New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-21
NEW-YORK AS A WARNING.
LORD sALIsBURYs SPEECH AGAINST RE-
FORM GOVERNMENT IN LONDON.
HE OPPOSES UNION OF THE INDEPENDENT
Observation-Disclosures UNIoNIsr CONFER
ENcE AND ITS CHEF FEArUREs-rHp
PROSPECTS OF THE CONFERENCE
OF THE ENGINEERING TRADE
THE MERsINA AFFAIR
BAD REPORTING
OF THE LON- II
DON FIRE.
rBY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.

London Nov. 20.-Platts influence has been
powerfully exerted In English politics this week
Oh the wrong side. Lord Salisbury has JUSTIFIED
the course Of the Ministers in adopting a retro
grade, ieactionary policy OF government In Lon
don. by an explicit reference to the disastrous
reform campaign In NewYork which followed
consolidation. He has told the Londoners that
they must take warning from New-York where
good citizens have fallen out and left Tammany
in full control Of &. vast system OF centralized
administration. They must themselves curtal
the powers oe the County Council, which has
become breeding place for professional poll.
ticians. and convert London into a cluster OF In.
dependent municipalities
This argument for reaction could not have
been used by the Prime Minister IL Mr.. Low
had been elected by union Of good citizens
Platts influence Is felt In the Unlonst declara-
ton Of war upon representative government In
the metropolis. and in the adoption OF a Minis
terial policy which Will protect the vested in-
terests Of rich corporations and powerful mo-
nopolies.
The speech containing this menace was dey.
cred In the presence of vast multitude OF Con.
servative politicians in Albert Hail. and was re-
ceived with rapturous delight. Taking a single
sip OF water and without having a scrap OF
started in and spoke for ninety minutes, throw
Ing his harsh, resonant voice directly into the
royal box opposite and being heard distinctly in
that immense auditorium. There was not a sim
gle gesture during the entire performance not
even when he spoke most scornfully OF the am.
bilious politicians OF the County Council.
Mr. Ritchie author OF the bill under which
the Council was organized nine years ago. sat
m ndorf Var
when the last rites are in progress. His face
probably was less austere next morning, when
he read the sarcastic comments of the Union.
ist press on the Ministerial raid into metro-
politan politics. and he will smile more broadly
to-day the articles in thecweekly journals
on the same subject
What the Ministers propose to do IN London
affairs is not clearly defined. Kensngton and
Westminster have applied for the privilege Of
incorporation separate cities. and Hampstead
is ready to do so. The Government will prob
ably present a simple bill designed TO remove
existing legal obstacles to the establishment OF
local bodies free from the restraints Of the
County Council. This is more likely than tho in.
PRODUCTION Of a new administrative system at
| single stroke. Mr.. Chamberlain IL regarded az
the real author Of this policy. He has never
concealed his opinion that the system Of govern.
ment by committees in the Council would break
dc vn under its own weight when applied to a
metropolis Of five millions. This was indeed
Lord Salisburys main plea in advocating many
municipalities in place Of one. The progressive
reformers have always recognized the neces-
sity of distributing local powers among thirty
forty sub-municpalites controlled by cen-
trail representative council. This Is very dif.
ferent thing from creating thirty or forty sep
arate cities and degrading the municipal Par.
lament into another Metropolitan Board Of
Works with greatly impaired powers
The sum of the whole matter is that the pow.
erfu financial land-owning interests are opposed
TO the unifcation OF London and that the Union
sts following the lead Of Lord Onslow. are now
openly lighting their battle. II the County Coun-
Gil can be suppressed or degraded the water.
gas and tramway corporations will not be dis
turbed, the livered companies OF the City will
remain unreformed. ard ground rents and other
legitimate sources OF taxation will be protected.
The introduction Of great municipal policies
which have promoted the welfare Of other Eng
lish cities will be impracticabe II London be
converted into a congcries Of cities without Q
central source of power. The capital OF the En-
p!re will be a civic Milky Way, instead OF an or
ganized municipality This is precisely what Is
wanted by the monopolies and privileged
classes since it will defer indefinitely the equal.
zation OF tax rates and the readjustment Of
financial burdens and leave the medieval guilds
enthroned in the City and Bundle omnipotent
everywhere else.
The most noticeable features Of the Conserv.
ative conference and gala week have been this
declaration of the County Council; the
resolutions in favor of a royal residence in Ire
duties; the defence Of the West Indies: the ON.
inous silence maintained over the EMPLOYERS
Liability act and the total eclipse OF Mr. Bal.
four. who took no part in the debates or the
junketing Mr. Chamberlain did not speak, but
he was constantly on exhibition.
Sir William Vernon Harcourt has the oppor-
tunity of his life this week in Dundee where he
open the campaign in defence OF represent.
ative institutions in London and lead the Oppo-
sition attack upon the Unionist reactlonary pol.
cies on the day when the Progressives hope to
carry the School Board elections In the metrop-
oils and open the way for a more complete tri-
umph OF the County Council canvass In March
The conference OF the engineering trade next
Wednesday promises TO be complete and COM
prehensive, no important question in dispute be-
Ing excluded from consideration The engi-
neers VIII carry their main issue. the eight.
hour working day, into the discussion and the
masters will have the advantage OF a full inquiry
into the details OF machine work, apprentice.
ships and the management OF their shops with
out interference from the trades unions. Great
stress is laid by the employers upon the neces.
sity of adopting the American Industrial prin-
ciple of the unrestricted use Of labor-savinR
machines with the employment Of partially
skilled workmen in managing them. The mas.
ters contend that in this of keen competi.
ton among nations they must fight the Ameri.
cans with their own weapons. The machine
question rather than the hours Of working time
is the important issue to be adjusted In the con.
ference.
Notwithstanding their constant habit Of re.
Az a q fatal draa