The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-12
It REACHED A CRISIS
Nearly War Between England
and Russia.
FEElER AND A WARNING
A Substantial Concession to Russian
Claims in China Firmly Fixed in
Manchuria - England in
Financial Straits.
Copyright 1899 by Associated Press,

l-oHuon, Mafch ll.-The British lion
and the Russian bear came to ,ncom-
fortably close quarters this week over
| the Chinese embrOglO. The newspapers
had already begun to talk of a serious
crisis and grave outlook, but the di-
plomatic switchmen again succeeded in
Warding off a collision on the subisct
! of the Northern railway a conflict be-
ing averted by Russian backdown.
according to the jingoes, and by COM
promise, according to more impartial
observers.
The real explanation of the affair ap-
pears to be that Russia made a protest
against the British railroad contract.
partly as feeler and partly as warn
ing. If the British premier had shown
weakness Russia would have persisted
but in any case Russia, by her protest
ELECTED a ministerial statement in the
house of commons that the conditions
of the loan did not constitute foreign
control. Thus Russia obtained a peldge
that no such Interpretation would be
placed on the contract in the event Of
default, which is further substantial
concession to the Russian claims in
Northern China. On the other hand
Lord Salisbury scored in securing
withdrawal of the Russian protest. But
Russia also gained a point which which
! she has good reason to feel satisfied
The Times thinks Lord Salisbury achiev-
| ed considerable success. which must
unquestionably strengthen Great Brit
aims position at Pekn. The paper
! however, also sees in the adjustment of
the dispute a triumph for the pacific
ana concliatory elements of Russian
craftsmanship, and. above all. a prac-
I iaaI Low ~ = IL.
| ton to meet Great Britain half way in
the removal of the regrettahle mis-
understandings which have hitherto
kept Great Britain and Russia apart.
! The Times adds that it is sure ne
| British government is prepared to give
| fuller recognition to accomplished facts
| in the Northern Chinese provinces and
| to assist Russia in regularizing her DO
sition on the basis of reciprocity. This
| remark of the Times shows that the
/ British now accept The Russi ification of
| Manchuria as an accomplished fact and
| they only expect their government to
. secure compensation in other directions.
| The conservative government has got
! itself into financial straits. The pub
| lication of the naval estimates COM
| pleted the various items of national eX-
penditure. which total up E112 1S5 POO
| being an increase of E4.471. 200 over the
estimates 1t is probable there will be
deficit of over e400O.0OO. which it is
! expected the chancellor of the eS-
chequer. Sir Michael Hicks Beach. will
| meet by rempostion of the former
| tobacco duty and an increase of the in
| come tax to pence.
The suggestion is made in the press
that the deficit be met by a suspension
of portion of the sinking fund. The
! city, however. is opposed to this as cal
| culated to weaken the whole financial
( a
| only of peace. but of ample revenue and
| great prosperity
| A ray of sunshine in the financial
| situation is seen in the apparently
| booming state of trade as shown by the
/ board of trade returns. The imports
| since December show an increase of
G1,l00,oo0 as compared with 1898, in
| dicatins that the purchasing power of
| the country is stil growing. These
| satisfactory figures help the chancellor
of the eXchpuuer in taking a hopeful
| view of the review for the coming year.
but they will not avert the necessity If
new taxation.
| The liberal press naturally makes the
most of the governments financial diff
culties. which are attributed to the gov
! ernments policy of 'doles to squire
| archy and to eXtravaganCes."
Emperor Williams message to Mrs
Rudyard Kipling has naturally attract
ed great attention. particularly the ref
| erence to our common race" The first
| impression here was that Emperor Will
liam thought kipling an American, es-
pecially as the German papers referred
to the American author Kipling,' but
this impression is quite erroneous. The
emperor was a reader of Kpling' $
works long before he settled in Amer
ica. His majesty. however, knew Kip
lng's wife was an American, and it is
thought he intended to include Ameri-
ca when he spoke of the common
race"
The Spectator to-day says: "The
emperor is evidently willing to subsi-
| tute the Teuton for the AnglO-SaXOn
as the ruling race of the future. He
| did not venture to cal Kipling an
| American, but being anxious that his
| telegram should be taken as a cOmpli-
! ment to the Americans, rather than
! Enslishmen. the German journals re-
| cetved a hint to describe him as an
! American, at least. The Germans read
kipling and know his pedigree as well
as we do. and that is the only explain
alton We can offer for their otherwise
ineXpliCable unanimity in blundering."
The Spectator, in another article, re-
! marks: 1T must be a singular expert
| enCe, even for kipling. to wake up
| from a serious illness and find that
two great peoples have been interest
grieved for him in words having the
weight of a political manifesto and that
his value to his publishers has been
increased by hundreds, perhaps by
i thousands year
Mr. Dooley in Peace and War" by
Peter Dunno, the newspaper man
of Chicago, has met a wonderful re-
ception here. The book is quoted ev-
erywhere, and the author is spoken of
as another Mark Twain. The Specta-
tor to-day, during the course of a long
review of the work, compares Mr.
Dunno with Artemus Ward
| English papers are jubiant at the
| prospects of the success Of Cecil
Rhodes visit to Berlin and his coming
| audience with Emperor William which,
it is said. promises we'll for the Cape to
| Cairo railroad. 1t is remarked that
| it will be Il curious meeting between