Catholic Bishops of Ireland are
taking no specially prominent part in
the nnance discussion. Their attention
Is CHIEFLY directed to the demand for a
Catholic University Their memorial,
signed by every Catholic Bishop in Ire
land which has been before the Cabinet
since early in December. will undoubt-
eddy stimulate the Government to fu-
ture action. The Radicals, especially
Mr.. Labouchere and his little clique.
who have been assailing Lord Sails
bury policy In the East. will gain moth
ing by it, burt will rather enhance his
reputation as an adroit diplomatist.
Inc luster OF the arbitration treaty
ana the prospect Of the Venezuela set
tiement, together with the correspond
ence on the Turkish question. set forth
in the blue book this week. has caused
decided change in the attitude toward
the Premier assumed by his onponents.
The fact is now well established that
Lord Salisbury was the one who brought
about the understanding between the
Powers anent Turkey, and that to his
erIortS alone is due the determination to
effect reforms in that country even
should the employment of force be ne
cessary to bring them about. The domi-
nant mood of the House of Commons
on the Liberal as well as on the Conser-
vative side is one of confidence in Lord
Salisbury as a guide in foreign affairs
Advdces from Belgium show a serious
state OF a1a1rs there. arising from the
conscriptlon law, which provides that
every man who has completed his nine
tenth year is liable to military service
for eight years, of which. however. two
thirds are allowed. as a rule. on fur
Tough. An important clause of the law
provides that a conscript NAV purchase
a substitute. and it is this clause that
causes the trouble. Wealthy Young men
are able to purchase exemption. which
they do in large numbers, by getting a
SUB, and thus practically speaking,
the whole military service of the country
falls upon those who are least qualified
by their domestic duties to perform it.
Great discomfort prevails against the
system which takes young men from
their employment, and it is anticipated
that trouble will follow the drawing of
the 1897 conscript in February. The
Government has received information
that an organized resistance is being
prepared in which the socialists. who in
clude very large proportion of the
workingmen of the country. are taking
most active part. The young men liza
bic to the conscription are advised not
to serve, and the labor leagues have
promised to back them up in their re-
sistance to the Government. Already
military positions have been made to
meet the trouble, and the drawing of
conscrpts is looked forward to with
much anxiety
The new Chinese Minister to England,
Lo Fong Lo is timed to arrive in Lon
don early in June. He brings some mag
nificent presents to the Queen, at whose
diamond jubilee fetes he is to figure The
foreign office, which has never got on
well with the present Chinese Minister,
expects to find in Lo Fong Lo a better
medium of communication with Pekin
Lo Fong 10 is credited with a strong
preference for English built warships.
and is said to have almost carte blanche
in the disposal of Chinese money for
English building yards WI, the new
Minister to Washington, was born at
Singapore. studied law in London for
some years and was called to the bar at