The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-09
WAITING ON TIE PREMIER
BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE PURSU-
ING A POLICY OF MASTERIY
INACTIVITY
GOSSIP OF LONDON BY CABLE
john Bull Is Becoming Vastly WOr-
rIed by the Increasing CONNER
ctaI Competition of Broth
err Jonathan.


hurys return next week, Great Britain
is apparently pursuing a policy of mac
tivity which possibly will hereafter APP
pear to have been mastery, even though
it perhaps is in reality another instance
of the "flabby, Weakened, irresolue
policy" so often attributed to the cf,bi-
net in recent years. BY the time Lord
Salisbury arrives the situation will prob
ably have frightened, reports will have
been received from Pekin ministers and
such views as her majesty's government
may have formed will have been COM
municated to the powers. Diplonatis;s
appear to be rather pleased that Lord
Salisbury has been Lying Perdu in the
mountains" a member of the diplo-
matte corps remarked to a represent alive
OF the Associated Press that continental
statesmen felt the situation had : cen
ameiorated thereby, as England had
thus been safeguarded from rushing
hasty conclusion.
"Of course" said he 1.-The premier is in
constant touch with the foreign office
but he is enabled to take calmer view
in the quietude of his summer refuge
than he could possibly have received
under the pressure of the more eXcitable
members Of the cabinet.
This reflects the opinion of the British
public, whose confidence in Lord Sails
bury is largely due to the belief that
he does not consult his colleagues in the
weightier matters of state. 1t is a cur
ious fact that almost every foreign min
lister of the powers concerned is absent
from his post during this acute period of
one of the most diplomatic decisions of
recent years. Most of the embassies,
Hx- - I.,, J. - ol,,,
d'affaires, and now United States Ambas-
sador Choate has gone to Switzerland for
a long holiday.
LACK OF INFORMATION.
Meanwhile. with the exception of the
statement already cabled that the for
eign Office SIDES with the powers. els
countenancing the immediate evacua ticn
Of Pekin, there is a lack of reliable in
formation to how the dilemma of
Pekin will be solved. Most statements
are started merely with the object of
eliciting facts There is no doubt that
almost any fairly palatable prescription
will be swallowed by the British cabinet.
and the Associated Press learns from
well informed quarter that as soon Is
the Chinese government appoints toier
able commissioners with serious instIuc-
tiOns. they will find Great Britain ready
to respond and aid in utilizing what Will
liam Woodville Rocl1hill. special commits
sioner Of the United States government
to investigate and report on the condi-
lions in China, recently termed the beau
tiful occasion to settle for all time the
status of foreigners in China"
Washington, It is now conceded. is for
the moment the center of diplomatic
activity and news from there is eagerly
scanned and latest Associated Press ex-
position of the policy of the United
TO be acceptable and as finally disposing
of the unfounded suspicion that the Rus
sian scheme was promulgated with the
approval of the United States administra-
ton.
Great Britains alleged pusilanimity and
lack OF initiative. however, furnished an
other opportunity to grumblc, and now
practically the whole nation is on the
growl. Gruplbling fills the editorial col
urnns of the newspapers, and letters aD-
pear Wind ctively attacking the various
departments of the government for their
conduct of affairs of moment, to say
nothing of minor causes for discussion.
The fact is the country is suffering from
an oVerplus of intoNcants, both military
and political, and has now about reached
what Mr.. Austin B!dwell, member of
parliament for the western division of
Fife. has aptly termed the soda water
age
The trades unions concluded their an
nual congress at Huddersfield today A
million and quarter Of skilled wo1km IN
were presented in the deliberations,
which have attracted wider interest than
usual, because of the unsettled state of
public feeling, gagged by the recent
strikes and rumors of strikes President
Pickles address, dealing with the sci
entilic and philosophical phases of in
dustrialiSm was purely sociahstic. TIE
approval of ''collectivism by the con-
greSs has been rather a shock to tie edi-
torial writer's. A resolution CONCERNING
the South African war and the annsxa-
ton of The two republics ''at the dictates
Of cosmopolitan capitalists" which was
also adopted, is regarded as Significant In
relation to the coming general elec ioa.
The WIDESPREAD growth of America n
commercial competition with Great
Britain was never more apparent than at
the present time, and never were the
friends of British home industry more
alive to the danger thus threatening their
commercial welfare. Papers in ALI par-
lions of the United Eingdcm publish
slaiIy warnings against the insidious foa
and there are signs that British manu-
facturers ard workmen are awakened to
the Importance Of attending more closely
10 the requirements of customers. The Lon
don Times, which recently devoted much
space to carefully prepared articles OH
american industrial methods and their
advantages over the policy followed by
British firms. prints today two column
review Of American competition in a l
articles of hardware. In which it cen
graduates the home ma ufacturers on
having at feast succeeded in beating their
American competitors or the price Of
several lines Of goods. In conclusion the
Times remarks:
The British manufacturer has awak-
ened from his letkargy and has GRASP, d
that American ingenuity was producing
scores of useful novelties, sea -ceiy kn, yn
here, and selling Them under the eyes of
the local manufacturers in the same line
This ground is being somewhat zee "
cred"
THE STELLA POLARE.
Compared with the clamor over the
Arctic achievements of DR.. N nsen. that
The Duke of Abruzzi had beaten all
records in Polar explorations was re-
ceived with Indifference, a'thcu II va u
abe scientific results are said to be o.
famed The scientists are now await .ug
he return of the Peary expe( ft,on with
Eews of the long absent SverGrrn fwho
lett Tromsoe in the Fran in Jure 1855.
with the especial object OF laying down
the contours of the no tn coast ar5 fol-
lowing Pearys projected Polar route
The coal question continues prom .nent
MIR. Henry Labouckere in Truth noting
he reports Of expectations Of coal from
the United States, says:
Il was talking day or two ago with a
large import and export mel chant in
italy. whose firm owns its ships. He tod
me that lately they had been getting
steam coal from American fields for their
own Ships and for sale and that IT was
just as COED as English steam coal and
considerably cheaper. Whether 1t wi