The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-02-04

he has shown himself to be "a shrewd.
determined and able organizer and ap-
parently, is the only member OF the
cabinet who grasped the realities of
the situation in South Africa" though
the paper admits he lacks the tact ana
that his speeches have done much TO
ALLEVIATE the sympathies of America in
this war and gave umbrage to Ger
many and France. Yet the Mail sug-
gests it would be well to watch Mr..
Chamberlain's attitude during the next
few days.
Truly has :he patience and fortitude
Of the people of Great Britain been
subjected to severe tests. After a brisk
rally from the staggering blows to the
nations military prestige the people
had right to turn to parliament for
encouragement and inspiration. But.
one by one, the ministers have been
unmasked and discredited and the
weakness of the official leaders Of the
opposition has been revealed. From
every newspaper in the land has arisen
| the cry that party strife must cease
and political ambitions be laid aside
and that the stified determination OF
a willing people must have rein. A
result Of this outburst is seen in new
and more lofty tone introduced into
the discussion by the speech Of Mr..
George Wyndham. the parliamentary
lunder-seeretary of the war office
Thursday evening, which was the first
ministerial statement evincing proper
apr citation Of public feeling. There
is no hope Of the debate or Lord Ed
'mund Fitzmaurice's amendment Of the
address in reply to the speech from the
throne eollapsing, so a division will
hardly occur before Tuesday. There is
a movement on foot to induce the gov
ernment to refuse to discuss, at any
length, Mr.. John Redmond's amend
ment. on the ground that the present
stage of the campaign is not suitable
for the discussion Of conciliation or tine
terms Of peace.
Mr.. William Redmond desires infor-
nation as to relations of Great Britain
with the United States and Germany
and proposes to ask Mr.. A. ]. BaIfour,
the government leader, Monday,
whether he has any announcement to
maze or papers to lay on the table
bearing on the proposed new triple al
lance between Great Britain. the Uni
ed States and Germany, announced by
Mr.. Chamberlain at Leicester. Novem-
Der 3.
An important statement was made |
by Mr.. Wyndham in the house Of COM
mons Thursday namely, that the va
cancies the war had made among the |
officers would be partly filled by rro-
motions from the ranks. This means
the democratization of the army. On |
his subject letter, which is attracting
much attention, appeared in Fridays
issue Of the Daily Chronicle. It was
written by a British officer who knows
most OF the armies of Europe from per-
;oDal observation and who has seen
much service. He plainly declared that
he class Of society from which the
British officers are drawn is distinct
y degenerate, due TO lack Of intellect
Ial training and the dissipation and
vice OF the aristocracy," and that the
lass commonly known as society pro-
lides SO per cent of the officers" The
yriter also says:
THE intellectual standard Of the
young man Of II, fresh from the Eng
ish public schools, is lower than that
# German boarding school boy Of 8.
Ills time is devoted to athletic sports.
IS his ancestors have DONE he mar
les girl Of the same training and in
hree OF four generations society will
onsist Of physically spIendidly deyel-
ped idiots" The only remedy, accord
ng to the writer, is "intermarriage be-
Ween society and the healthy middle
lasses." The social future depends
ntirely upon the progress of the war,
ut the queen wishes everything to gol
n as usual, as far as possible. She has
rdered two drawing rooms to be heidi
efore Easter ana others n May. Her
aa1esty $ ,decision-is gratefully we'll IS
lned by the London tradesmen.
o O ;
The queen made all arrangements to i
Q 70 Italy. but she now declareg her 8