The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-06-10
OUR LONDON CABLE LETTER.
RUMORS ABOUT PEACE NEGOTIA-
TIONs AT. CONsTANTINOPLE
ARE CONFLICTING.
TRANSVAAL raid INQUIRY ASSA|LED
The Newspapers Generally Con-
denim the Decision Not to Press
Production of Suspicious
Cable Messages.

on the other hand he is declared to be
showing conciliatory disposition, and
that the settlement of the questions in
dispute is only matter of few days.
The Associated Press, however, learns
that ambassadors at Constantinople are
hopeful that the negotiations will be con-
cluded in about a week, in the sense of
Turkeys acceptance of the peace condi-
tons proposed by the powers. There is
now little doubt that the sultan has de-
cided to agree to the evacuation of
Thessaly and the Turkish public is being
prepared for this step. The police of
Constantinople have been ordered to con-
fiscate the leaflets which are being circu-
lated, demanding the annexation of the
conquered territory as a duty devolving
upon the sultan The war songs are
being suppressed in order to stite the
fanaticsm of the lower classes. 1t is
considered probable that the conclusion of
peace between Turkey and Greece will
be followed by a complete change of the
Turkish cabinet, as the palace party will
endeavor to saddle the ministry with all
the responsibility for the peace condi-
lions. Moreover, strong feeling exists
among the Mussulmans against the min
istry, especially against the navy de-
partment, owing to the deplorable condi-
ton of the Turkish navy and inactivity
of the Ottoman fleet.
The news from Thessaly says that the
Turkish army, which at first pillaged and
| committed other excuses in the Greek
villages, is now under strict discipline.
The. object of this change in policy by
the Turkish authority, according to the
Athens newspapers, is merely to gain the
signatures of the inhabitants in favor of
Turkish rule. Meanwhile 10000 Mace
DOMAIN peasants who had crossed the
mountains into Thessaly have occupied
the abandoned Greek villages and are
waiting to gather the corn if it ripens be-
fore peace negotiations are concluded.
In fact, the seizure of the Thessalian har-
vest seems to be a ruse and an en-
deavor to protract the peace negotiations.
Numbers of Greek Thessalians are
hiding in the mountains of Kalkis and on
the island of Skiathos, being afraid to
return to their homes, fearing massacre,
and preferring death by starvation, ex-
posture and disease.
The Impeachment of the leading spirits
of the Ethnike Hetairia, or National
League of Greece, is discussed in
Athens, where it is said that ex-Mayor
Melas intends to resign the leadership of
the society His excuse for the So
ciety's conduct is that it was understood
that Great Britain would assist Greece
in her struggle with Turkey. Oh.
The parliamentary committee which
| had been inquiring into the Transvaal
| raid is assaled by II storm of denuncia-
! ton, owing to IT'S decision not to press
the production of the missing cable mes
| sages exchanged between DR.. Ruther-
certain parties in England. The news
papers of all shades of opinion view this
decision with the greatest distrust and
insist that the reputation of Great Brit
| ain is involved in Il thorough probing of
the matter.
The Daily News publishes a regular
Indictment against the committee and
asks why the latter has not insisted
upon the production of the cable mes
sages or the colonial Offices copies of
these messages; why the committee has
not insisted upon the production of the
confidential communications between
the colonial Office and Sir Hercules Rob
inson, the governor of Cape Colony; why
Lord Grey, who conducted most of the
negotiations with the secretary of state
for the colonies, Mr.. Chamberlain. was
not called, and why Mr.. Rhodes was not
recalled and questions affecting the colo
NAL office connected with the affair
which were not followed up or were not
asked, and concludes
'lhe committee has been a commit
-. ~ ihiuiiy. UhiesS IL fecOnS1derS
its decision it will cover itself with ridi-
cule and contempt and strike fatal blow
at the efficiency of parliament"
me weekly newspapers are equally
emphatic in summing up the work of tho
committee. The Speaker says: ~
The committee threatens to finish the
proceedings in an ignominious and dis
creditable collapse. The inquiry can
only be :, regarded as a fiasco and must
necessarily confirm, in the opinion of the
world, many charges made against Mr..
Thamberlain in connection with the raid.
Inc evidence proving or disproving the
charge that Mr.. Chamberlain was
cognlzant of the Instruction movement
at johannesburg and that he was pre-.
pared to use the British forces to squelcb
the movement, has been rejected by the |
committee with the connivance of Mr.
Chamberlain himself, and unless he can
vlndicate himself it is his duty to re-
sign" "
The Saturday Review says,
me committee has brought tbp
methods of parliament in committee into
dlscredit and has lessened the respect
an through the committee. The blame |
for this tascO must fall upon Mr.. Cham
berlaln. He proposed the committee /
ana DIS chosen court has been unable to |
clear his own charge" III
:. Inc spectator says it is difficult to be- |
lieye the committee ever meant business. II
The most slashing attack comes from /
the pen Of William Stead who, although
pro Rhodes, urges that full light be |
turned upon the whole matter. He L
heads his article flushed Up" and pro- |,
ceeds in immoderate language to describe Il
the proceedings as the most shameful L
which suggests fasehood to
conceal the truth and mslead the nation.
declaring that the committee is deceiving
the public in order to screen Mr.. Cham
berlain, who, according to Mr.. Stead.
fought to have owned frankly that he
winked at the patriotic, but revolutionary,
Continuing, Mr.. Stead says:
Mr.. Chamberlain, no doubt, would
have had to resign, but it would only I
have been temporary eclipse, and his
position with the country would have
been stronger than ever. Instead of this
honest course. the watchword seems to
nave been given as Lie, lie, lie.'" II
The king of Siam, who is now in Rome /.
N his way to the jubilee festivities here,
lfter leaving England will proceed to l
New York in his own yacht. He will
ross the United States, staying suf-
icient time in different American cities to
nable his yacht to proceed from New
FORK to San Francisco, where he will Il
IN ba rk for his hnmo The date of an. | !,