The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-03
LIBERALS Alb ALIVE
IR0NECAL QUESTIONS OF CONSERV-
ATIVE PRESS ANSWERED IN
TRTP-HARMER STYLE.
SALISBURY ON THE GRILL.
HGREATEsT FUNK IN EUROPE"
DRESSED DOWN BY THE oP-
POSITION LEADERS.
TROUBLE BREWING III AFRICA.
All Signs Point to a Clash Between
the Interests of England and
France.

LONDON, Oct. 2-The question,
ironically asked by the Conservative
press, relative to the whereabouts OF
the Liberal leaders, has been answered
in trip-hammer style during the past
week by the speeches of John Morley,
the former chief secretary for Ireland,
H. H. AsQuith, the former home secre
tary, and George w. F. Russell, former
under secretary of state for India.
Disgrace abroad" and disaster al
home" was the tenor of all the
speeches, as was to be expected; but.
it must be admitted that the arraign-
ment is approved by the consciences
of many Conservatives, when they re-
call the record Of the last few years.
Mr. Russell, in dealing with the sub
ject, recalled Prince Bismarck's ver-
dict of Lord Salisbury as being "a lath
painted to look like iron" and Lord
Randolph Churchill's later estimate of
the premier as being ''the greatest
funk in Europe" Mr. Russell added
his own opinion of Lord Salisbury
namely, "frailty, thy name is Cecil. .
The recent bye-election in East Den
bighshire, resulting in a greatly in
creased Liberal majority, seems to be
a warning that the people are weary
ing of the laundering which has
marked Lord Salisbury's policy. MI.
Russell recalled recent instances in
which he said the premier always
started with fine display Of vigor,
which "oozes away SO soon as his op-
ponent shows fight" Continuing, MIR.
Russell said Lord Salisbury backed
down before Secretary Olney, and is
now backing down before Secretary
Sherman, and that during the course
of the peace negotiations between
Greece and Turkey the car and En-
peror William handled Lord Salisbury
so effectually that he was made to eat
his own pronouncements.
Mr.. Russell concluded by remarking'
His lordship has just conceded to the
French full sovereignty over Tunis and
signs are not wanting that they will
soon begin to elbow US out OF Egypt.
Even the Mussulman savages of IN
dia have taken heart, knowing they
are dealing with mere man OF
words In short there are no limits
to the endurance of poltroonery i'll
high places"
Unless the signs are deceiving
trouble is brewing in West Africa be-
tween the British and the French who
since 1889, have trebled their protec-
torate in Western Soudan and the
great bulk of the accession TO French
territory has been carved out of coun-
try generally regarded as being with
in the British sphere of influences.
There are mysterious stories af1oat
of disturbances at Lagos, on the West
coast of Africa, and the movements
of British troops to that part of the
world from adjoining colonies, is fol
lowed by the news that the French
colonial minister is going to Senegal
The Mahommedan chief Samory is
operating in the Hinterland of the golG
coast and other signs lead to the be
lief that the situation is dangerou:
and that the conflict of interests i:
becoming acute. A high colonial of
fee official said to a representative
of the Associated Press: 1.-The native
ferment amounts to nothing; but, thc
fact is the French are hemming us II
around Lagos and pushing us into tht
sea and unless we are rehabilitated BY
a commission to delimitate the Anglo
French frontier more successfully
than before, there is bound to bt
trouble"