New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-25

London. March 24.-The temporary pause 4,
Lord Robertss operations creates a Transition
period In political affairs. and provides N.
makers OF rumor with employment There Ia.
been a revival Of various academic controversial.
In Parliament, while the public mind Is preoc
cupied with issues of different kind tn.
most important of these Is the question OF Ir,,b
university education which upset the Gladston.
Ministry in 1873. Mr.. Balfour has a solution
Of his own for this vexatious question but has
not succeeded In converting either his colleagues
the rank and file of the Unionist party TO n
He has explained his views in a sympatfe.i,
speech. and Mr.. Lecky has dissented from thu
proposed scheme. preferring to endow literally
the existing Roman Catholic university In
Dublin, and advocating the claims OF the Irish
for higher education in an atmosphere pecu,
iarly their own
Mr.. Balfour really goes only half way and
his proposals will not satisfy the Roman
hierarchy This Irish debate leaves the oue,-
ton unsettled: university education in Ireland
will not be taken up by the present Parliament
The Queens visit TO Dublin will be Of more
practical benefit as a remedial measure than
academic debates in which even the National
lists themselves are not prepared TO explain tbs
definite terms Of settlement that will be salts
factory TO them
The rumor mongers. meanwhile. have been
disposing of the destinies Of South Africa and
formulating Lord Salisbury's scheme Of paciA-
cation and future government They have not
stopped with this large undertaking, but have
braveIy explained in detail his scheme for i'm
perial federation. All these tales actions
Lord Salisbury neither talks with newspaper
correspondents nor provides leader writers with
cues he is never in a hurry but broods over
great questions in silence. He is not likely 70
adopt a definite scheme for the future govern
ment of South Africa when Lord Roberts Is
making Bloemfontein the centre OF effective
military government and is aiming TO repeat
the experiment at Pretoria When the war
comes to an end there Will be long interval Of
military rule. during which political problems
can be worked out with elaboration English
men are not deceived by these premature re-
ports they know that Mr. Chamberlain and Sir
Alfred Milner will arrange the settlement Of the
race question in South Africa in due time and
that Lord Salisbury and the Unionist Cabinet
will leave the details TO them.
Imperial federation without doubt has received
a tremendous impulse from the war; II Is no
longer vagary of political dreamland; il has
become question of practical imperial politics
But it remains a problem of immense difficulty
to be taken up cautiously. Mr.. Chamberlain is
the only statesman who is completely identified
with it. He already represents the colonies and
dependencies of a world wide empire. His con-
stituency has been created and is loyal TO him.
and its interests will be supreme IN the future
of the British Empire. Anybody who supposss
that his political influence is impaired and that
his work has ended is laboring under strange
deluson-
RunGor also forecasts the dissolution OF Par
lament in the autuE J, but there is no means
Of knowing the Prime Minister'S mind on this
subject No decision can be reached until the
war has been brought TO an end and prac-
teal method Of dealing with the Dutch depend
eEcies has been devised. The Liberals dread
an appeal to the country II the close Of the
war, with imperialism the leading motive Of
the UniOnist programme. They are anxious TO
have the elections deferred until the spring Of
1901. that they can have time for pulling
themselves together and reviving the religious
question. which has been cast into the back
ground by public interest in the military cam
paign. The Unionist whips are known TO favor
the dissolution of Parliament at the earliest
possible date after the capture of Pretoria
There is no longer any talk about foreign in
PREVENTION. since it is clear that neither the ma
ton the Empire will allow any interference
with British plans in South Africa. There was
no doubt about this when Lord Salisbury re-
piled TO Secretary Hays friendly offer. or letter
of transmittal, and New-Zealand has empha-
SlZeO the determination OF InS unlICu I<IAkAS
to settle its affairs precisely as Americans
arranged their terms of peace at the close OF
the war with Spain There are intrigusrs on
the Continent who hoping that the Arneri-
can Government will be drawn into a Dutch
ambuscade and will be ensnared into repeating
the offer of mediation prominent diplomat
list has said to me: The Continental nations
have not liked the of good feeling between
America and England. They anxious to
have the friendly relations between those coun-
tries disturbed and broken UP. and are hoplns
that something like intervention will De al
tempted from Washington. They will be most
careful 10 stay out themselves. but are cage"
have England and America fall out"
do not doubt that this is accurate SUM
mary OF Continental opinion.
There is no prospect of any disturbance OF
Anglo-Anerican relations from the Delagoa
Bay award. which is expected Monday Inc
only effect Of that award will be increased pres
sure upon Portugal to part with her possessions
in East Africa and to facilitate the carrying 0uI
of the secret agreement between England anu
Germany
The passage OF an amendment 70 the cans
treaty will involve the necessity OF ootaih'hs
the assent of the British Government 10 INV
new article. and this may lead to unpleasant
rebuff. Some American correspondents nav
naTveiy suggested that the Foreign once o"e
TO be asked frankly whether II will accept ~
amendment or not since the Senate VIII 'n'
know what to do This is not practical u'p
macy. The Foreign Office cannot be drawn =
advance in this way; II will deal WIKI 80
amendment only after the Senate has enac''
IT, and then 1t is likely. according to the 0
information at my command. TO reject II anu
TO fall back upon the Clayton-Bulwer coh'eH-