The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-03
Chamberlain Begins a Policy of
Reconstruction.
SAILORS PLAN A STRIKE
It Would Paralyze English Comm srcs
Shipowners Refuse to Recognizes
the Union-Criticism OF
Mckinley.
Copyrighted 1899 by Associated Press.

Chamberlain, the secretary of state for
the colonies, who proposes further
conference. In this and other re-
spects the official negotiations present
a more pacific aspect than last week.
negotiations, every other circum-
stance points to war. Whether, as
has been suggested in these dispatches,
higher powers than Mr. Chamberlain
have interfered in the interests of
peace, or whether the secretary has
taken a leaf out of the book of Presi-
dent Kruger of the Transvaal, mean
ing representation" it is possible,
though hardly probable that the I'M
expected opposition and disaffection of
the Dutch and descendants of the
Dutch of British South Africa, acutely
evidenced this week, may have stayed
the mailed hand The simplest So
luton, however, of these latest devel-
opments, which puzzle none more than
Mr.. Chamberlain's out and out sup
porters, is that the extreme amiabiity
and long suffering paraded in this last
British proposal is merely peace offer
which precedes a sacrifice. Such steps
as these make war more righteous, and
English wars, though usually resulting
in aggrandizement, must first be right
eous to be possible, especially with
the non-conformist conscience and ele-
ment, and Mr.. Chamberlain is not de-
spiser of this fact for home policies.
The foreign sentiment must be pro-
pitiated. The continental press, with
a few exceptions, recognized the fair
ness of the English claims in the
Transvaal, and President Kruger
knows he can expect no outside aid eX-
cept perhaps in the most indirect way
from Russia.
ha ri NV
nal of Paris certainly does not voice
the spirit of France, which is usually
complacent over the English structures
prompted BY the Dreyfus case. The
Journal deplored the fact that the
event of war between Great Britain
and the Tranvaal disorganization pre-
vented France from attacking Great
Britain and avenging the Fashoda hui
initiation.
All in all, putting the official formali
ties and secondary issues aside, the
Transvaal crisis, under the surface,
seems not to be greatly changed and
the settlement still lies in Kruger's
hands. Whether he completely surren-
ders, openly defies or further eyades,
time alone will show.
No one prides himself more upon the
greatness of the merchant marine than
does the British subject, yet strangely
enough, no one is binder to events that
menace it's welfare. This country is ap-
parently on the eve of a sailors and
firemen's strike that will paralyze COM
merce, yet so far the matter has at
tracted practically no public interest.
The trouble arose over a manifesto to
the ship owners by the Seamen's and
Firemen's union inviting them to confer
on the question Of fixing rate for fire.
men and sailors on steamers of 96 and
for sailors on sailing ships of ga month
ly, a slight advance in the average
wages now paid at the various British
ports. The ship owners utterly ignored
the union, with the result that the lat
ter have planned to strike at eacn port
of the United Kingdom, to commence
next Monday.
The stewards and cooks, it is said
have Joined forces with the seamen, but
the wage issue is now rather secondary
to the recognition of the union by the
ship owners. Any offer to negotiate by
the latter would probably defer and,
perhaps, prevent the proposed strike.
The men claim that, though the ship
ping trade has improved, the workers
conditions remained stationary.
Already the force of the strike move
ment is beginning to be felt. Fearing
that 1t would be unable to get crew
for the steamer Oceanic, on its regu-
lar sailing day, Monday, the White
Star Line company tried to have the
men sign last Thursday, but the latter
refused in body. The owners of the
Dominion line steamer Cambroman and
the Cunard line steamer SylVania met
with a similar experience at Liverpool.
An official of the Firemen's union is
quoted as saying he believed the strike
was inevitable, but thought it would
only last for a week, the ship owners
then being compelled to at least nego-
tiate.
The Shipping Gazette, speaking for
the owners, says they are justified In
ignoring the communications from the
men because the union is an irrespon-
sible and unrepresentatiye body. The
paper referred to belittles the POSSIBLE
ity of serious consequences from
strike and concludes by saying:
That things are not so desperately
bad with our merchant marine as to de-
serve recognition of an insignificant
trade union at all costs is proved by the
increasing desire of aliens to serve on
British ships as sailors. The union is
once more going to do foreign seamen a
good turn by throwing open new ave-
nues of employment for them"
The note of appeal, in this conclus on
however, rather robs the previous opti-
mistic statements of their strength.
The Liverpool Merchants Service
Guild has passed resolutions disapproV-
ing the threatened strike, saying the
demands of the men are unreasonable
and urging the officers of the merchant
service to resist the mems efforts.
Unless the shipowners agree to nego-
tiate, it is likely that next week will see
the greatest blow dealt British ship
ping in many years. The tremendous
transatlantic travel will probably first
feel it's effect.
The Saturday Review to-day COM
bats the assertion of President McI<in-
ley that the Philippines belong to the
United States, as much as do Louis
lana, Texas and Alaska, saying:
This ceratinly sounds strange in the
mouth of politicians who are never tired
of citing the grand sentiments of the
Declaration of Independence. This is
an assertion Of the right to purchase a
country from its former rulers against
the wish of the inhabitants. There is
not an analogy with Alaska"
The Speaker takes an opposing view,
remarking:
THE American troops in the Philip
pines are manufactures of civilization,
pledged to restore and maintain the in
terests of society In general and the
commerce of the islands. We do not