The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-08

Were Passing, New Questions
Arise to Irritate the Feeling.
| Copyrighted, 1899, by Associated Press. ]
LONDON, Jan. All events seem TO
work together in European politics to
increase the tension between Great Bri-
tain and France. The past week has
| brought Madagascar and Egypt for
ward as irritants, just when the mutual
| irritability was subsiding. Even the
most conservative observers begin to
| take a pessimistic view of the relations
between the two Powers. This includes
those who up to the present have con-
sidered the belligerency to be mere talk,
due to supersensitiveness upon the part
of France, and to the unnecessary
gruffness upon the part of Great Brit
ain in insisting on what she considers
| to be her rights.
! The past twenty-four hours brought
| the publication Of the Madagascar blue
book, which was followed by leading
| editorial in the Times denouncing
| France in language SO fiery for that
conservative newspaper that French
men are reading the two together and
are constituting them as parts of de-
| liberate policy inspired by one mind.
That mind, in the theory Of the man in
| the street, is Joseph Chamberlain, the
| Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Other papers may storm and scold
and not be noticed, but when the
Times becomes abusive foreigners in
terpret it as being the voice Of the
Government. In the present instance
some Englishmen will place the same
construction upon its utterances, recall
| ing how the Times" led the mo sur
render" cry over the Fashoda incident
under evident inspiration.
| One fact is certain, public opinion in
Great Britain will not sanction the
Government to swerve an inch to AVOID
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 al
most simultaneously with the quiet,
but unmistakable procurement at
| Khartoum, by which the British agent
there, Viscount Cromer, in his re-
marks to the Sheikhs, announced Great
Britain has set her seal upon Egypt.
If there was a doubt in the minds OF
her European rivals that Great Britain
intended to foreclose the mortgage up
on which she has expended SO mucn
labor and blood to secure, it must have
been set at rest by the utterances OF
Lord Cromer, in which the word pro
tectorate'' was written in large letters,
though the Governments mouthplece
carefully abstained from using that in
cendiary word. A more definite notice
that Great Britain's tenure of Egypt
| is permanent could not be asked.
| In the meantime, another enterprise
| of the utmost moment in the further
ance of Great Britain's domination IN
Africa is about to be consummated.
Cecil Rhodes, the former Premier and
alleged instigator of the Jamison raid,
and so-called Napoleon of South
| Africa is going to England to arrange
| for pushing forward the Cape Town
Cairo Railroad, SO long the dearest
dream of Imperialists. A definite prop
osition will be presented by Mr. Rhodes
| to London capitalists for an extension
| of the railroad from Buluwayo TO Lake
| Tanganyika. He does not pretend 1t
will be a paying investment from the
start. Its Importance for some years
will be political instead of commercial
and he hopes to persuade the British
| Government to smooth the way by
guaranteeing 312 per cent. interest on
| the bonds to cover the cost of construc-
| ton. But one barrier stand in the way
| in the form of the Congo convention,
guaranteeing the neutrality on the part
| of the continent about Lake Tanganyi-
ka, which even the autocrat Of Rhode
STA will find hard to force. Here Ger
many has the veto on Great Britain,s
advance, which she cannot be expected
| to waive without an indemnity.
| Two young Americans, Messrs. W.
vrooman and G. A. Baird, members of
the Oxford University, are inaugural
| ing a scheme for the establishment of
college for labor leaders, which is at
tracing considerable attention. 1t ap-
pears that they came especially from
America to carry out the project. The
college will be called Ruskin Hail. They
have leased Stebbs House, an old man
sion built in 1919, near Christ College,
and it will be opened on Washington s
birthday by meeting in Oxford Town
Hail. Ruskin will accommodate forty
men. There will be no ordinary SER
Wants, Dut dtAOll6 the SluUSHlS Will DS
cooks and other servants who will get
their board free in return for four hours
work daily. The remainder of their time
will be available for study. The en-
tire expense of the students for board,
lodging and tuition will be Fl $50 per
week. Fifty gratuitous buttons will
be given during the first two years and
fifty students have already been Sc
lected for the first year. They are, in
the words of the organizers, "men as
piring to be vestrymen, County Coun-
cillors, members Of Parliament, trade
unionists and fellows who harangue
crowds in the streets and who organize
clubs" The funds for the scheme are
provided by American admirers of John
Ruskin, painter and author.
The libel suit of William Waldorf
Aston against the Daily Mail" for
saying he dined forty persons about a
segment of a California tree to win a
wager, will soon be heard. Mr.. Aston
declaration says he was eheld I'D to
public ridicule" thereby. He hag re-
tanned Sir Edward Clarke. the former
Solicitor General and other brilliant
lawyers, while the legal forces Of AL
fred c. Harmsworth, principal proprie-
tor of the daily Mail'' and other pa
pers, will be led by the Right Hon. Ed
ward II. Carson, the former Solicitor
General of Ireland.
Condition Of Congressman Dingley.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Sat 2 o'clock
this Sunday morning the condition of
Congressman Dingley was unchanged.
He was resting easily, and was less de-
lirious than he had been. Mr.. Ding