The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-06
Reliable Information Is Very Diff.
cult to Obtain.
PEOPLE OF ENGLAND IN EARNEST.
Any Show of Weakness Mould BE
Strongly Resented.
ENGLAND WILL NOT REcEDE.
u determined that Port Arthur shall
Not BE a Closed Russian Port.
Norman's Criticism.

London, February copyrighted 1898,
BY the Associated Press.)---It is probable
but little further reliable information re-
garding China will be obtained until the
ministers have chance to agree on this
all important subject during the course
OF the debate on the political situation in
parliament ana the addresses in rely TO
the speech from the throne. The ex-
plicit statement OF the situation furnished
to the Associated Press on Thursday last
is, however. sufficient insight into the
facts and shows that the press has wasted
q considerable amount of historical alarm,
which curiously enough is more prevalent
among the government supporters than
among the opposing papers.
After all the perturbation will not have
been wasted IL it serves to convince The
government of the earnestness of the
country over the matter and how it will
resent any weakness. 1t must be remem-
bered that the whole fallen Wan story
never received shade of official sanction
AS cabled to the Associated Press on
Thursday last. Great Britain has never
demanded that fallen Wan be made II
treaty pert 1t was merely one of the
suggested constituents of the bargain, and
If it should be withdrawn it can only BIO
because 1t is a barrier TO the negotiations
for loan. The object Of the condition vas
to checkmate any scheme for the transfor-
nation of Port Arthur into closed Rus
sian port and the object was equally Sc
cured by eXacting from China and Russia
together a pledge in regard to Port Arthur
similar to the pledge exacted from them in
regard to Corea before the evacuation of
Port He1nilton, and this will probably be
the upshot. The semi official statements
distinctly point thereto, notably the spe-
cific assurance early in the week in regard
to the temporary nature of the Russian oc-
cupation Of Port Arthur, which was ac-
companied by the friendly assurance that
Great Britain is not bound TO Japan by any
warlike alliance. In short. there is every
reason to believe that Great Britain does
not intend to recede an inch from the DO
sition which has been taken up by Messrs.
Balfour, Chamberlain and Hicks Beach in
the name OF the Marquis of SALISBURY.
In the course of an interesting address
at Bradford before the chamber OF COM
merce of that place on Thursday last the
United States consul, Erastus $. Day, ap-
plauded the Marquis OF Salisburys dot
trine OF free trade in China. He said that
America had every sympathy with it and
the people OF Great Britain and the United
States sought to lead in shaping the
worlds thought and action. Continuing.
he said they had the opportunity to
achieve great things. Would they unite
10 achieve lasting benefits to themselves
and To this world?
Speaking of the tariff, Mr.. Day said the
overwhelming preponderance of sentiment
IN the United States was in favor OF the
protective theory. The Wilson bill. he
added, had sickened the people OF tariff
for revenue only theory, and it would
not be wise for the manufacturers of Brad
ford to hope for the speedy enactment of
another Wilson bill which caused SO
many mills in the United States TO be re-
tired"
Henry Norman, opposition, writes in the
Daily Chronicle that it would be unfair to
eriucise the Marquis of Salisbury SO long
as no maintains the treaty of Tien Tsln Of
1896. aud adds:
In this demand we are irresistible. AT
last the people of the United States have
learned that we are not the land grabbers.
gold sellers or monopoly hunters which
some of thS Western senator's and Irish
political men represent us. They have
realized that our aims are theirs. What
we want they want-free access to the
s,cat uhtoucned markets OF the far East
Asy desire commerce untrammeled b. the
,eaiousiss. military and political. OF CONT
nehlai ATOMS. That is precisely what
we are ready to fight for, to secure Cor
ourselves and them. Japan, who will
fight Russia some day, as sure as tomor
rows sun rises, is by necessity on our
side. The Germans, Ia spit. of the pollt.
Teal measures of their government. are
also with us. and sooner or later France
VII give way or we must fight her. The
hour has arrived to permanently settle Inc
Chinese question with Russia. The Brit
ish were never before so aroused, and
should we yield We shall lose the chance
OF at last standing shoulder to SHOULDER
with the other EngIish-speaking great
nation. We should wait until Lord Sails
bury tells us how the game Is going and
when he has spoken the country should
Know what TO say and do.