The times., 1899-05-14
the Times in cold -blooded but sound
argument today, endorses the view, saying:

No form Of words and agreements will pre-
vent men from resisting to the utmost when their
honor gravest interests are touched The best
devised measures in such circumstances are as
little efiicacious against the perils of war the
amuiets by the superstitious against dis
ease.
It is expected that the conference will
decide at an early session just what is the
scope of its mission. If this includes a
further amendment to the rules of war
then the work will be divided among com
mittees and is likely to prove long job.
In the latter case their labors will proba-
bly, occupy at least six weeks, otherwise an
adjournment will be reached in perhaps
half that time.
1t is already apparent that The Hague
is most unsuitable for such gathering
The few small hotels which the capital of
Holland contains have proved entirely in
adequate to accommodate the few hun
dred persons who in one capacity or an
other have been compelled TO go there.
The Church Discipline Bill Debate.
Wednesdays ng-threatened debate on
the Church discipline bill was in every
way unique record of the attendance of
eommoners. The ladies' gallery was filled
| with church women. the strangers gallery
was filed with ascetic High Church priests
| and unyielding Low Church ministers.
McArthur's bill, based on ultra Protestant
| lines, censured the Bishops and proposed
| TO take the matter out of their hands and
| let the lay courts dispossess the Ritualist
! parsons. Richard Webster, one behalf of
| the Government, had compromise amend
| ment advising the Bishops to maintain
| the character of the Protestant Church
| but not threatening to deprive them of
| their disciplinary powers. This was in
| tended to help the perpleXed commoners
| but as a matter OF fact the division lst
| was the most amazing document ever
seen. The abstainers, who could not or
! would not tackle the problem, included
| conservative churchmen like Lord bal
cares and Captain Bagota, the Conserva-
tive Jews. Benjamin Cohen and Herbert
Saul, the Radical Dissenters Cloyd. George
Birrell. and the Radical Quaker Joseph
Peace the Nationalist Catholics John Dill
Ion and I. p. O'Connor and the front
bench men John Morley, Henry AsqGith,
and Sir Charles Dixie. who all walked to-
gether, while in the actual division lobbles
the confusion was even greater. HarcouTt' S
supporters for the bill included over forty
| Conservatives and Liberal Unionists. while
thirty Radicals and many Irish National
lists supported the Government amendment
| The debate was a poor oratorical .Tgu-
mentative display, but the result proves
abundantly that Church legislation i:
utterly impossible at the present time.
The Queen and KensinStoB Museum
Once more, and it is feared for the las,
time, the English people will have an op-
portunity during the coming week to ex-
press their unbounded-I almost said un.
acknowledgement loyalty to their SOW
ereign II is tacitly understood that The
Queens presence at the foundation -ston,
laying of the Kensington Museum OF
Wednesday will be her last attendanc'
i. upon any important public function. Th'
! popular interest in the occasion is coinci
dent almost With the completion of He
= Majesty's eightieth year, and Is secon'
only TO that manifested in her jubilee tw'
years ago. II is forty-two years since Vic
toria accompanied by the Prince Consort
opened this museum, which is at last L
be housed in building appropriate to it
dignity and value. The ceremony will b
I brief and simple. The Queen will drive il
; semi-sta from Buckingham Palace in
!, four-horse landau to the museum, with al
y escort OF one hundred Life Guards. TIL
l. entire route will be lined with troops. TIL
II Prince OF Wales and many dignitaries viii
le receive Her Majesty in a great pavilion, Il
$ which the Queen will drive, but she vii
= not leave the carriage. The Duke of De
/, yonshire will present an address. and tn
a Prince of Wales in the Queens name
VIII lay the stone. The Archbishop @