The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-11
AN OUTLINE OF WORK BEFORE PARLIAMENT
Revelations Of the Transvaa War; to the State Of the
British Army, Have Brought New Issues Before the People

- UEEN vICTORTA'S fourteenth
WN parliament opened its seventh
AMI session on Tuesday, Jan. 80. and
wv trouble has been in prospect ever
~ since the address from the throne
was received. Ever since this parlia-
ment assembled in 1885. its laundering ma
jority OF $50 odd for the government and
the invertebrate condition of the Liberal
opposition have made il as duh and un-
interesting as even parliament well
could be. Sir William Vernon Harcourt
created a diversion last year by calling
attention TO the alarming amount of cere-
monial practised in some portions of the
established church. which in England
is a sort of parliamentary institution;
but ritual hardly served as Liberal bat
tlecry, and so the party had 10 wabble
on. waiting for something else TO re-
form.
The Transvaal war has changed all
that. and in the last few weeks the Lib
eral opposition has been crystalizing to
such an extent that the coming session
gives promise of being well worth watch
ing. even from across the Atlantic. IL Is
the Marquis OF Lansdowne. the English
secretary of state for war. for whom
the most OF the parliamentary knives are
being sharpened. Are some genuine ad-
diuons TO be made to English history
at this coming session? Is the present
English government about To receive at
lacks that will threaten its safety?
Views of an Amcrican-Born Member
applied first to an American born mem
the famous old New England line OF Chan.
ming. who comes on his fathers side from
the famous old New England line of Chan
nings and on his mothers side from an
equally famous old Philadelphia family
He has sat in the house Of commons on
the Liberal side. for fifteen years | asked
him to write for American readers what
In his opinion parliament was likely to be
doing at this session that would be OF far
reaching interest And here are his notes
Il believe the main work OF this session
win be some further scheme OF reorCan-
ization OF the army and its equipment II
any attention to the status and conditions
OF service OF the volunteers and militia is
proposed there viii be legislation. II not
there will be discussions on supply or some
scheme for the increase OF the regular
troops and the increase and Improvement
of their ornaments. especially artillery. I
take IL for granted that on the address an
amendment will be moved condemning the
policy of the government which has in
volved the country in the South African
war. and the incapacity and lack OF fore
sight and procrastinatiun of the military
preparations and conduct OF the war. So
far as | can judge. the probabilities are
that a motion IL more likely TO be made by
front bench Liberal than by a private
member like Mr. Stanhope. Mr.. Labou-
chere and others.
II take 1t that the tendency OF the Lib
eral party is every day more and more to
the frank and unreserved support OF the
line OF condemnation OF the government
policy enunciated by Sir Henry Campbell
Zimmerman. who has never spoken better
In his life, nor reflected more accurately
the exact sentiment of five-sixths or nine
tenths OF the rank and file OF active Lib
erals throughout the country. should not
be surprised II such an amendment as l