The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-11
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
The Queens Attitude Toward the
Irish Surprises the Empire.

! Queen has driven through some OF those
business streets which give to London its
/ position as the key Of her Empire. There
| was no jubilee pageant to bring her She
/ just came among her people in their work
| a-day world, and no sovereign was ever
/ greeted with a more rapturous or spon-
| taneous outburst Of devotion.
! But this visit is only one Of a series Of
| popular surprises which the Quen has
/ crowded into the last few days without
a suggestion from the outside. so far as
the world knows, she has thrown over her
visit to the Riviera and announced her IN
tention to visit Ireland instead She has
also. again without official instigation
commanded that. in recognition Of Irish
bravery in South Africa, Irish shamrock
shall be worn by Irish soldiers on ST.
Patrick's Day, and has allowed her Min
listers to announce in Parliament the ere
alton of regiment Of Irish Guards to take
their place alongside those favored Brit
ish regiments. the Grenadiers. Cold
streams, and Scots.
These mOmentous royal happenings,
crowded one upon another thus, in a land
where sovereignty has long been a thing
remote from the daily life Of the people.
have raised all kinds OF imaginings. II
has been suggested among serious men
that they are intended to herald the
Queens abdicatiOn in favor OF the Prince
Of Wales. II may be so. but 1t is far more
likely that. hale though aged as she is.
the Queen will only relinquish her power
with her life. That would certainly be
her peoples wish.
Like every English man and woman. Her
Majesty has been deeply moved by the
spectacle Of one mute corner in a rejoicing
empire in South Africa. Irish soldiers lead
her army to victory with splendid devotion
and at terrible cost of life. At home, in
ireland. and even in Parliament. Irshmen
remain not mute alone. but openly allied
with Englands enemies. With politics the
Queen cannot intermeddle but all that
queenly tact and consideration can do she
means to do to remove Ireland's i'll will
The presence of her SON. the Duke OF Con-
naught. in military command in Ireland is
another incentive. She will visit Dublin
during Holy Week, the most solemn sea-
son OF the year for Roman Catholics. and
Mr. Redmond's declaration in the House Of
Commons on Thursday night is accepted
as foreshadowing the chivalrous respect
with which the Nationalist will greet her
Nc one supposes that Ireland's wounds OF
a century will be healed by ese royal
favors, but everyone does feel IL to be a
step in the right direction which must
make II easier for British ministers OF the
future to do fuller measure OF justice to
Ireland's political aspirations.
Many Englishmen. even those who
month ago expected another year OF war
fare in South Africa. are today inclined to
accept President Kruger's prediction that
the struggle probably will end within the
In. 4uH1~ I kav4
yesterday the Chancellor OF the Exchequer
showed that he shared this expectation Of
an early close of the war President Kru-
ger talks as II he expected this ending TO
be brought about by arbitration or inter
sention. Nobody moving among English /
men can find evidence Of their readiness 10 !
icquiesce in either course. Leonard Court /
ley's Cancellation committee and other !
bodies are busy working to that end lee
uring and pamphleteering throughout the |
COUNTRY, and they have the Rev. Cron I
wright Schreiner as their campaign speaker Z
His South African associations should /
for him a respectful hearing I
anywhere. most of all in this land of free |
lom of speech. but his meetings at Edin
ourgh. Dundee, and Gateshead this week 1
nave either been broken up by rOwdies or
Ibandoned in fear of violence.
This war fever, no doubt will pass over. /
tut the predominating voice Of England ,
md Scotland at this moment undoubtedly 1
.aIls for unconditional surrender and an
lexation. Liberal member Of Parlia-
nent, whose own associations are anti
mperialist, said yesterday that a careful
'anvass of opinion, even on the Opposition /
tide Of the House. reveals an emphatic
majority there in favor of the same de-
'isive policy. not because Of any yindic-
i've feelings toward the Beers. but be-
ause OF the conviction that a peaceful CO.
'peration of Dutch and British in South
africa on the basis Of perfect equality is
impossible so long as the BOer oligarchy
emains in power.
What English opinion has yet to realize,
however, is that in pursuing this policy I
( BritOnizing the Transvaal and the Free
tate. they may have 10 face the OppOs-
ion of many of those very Outlanaers in
those behalf England has taken uE arms.
,owhere has Downing Street rule befn less
dmirable. nowhere is it less Lowell than
q South Africa. and the ideal Tory policy
the Transvaal and Free State as Grown
olonies. under direct and minute control
rom London would be regarded by most
outh Africans as no better and probably
orse than Pretoria rule Mr.. Rhodes
imself would seem to realize this. for in
Of his arrival in England in
few weeks time his solicitor Mr.
Iawksley. hints in a letter 10 the, press
nat Mr. Rhodes favors a scheme that
ould leave the republics their flags. and
IT. Hawksley. who is himself or was. a
adical candidate for Parliament, Celebrates
lis view thus: The minister who at the
Of the war, could formulate
or conditions safeguarding
ritish interests. yet preserving the re-
lbHcs and a measure Of Independence for
leir peoples would. indeed be worthy
the title Of statesman"
But how? That is the question. Min
tiers themselves are keeping discreet ST.
nee until the factors OF the situation are
ore clearly defined.
Little comment OF note is made upon to-
VS. news of what the Times CORE
ondent in New York fatty calls the wreck
g OF the Hay Pauncefote Treaty regard
z the Nicaragua Canal. Lord Salisbury /
mself is probably as ready as he ever was
make concessions but one hears that .
her ministers have expressed themselves
rongly. on brosd international grounds
ainst what they deem the Americaniza-
IN of a canal which should be for the free o.
mmerce of the whole world at all times a
le views Of Canada and Australasia as ! q
cihc powers OF the future, cannot more q
er. be neglected in Downing Street. The | q
ambers OF commerce here are likely &c ?
he the question up. and can bring great
essure TO bear upon the ministry d
DcmOcrncy's Opportunity. "a
hi. u