The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08
Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain Credited
with Inspiring the Mutterings
of the ''Thunderer."
VISCOUNT CROMER'S SPEECH
DEFINITE NOTICE THAT BRITAIN
WILL RETAIN ALL EGYPT.
Cecil RhOdes's Scheme for Cape to
Cairo Railway to BE Pushed-Cas-
teIIane Not in "a Duel.
Copyright, 1889. by the Associated Press)

Copyright, 1889, by the Associated Press)
LONDON, Jan. 7.--All events seem to
work together in European politics to in
crease the tension between Great Britain
and France The past week has brought
Madagascar and Egypt forward as irritants,
just fhen the mutual irritability was sub
siding. Even the most conservative OBJ
servers begin to take pessmistic view Cf
th3 relations between the two powers. This
includes those who, up to the present, have
considered the belligerency to be mere talk
due to supersenSitiVeness on the part OF
France and to unnecessary gruffness on the
part of Great Britain in insisting on what
she considers to be her rights. On one side,
France seems to foster the growing belief
that Great Britain is determined, under some
preteXt or other. to force her into war, and
is willing to make preteXt, if no plausible
excuse arises. On the other side, a large
party of the British public profess that their
patience has been strained beyond endurance
by what they deem to be the unvarnished
dishonesty Of French diplomacy.
The past twenty-four hours brought the
publication of the Madagascar blue book,
which was followed by a leading editorial
in the Times denouncing France III language
so fiery for that conservative newspaper
that Frenchmen are reading the two to-
gether and are constituting them as parts of
d deliberate policy inspired by one mind.
That mind, in the theory of the "man-in-
the-street,' IS Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain, the
secretary of state for the colonies. Other
papers may storm and scold and are not
noticed. but when the Times becomes
abusive foreigners interpret it as being the
voice of the government. In the present in
EpoIiSbOpp will m mo
construction on its utterances, recalling how
the Times led the mo surrender cry over
the Fashoda incident, under evident inspira-
ton. One fact is certain, public opinion in
Great Britain will not sanction the govern
ment to swerve an inch to avoid a war with
France. thinking that if it must come this
is the best time to have it out.
Many people give Importance to the issue
of the Madagascar blue book almost stimuli
taneously with the quiet but unmistakable
pronouncement from Khartum, by which
the British agent there, Viscount Cromer.
in his remarks to the Sheiks, announced
that Great Britain has set her seal upon
Egypt If there ever was a doubt in the
minds of her European rivals that Great
Britain intended to foreclose the mortgage
on which she has expended so much labor
and blood to secure, it must have been set
at rest by the utterances of Lord Cromer,
in which the word "protectorate" was writ
ten in large letters, though the govern
ment's mouthpiece carefully abstained from
using that incendiary word. def
mite notice that Great Britain's tenure of
Egypt is permanent could not be asked.
The British agent told the assembled Sheiks
that henceforth they will live under the
joint British and Egyptian flags, knowing
the Khedive, which, of course, means that
the latter will be a harmless fgurehead.
This formal assumption of sovereignty over
the Sudan is more distasteful to France
than to any other nation, and renewed pro-
tests may be expected.
In the meantime another enterprise of the
utmost moment in the furtherance of Great
Britain's domination in Africa is about to
be consummated. Mr.. Cecil Rhodes. the
formr premier of Cape Colony, alleged in
stigator Of the Jameson raid and so-called
Napoleon of South Africa is going to
England tc arrange for pushing forward
the Cape to Cairo railroad, SO long the
dearest dream of the imperiaist. A definite
proposition will be presented by Mr.. Rhodes
to London capitalists for an extension of
the railroad from Buluwayo to Lake Tan
ganyika. He does not pretend that it will
be a paying investment from the start. Its
importance for some years win be political
instead of commercial, and he hopes to per-
suade the British government to smooth
the way by guaranteeing 315 per cent, in
terest on the bonds to cover the cost of con-
struction. Mr.. Rhodes counts on influencing
moneyed men to back their patriotism with
their cash, even if he is unable to enlist
the government on his side. If any man can
succeed in this project. Mr.. Rhodes is
the man. But one barrier stands in
the way, in the form of the Congo
convention guaranteeing the neutrality of
the part of the continent about Lake
Taganyika, which even the autocrat of
Rhodesia viii find hard to force. Here Ger
many has the veto on Great Britain's ad-
vance. which she cannot be expected to
waive without heavy indemnity.
, The Liberals present the melancholy spec
tacle of a party without leaders, without
policies. and, worst of all, without cash If
they could agree upon a policy. the man
most clearly identified with it would natur-
ally be chosen to lead them, and money TO
carry on this policy would be forthcoming
from it's enthusiasts. As it is they are COM
PEELED to hang out the sign ito Iet' pending
the meeting of Parliament
The glamor of receptions and oratory with
which Lord Curzon of Kedleston sweeps
into the throne of viceroy of India quite OBJ
scures the merits of the modest peer the
Earl OF Elgin. who takes his leave Yet,
already the newspaper grumblers are con-
trasting the retiring viceroy's silent busi-
ness-like administration with the speech
making entry Of his younger successor. The
latter has already achieved one of those
tactless blunders which the critics feared