The herald., 1897-01-24
IN The QUEENS DOM|N|ONy
Parliament Sessions Excite Very
Little Interest
SPEECH FROM THE THRONE
Now Seems Certain to Be Adopted With.
out Opposition
Senator Wolcott Finds But Cold We'll
come From English Bimetallists.
British and Continental Gossip.

come from English BimetalliStS
British and Continental Gossip.
Associated Press Special Wire
LONDON, Jan. 23.-(Copyrigbt, 1897. }
Parliament opened on Tuesday last with
an unusually poor attendance and lack
OF animation. The statement Of Mr..
Balfour, first lord of the tire easury and
government leader in the house, regard
ing Irish finance, has removed the most
important barrier to a speedy adoption
of the address in reply to the speech from
the throne. Mr.. Balfour said. the royal
commission which had investigated the
financial condition Of Ireland and which
had reported that country having been
| overtaxed to the amount of f2,750, 900.
had been guilty of sins of omission and
| had refused to discuss large classes of
facts which should have been investigat-
ed. Therefore. he added, the govern
ment proposed TO- take steps to complete
the investigation Mr.. Balfour now
hopes the address will be voted early
! next week.
| With the exception Of the proceedings
yesterday evening, when Sir Henry
Howarth, Conservative, representing
| the south division of Sanford. moved an
| amendment censuring the government
for releasing the Irish political prison.
| ers, which called forth heated defense
of the action Of the home secretary, Sir
Matthew White Ridley on the part of
Mr.. Balfour, who declared Sir Henry's
attack was an imputation Of the whole
treasury bench. and meant himself and
his colleagues were unworthy to lead
the party, the debates i'm the commons
have been tedious and only enlivened by
an amusing incident on Thursday when
Sir Wilfred Lawson, Radical, represent
ing the COckermouth division of Cum
berIand, depicted British legisla tors in
the position of breaking the laws Of the
| country daily.
Sir Wilfred questioned the attorney
general, Sir Richard Webster. @. c.. re-
garding the sale of liquor within the pre-
cincts of the house. Sir Richard had to
reply, amid continuous roar of laugh
ter, but after a profound inquiry into
the matter he had come toshe conclu-
sion that the sale of liquor Within the
precincts of the house was Illegal and
that the remedy was to pass an act ex-
empting tine house from the licensing
law. The followers of Sir Wilfred Law
SON, who Is president Of the United King
dom alliance for the suppression of the
liquor traffic, are jubilant at the. attor-
ney-generaPs admission, and 1t Is limited
they intend to file all information
against the speaker. But they are not
likely to carry out the threat.
When the question of the alleged over
taxation of Irela Md comes up for discus
sion, the Scotch members intend to sug-
gest that the financial position of Scot
land be included in the inquiry.
From the general tone of the conti-
mental press it Is evident that Europe
looks askance at the Anglo-American
arbitration treaty, and seems to fear an
Anglo American alliance. The marquis
of Salisbury's dig at Prince Bismarck in
his speech in the house of lords on last
Tuesday appears to have touched sore
point in Germany. The premier said,
referring to the arbitration treaty: 81
don't say 1t will remove the greatest
risk of war. don't say it will restrain
Napoleon or a Bismarck"
The North German Gazettc. comment
ing on the reference to Bismarck, refers
to the arbitration treaty as an agree
yuent ito prevent quarrels about trif1es"
and repudlates the comparison of Ma
poleon with Bismarck, wherein the
North German Gazette sees another
illustration of British industrial and
commercial jealousy"
The Kreuz Zeitung says the marquis
CT Salisbury, instead of mentioning the
name of two powerful personages,
would have done better to omit that
such treaties are of little use since they
must be repudiated in all instances in
volving vital national interests"
1t Is rumored that Senator Edward o.
Wolcott of Colorado, who has been visit
ing England in the interest of bimetal-
lism, is not quite satisfied with the pro-
gress of his inquiries here. He has been
delayed from meeting people owing to
their absence from town, and, of course.
he could not be received by the marquis
OF Salibury, because he has no official
credentials. The Bimetallic league.
however. has given Senator Wolcott the
heartiest reception, and Sir William
Henry Houldsw Conservative mem
Der of parliament for the northwest di-
vision of Manchester, who was the Brit
1sh delegate at the monetary conference
at Brussels in 1892, and Lord Aldenham.
senior partner in the firm of Anthony
Gibbs & Sons, bankers and merchants,
and formerly governor, now director
of the Bank of England, have had long
interviews with the senator, and are
aiding him in every way possible. SEN
ator Wolcott finds that the position here
remains unchanged from the time of the
Brussels conference, namely, that the
British government and the house of
commons are committed to do all in
their power to secure by international
agreement the stable money power of
the exchange Of gold and silver. The
Bank OF England is still willing to keen
one fifth of its reserve in silver bars. But.
in spite of the willingness of Great Brit
ain, which has been expressed to Senator
.Wolcott, to bring in the mints of India
into any international agreement, Great
Britain under no circumstances will take
the initiative in calling new conference.
considering. as she does that the above
offers are the first practical step toward
international bimetallism taken by any
government. She now wants to see what
practical steps other governments are
willing to. take. The continental powers
are equally unwilling to take the lead in
calling a monetary conference, as they
unanimously believe that the United
States, both by its position and import
ance, must take the initiative.
A singular lawsuit between rival
pretenders to the throne Of France was
resumed this week before the civil tri-
bunal Of Paris. The duke of Anjou is
suing the present duke of Orleans for us
ing the royal arms of France ON the
ground that the duke of Anjou Is the
rishtful heir to the throne as he is the
descendant of Louis XIV. Counsel
for the duke of Anjou has asked tina.
the duke of Orleans be compelled to pay
tine sum Of 1000 francs for each day he
continues to use the rnyal aryns ~