Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-27
GREAT BRITAIN NOT ALARMED
ALMOST INDIFFERENT NOW TO CON-
TINENTAL COMBINATIONS.
Her Treaty With France Likely to
Lead Italy to Desert the Triple
AlIiance-News of the Phil
ippfnes by Way of
London.
Copyright. 1895. by the Associated pre..)

LONDON, Nov. 26.-France and Italy.
after decade Of tariff warfare. have sur
prised their friends and enemies by con-
cluding a commercial treaty which prom
ises to shift the balance of power in Eu-
rope. But for the friendship of the
United States. which embodens Great
Britain to comparative indifference re-
garding continental combinations, the
British would be alarmed at this pros
peet of Italy deserting the triple alliance
and adding her formidable navy TO the
Franco-Russian compact, which is held
to be the inevitable result of the union
of the two estranged nations The critics
here regard the treaty as a sequel TO the
Fashoda incident Frances defeat in
Egypt opened her eyes to the necessity OF
increasing the number of her friends.
Therefore. she hastened to initiate nego-
tiations with Italy and will give her weak
er neighbor the benefit of the minimum
tariff long and vainly sought by the lat
ter.
The Italians estimate that, under the
new arrangement. a million hectoliters of
heavy Southern wines, which are used in
mixing the lighter French wines Will be
exported to France, resulting in a great
impetus to Italian industry. In return,
France expects to remove the dangers of
having 10 cope Win the ltdlldn navy III
the Mediterranean in the event of Ger
man war, and also to nullify Germanys
policy of isolating France. Free trade
Britain has no subsidies she can offer to
retain Italy's support; but. in the present
position of the worlds politics, she is not
as solicitous for it as she would have been
year ago. What Great Britain loses in
Italy, the Westminster Gazette declares,
she gains in the Philippines.
Conversations which a representative of
the Associated Press has had with poll
ticians here indicate that the interest In
Engiishmen in the United States Eastern
tariff is increased by the belief that, once
embarked in colonial acquisition, the
United States will be compelled as Great
Britain has been, to add constantly to her
colonial possessions which may be thrown
upon the market. merely to prevent their
falling into the hands of her rivals.
The Inauguration of a CLOSED door"
policy. they think here, would do much
potential damage to British interests, and
every American utterance tending to fore,
shadow tie 'open door" policy has been
eagerly seized upon and magnified by the
editorial writer's.
The Speaker says:
The government at Washington is cred
itably anxious to show the world that they
do not desire mere aggrandizement for
their victory over Spain, and they do not
desire to shut out other nations from the
material advantages which they derive
themselves"
The London Office of Philippine COM
pany has received a letter from its agent
at Manila dated October Is, in which the
agent says:
The rebels are prepared already to re-
sist annexation. l am in the confidence
of their chiefs, and l assure you they are
quite prepared TO retire to the hills if more
than protectorate is attempted. 1 hope
it will not come to warlike proceedings
for 1t would be very protracted affair.
The Americans would not find the rebels
as easy as the Spaniards did. for they for
merly had only 400 rifles. while the rebels
now have $1,000 rifles. and eighty cannon,
including several Maxims''
The Manila correspondent adds:
Americans are not allowed to pass the
rebel lines without passports. A party
of German officers who attempted to do so
without passports were mistaken for Amer
leans and were refused permission. When
it was discovered they We're Germans, the
officers were permitted to proceed"
The manager of this Philippine company,
who has spent years in the Philippine ISL
ands. does not attach any Importance to
the foregoing plans. He says the Ameri-
cans could quickly subdue the natives.
He also says the Americans have mag
nified the Importance and influence of
Aguinaldo throughout.
There is a report in commercial circles
that Spain will reorganiZe her entire finan-
cial system and readjust her bonded in
debtedness after the treaty of peace is
signed. This report disturbs the bondhold-
ers of Spain.
An English Carlist positively asserts that
Don Carlos army will take the field in
Spain soon after the treaty of peace is
signed. He declares that loan has been
fully financed and that it is divided equally
between France and England, and he adds
that after the English capitalists were
shown the evidences on which Don Carlos
chances of success are based. they offered
several times the amount asked. The Eng
lish Carlists assert that much more money
would have been secured had it not been
for the fact that Don Carlos stipulated
that there should be no assistance from
Jews, as he is apprehensive of their OBJ
tanning financial control of the monarchy
Continuing. it was asserted that the Span
ish government has known for some time
that Don Carlos possessed army or
ganZed into battaions and batteries, Off
cered and largely armed. but the Spanish
ministers counted on his failure to secure
funds. Therefore, the Spanish government
is said TO be panic stricken and to be en-
deavoring 10 make the Spanards believe
that Great Britain has agreed to finance
Don Carlos and that he, in return, has un-
dertaken TO cede the Canary islands to
Great Britain in the event of success.
The commission appointed by the Spanish
chamber of commerce to consider the ques-
ton of reforms in Spain met at Saragossa
and recommended sweeping military and
civil retrenchments, in addition to many
reforms for the benefit of the working men.
The commission also pronounced in favor of
an investigation into the continuance of
the Cuban insurrection and with holding
the rewards promised to Cuban officers.
The recen. tragic death Of the empress
of Austria overclouds the celebration in
that country of the half century of the
| emperors reign and prevents the carry
ing out of the festive features OF the pro-
| to the churches, schools and army and
| Vienna will be decorated and Illuminated
| only by private citizens.
The Austrian rechsrath assembled yes
terday and listened to the addresses of
| the presidents of the two houses, eulogiz-
| ing the reign of Emperor Francis Joseph.
| The members. as u rule, wore evening
dress and decorations. but the Poles and
Czechs were dressed in gala national cos
| tunes. Only. the benches of the socialists
were empty. the members of that party
| having refused to participate in the meet