Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-03-20
LATEST BRITISH NEWS
How Cecil Rhodes Is Aiding an
Anglo-Gelman Entente.
THE SAMOAN DIFFICULTY.
Indian Government Bill Causes n
FURRY In Certain Circ1es-The
Pope IndNlges In q Little Joke.
Other Matters of Interest.

London, March 2o.-Mr. Rhodes strik-
ing personality stood out in bold RELIEF
last week against the political back
ground of minor interest. The press or
three countries-Great Britain, Ger
many and France-was full of him. His
visit to Berlin marks an important on
ward step in the Anglo German under
standing. The French papers realize
this and that the idea that the assist
ance Of Germany might eventually be
counted upon in a war between France
and Great Britain is perposterous. The
Figaro sees in Mr.. Rhodes reception at
Berlin sure proof of secret convention
between Great Britain and Germany,
while the Temps says: Cranky it is
impossible to overrate its Importance.
1t is plain proof of Emperor Williams
desire for a rapprochement with Great
Britain, and the power and weight OF
such a combination cannot be exagger-
ated. 1t ought to furnish food for re-
Election for those who fancied that
France only had to make overtures in
order to bring Germany to her feet. ana
who, acting under this deluson, have
been striving to bring about rupture
with Great Britain"
Mr.. Rhodes, however, has not yet ar
ranged a hard and fast agreement re-
speeding the Cape to Cairo railroad.
Politically Mr.. Rhodes and the emperor
have agreed, but financially their ar
rangement is hanging fire and the ne
gotiations between Mr.. Rhodes and a
German syndicate respecting financing
the German portion of the railroad have
not vet been concluded, though Mr..
Rhodes has expressed the hope that an
Early agreement will be arrived at.
1t further appears that Mr.. Rhodes
expressed astonishment at the German
amperor's surprising knowledge of the
details of the matter, and German Off
,ial quarters in their turn We're sur
orised at Mr. Rhodes's candid illusions
% future political projects, including an
Anglo German partition of Portugals
east African possessions, which Mr..
Rhodes fully expects Portugal will be
wiling to sell to the two powers within
three years. At present Mr.. Rhodes is
1T Amsterdam arranging for the finan-
,ial support of the Dutch financiers.
me SAm0Nn 0uehtIoh.
| Dealing with the report that an ar
rangement has been arrived at between
the three powers on the subject of Sa-
moa, The Morning Post says: 1T is
mistake to suppose that the whole
! question is in sure way to satisfactory
settlement. This is impossible while the
! Berlin act remains in force, and as the
present would he a most undesirable
| moment to make a change it may be
| assumed that things will be patched
| up for awhile. Just now, when the re-
| lations between Great Britain and the
| United States and Germany are the
most friendly in many years, it would
| never do to run the risk of a sudden
| rupture by getting matters In order in
Samoa Perhaps the difficulty will solve
| itself. At any rate, the Australian fed
Grafton would assist in the solution, as
not only will the federation increase
| the interest of Australia in Samoa, but
In any diplomatic negotiations in the
FIXTURE federated Australia will greatly
strengthen the case for Great Britain"
The Indian government bill imposing
| countervaiing duties on bounty fed
| sugar has caused fiutter in radical
| Cobdenite circles. IT is frankly and
avowedly a protectionist measure. The
secretary of state for India, Lord
George Hamilton, in the house of com
mons declared that the object of the
bill was to prevent the Indigenous trade
of India from being undermined by sub
sidized foreign products. This. the rad
icals point out, is protection pure and
simple, and they express fear that it
may be the thin edge of the protection
wedge and that it may be eventually
transplanted to Great Britain with
quite as much reason as in it's intro
duction in India. The Daily Chronicle
remarks: There is strong impression
that this Indian duty is intended as a
feeler to an English duty, and the whole
free trade position is Imperfect"
Mr.. Henry Lahouchcre, in Truth, calls
the bill contemplate and iniquitous
measure" and says: THE government
is going to try an Indian reaCtiOnar!
proteCtionist policy which it would not
dare to introduce at home. The bill
may he the first step toward genera
system of protection, which will de-
stroy our commercial supremacy once
for ALL"
The POpc's Little Joke.
The pope has just INDUCED in JOKE
at the expense of Cardinal Oreglia d
Santo Stefano, who. as cardinal cham
berlain of the church and project of the
congregation of ceremonial, has t.
make sure that the pope is dead b,
tapping him three times on the fore
head with little silver hammer. Whei
Cardinal Santo Stefano was summoned
to the Vatican in hot haste on the frs
news of the illness of the pontiH, III
put the hammer in his pocket in cas-
1t might be needed. The story reached
the popes ears. and on afterward re
ceiving the cardinal his holiness com
mended his foresight and said "And al
token of our sincere appreciation o
your thankful attention we ask you
eminence to accept this little colder
hammer as a souvenir of our recovery.
A millionaire named Alfred Stern