The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-11
Lord saiisbury's Speech.

The speech OF Lord Salisbury at the
banquet OF the lord mayor OF London
Wednesday evening affords additional
assurance. if any were needed, that
the peace between England and Flnnce
is in no danger Of disturbance. While
there. were no utterances of a disquiet-
ing nature in the address. II was con-
spicuous for It's thoughtful contem-
plation OF possible dangers ahead rath-
er than any now actually existing.
Strangely enough too, his lordship
linked the origin OF cera2in gloomy
apprehensions TO which he gave ex
preston directly with our own national
policy Of territorial expansion.
Abiding, casually. to the cars call
for n conference having for its object
the disbursement OF the world. he paid
tribute 10 the presumed motives which
inspired the invitation. but limited
that the period vas marked by unhap-
by omens. and, as IL attempting to To-
cate the source Of danger. he pointed
10 the introduction OF the mighty
force Of the American republic" among
nations whose dominious are expand
ing md whose instruments TO a certain
extent are war" While he disclaimed
any intention 10 criticise and intimated
that the sympathies OF England were
with this country. he did not withhold
the declaration that the cOnquests OF
the United States in the Eastern hem
iSphere and the consequent projection
OF this country into the diplomacy Of
Asia and Europe were "a grave and
serious" factor and one which was not
calculated 10 prove conducive Ito the
interests OF peace" although he ex-
pressed the judgment that. In any
event. IL. was likely Ito conduce to the
interests Of Great Britain" The
grounds for this belief his lordship left
unexplained. Notwithstanding the sig
niflcance OF the utteTance. II cerininly
cannot be clear TO the uniformed mind
how our own national schemes for ex-
pansion are 10 advance the interests
of England. unless there already exists
covert alliance between this country
and the government CT GrCut Britain
Of which the people OF the United
States are not yet advised. II the
language reported was thar uttered by
Lord Salisbury, the only Interpretation
that can otherwise be put upon It Is
that, no matter 70 what extent the
lfEtNt Vi halt WI III may Nt Mt%lnkDfU
by the advancement OF our own prsten-
tious colonial policy. Great Britain VIII
be on hand TO look out for number one.
The premier again alluded TO the de-
csying nations OF the earth. and. with
a suggestion OF satire. remarked that
when a nation began TO crumble and
fall there We're always neighbors at
hand that were impelled. IL might
be by motives of philanthropy. or pos
sihly by the desire for empire. to Sc
cure their shares in the distribution.
and this. OF itself became cause for
YER. l. was at this point that his lord
strip uneQuivocally revealed the akti-
tude OF C. eat Brita towards the cars
disarmament proposition By declaring
that. IL Great Britain should ever per-
init her sole defeGses to weaken. her
whole empire would come Gathering to
the ground. 1t is therefore impossible.
in the present temper Of the world. 10
terminate our naval or military prepa-
rations."
The significance OF this utterance
cannot be mistaken by the car. The
position OF England. so far as d.sar.na-
raent IS concerned. is thus clearly de-
fined. Lord Salisbury's announcement
IS all the more significant because OF
the absence OF allusion In his speech
70 Russian encroschnnelits upon China.
Reading between the lines is a favorite
art IN diplomacy. and this speech OF
the premier, judging from the abstract
alone. ought 10 supply material for
analysis in several diplomatic centers.
Ii was in 10 respect an opdmsstic de-
hverance, and II seems to be unusual
ly weighted by the spirit OF csnserva-
tissn OF which Lord Salisbury is the
recognized leader in the politics OF Eu-
rope.