The Anaconda standard., 1899-06-06
A MARK OF GRATITUDE.
Thirty Thousand Pounds to Be
Given Kitchener.
FOR HIS SOUDAN VICTORY
John Morley Objected - Kitchener's
Treatment of the Remains of the
Mahdi the Ground OF the
Attack.


London, June 5.-Lord Kitchener of
Khartoum, sirdar of the Egyptian
forces arrived here to-day and called
upon A. J. Balfour, first lord of the
treasury and the government leader of
the house of commons, with whom he
had a long interview
Mr.. Balfour, introducing the vote of
thirty thousand pounds ($15O,00O) for
Lord Kitchener, in the house of COM
mons to-day, said the fact that the
power of Mahdism was crushed was
due to the genius of the man they de-
sired to honor and reward.
He expressed the hope that those who
objected to the policy of the Soudan
advance would not think that reason
for resisting the vote, as such course
would be introducing politics into mill
tary matters. He then dwelt with ad
| miration on the way the sirdar had
surmounted difficulties and organized
victories by his ''unswerving and al
most superhuman industry" deserved
a signal mark of gratitude and honor
and he. Mr.. Balfour, believed that in
proposing the vote of $50 900 he was
only carrying out the wishes of the
house and the country.
| Sir Henry Campbell -Bannerman, the
| opposition leader cordially supported
| the motion, while expressing regret at
| the treatment of the Mahdist, which
| he regarded as an error of taste and
| judgment.
Mr.. Balfour did not refer to the in
| cident of the Mahdi's head excepting
| indirectly, when he said he conceived
| that there was only one question before
| the house. namely military merit.
| In connection with his reference to
mixing politics in military matters, Mr..
| Balfour declared those who wished to
withhold from a successful general
| merited reward because he had carried
| out a policy of which they disapproved.
were virtually telling him and his SOL
diers not only to obey orders, but to
! know whose orders they were obeying.
Mr. Balfour added that the country
whose army concerned itself with poll
| tics was in the verge of military des-
| potism.
John Morley, formerly liberal chief
secretary for Ireland, opposed the vote
on the ground of the treatment of the
| Mahdi's head, to which Mr.. Balfour re-
piled that he did not believe the ele-
| ment of vengeance had Influenced Cen
eral Kitchener in the smallest degree.
! pointing out that he had treated the
Mahdi's family with utmost considera-
ton. The removal of the body, he also
said had been public. as publicity was
| an essential part of the policy dlctat-
| ing the act. 1t was the first duty of
the man responsible for the safety of
the men and officers left in charge of
| Omdurman to root out the fanatical
superstition which had been the
| strength of Mahdism for years. Mr..
Balfour admitted, however, that per
haps the renterment of the remains
ght have been conducted in a better
| manner.
Lord Kitchener. General Lord Rob
erts of Kandahar, and the Duke OF
Marlborough were in the gallery of the
house of commons during the debate
Senator Wolcott of Colorado and Mr
Henury White secretary Of the United
States embassy, were also among those
who listened to the debate
The house voted General Kitchener 9
grant of G39.S51.