Evening star., 1898-02-25
Gravity of the Situation Confronting
Salisbury.
An AMERICAN ALLIANCE DESIRED
Amusing Instance of Devotion to
Established Forms.
SCENES OF ZOLA'S TRIAL
special Correspond, nee of The Evening Star.

half-truthS tortured from unwilling cab
met ministers by the opposition In parlia-
ruent. Th.se facts ere that every mans
hard Is against Ell gland, and chat the
lion, brought to bay. fears to strike back.
A premier may be depended upon to put
the best face on matters. yet the brightest
picture which Lord Salisbury's conscience
would permit him to draw displays much
more of shade than light. 1t has fallen
like cold shower ba ath over the ardor of
the patriots who were so recently cheering
the defiance Of Hicks-Beach that Britain
had sooner fight than let go her treaty
ris hts. The dominant note of the London
party organs has changed over night from
ccCk-sure confidence to diplomatic pes
simism. Until the meeting of parliament
the people had dimly realized that their
government was hard-pressed from sew
eral quarters, but vent on trusting quite
tlindly in the competence of the ministry
to dig it out of the pit somehow From
Lord Salisbury's apologetics they learn
that England will be lucky to get along in
peace clutching what spOils she already
has, while her rivals go ahead unmoiested
lcotinS cheerfully in new fields whose pick
irgs she would gladly share. The plain
facts In the case of China are more huml-
iating to Erglishmen than any chapter OF
their diplomacy since the Venezuelan cpl
sode. Germany has gripped the port of
kiao-Chou. together with other perquisites.
Russia has taken Port Arthur and Japan
has foreclOsed upon Wei-Hai-Wei tefore
the Germ of the mortgage has expired.
Great Britain attempted in the beginning
OF the game to force n loan upon China
and accept the port of Ta-len-Wan as Sc
Curity. bur Russian diplomacy checkmated
that move. as Russian diplomacy generally
does. and the net results of the whole bus
i:ess, as Lord Salisbury is forced to ex-
pound them, are that England must Re con-
Gnf will Of knr
Germany and Russia. that her treaty rights
will be respected: that while they are
stretching their claws out for China. they
will charitably refrain from pushing her
into the water. Also that on some indef-
mite future day they may consent to dis
cEss with her the question whether she can
occupy Ta-lienWan: that is. after they
shall have irretrievably fenced that region
within their spheres of influence
Nearer home the cabinet had the Cretan
muddlc to explain and apologies to make.
because England had played the last fiddle
In the concert of Europe. In Madagascar
France had trampled over all England S
treaty rights. according TO Salisbury: M.
Han1taux had broken the ordinary. rules
Of International comfy yet England had
swallowed her medicine. She had been bull
lied by France into accepting a new treaty
with Tunis much less advant ageous than
the former one. France was crowding her
back in Africa most unneighboriy. To over
flow her cup OF trials the Indian meeting
been driven to bankruptcy that Lockhart
might march his army up the hill. like the
King of France. only he has not been able
to complete the parallel and march them all
back again. Hundreds of good soldiers
have been left on the frontier. common re-
port says. sacrifices to Incompetence and
nepotism in high places, and many OF the
best families throughout England are In
mourning. While the quarrel with the border
tribes stands where it did. the slaughter
has profited nothing. But for the enemies
which are bounding the government from
without the pressure of popular opinion
would force parliament to quick, action in
changing the Indian policy so strong A;s
the popular indignation. While every other
European government has a qllafrei with
England and every one Is almost openly
contemptuous of her wishes IN the confi-
dence that she win not dare to offer fight
alone. the conservatives have stronger
chance OF being perpetuated In power than
they would under clear skies.
Lord Salisbury's outline of the situation
was intended to be soothing. yet. in one
sentence. when he alluded to the extreme
gravity of the crisis in our countrys his
tory through which we are passing, he
echoed the real condition of affairs. for
every politician believes that England is
facing crisis.
An American Alliance.
In this crisis Englishmen are all. down to
the most rabid Yankee haters, ayowedIy
anxious for an alliance with the Uniteo
States. Very eagerly the newspapers catch
at every straw from the other side which
points to American friendiness The
kEow that IL such an alliance were made
the chances that UnC-e Sam would be call
ed upon to pull John Bulls chestnuts from
the fire would be infinitely greater than
the reverse, because John is so separated
all over the globe that his feet are being
continually trodden upon somewhere, while
Uncle Sam keeps pretty much within his
Shell If the conditions were changed there
might not be so much prattle about the
glories of a conflict of the Anglo-Saxon
nations.
When NJ. II. de Young, the proprietor OF
the San Francisco Chronicle. was in Lon
don recently an American newspaper man
suggested to him that here was a good fielo
for the establishment of enterprising
newspaper on American lines. Don't you
believe it, Mr.. De Young replied. There's
no room for anything alive and up to date
in a place where flock of old gentlemen
go down to parliament and sit all night
on shoemakers benches without any backs
to them and keep their hats on their heads
just because their ancestors have done the
same for six hundred years."
They make themselves uncomfortable in
parliament in great many other WAYS
that an American legislature would not
think of enduring through any sentimental
power of making appropriations to minister
to their ease. In the first place, several
hundred legislators and peers huddIe into
stuny little rooms no larger than the Su-
preme Court chamber. whereas in Washing
ton Mr.. Walker of Massachusetts, would
make their lives burden until he drove
them into consenting to decent ventilation
In the second instance, they waste no end
OF time performing ceremonies which serve
no purpose whatever except as symbols.
British Adherence to Old Forms.
The rigid adherence Of the British to
Ter tIlr.cf ta1