The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-13
NO EFFECT ON THE CONTINENT
HIS UTTERANCEs NOT TAKEN AS
SERIOUS OR MENACE.
Europeans Evidently Consider the
Premier More of PHILOSOPHERS
than a Statesman.


League on Wednesday. but the drift of his
meaning has not yet filtered into the Brit
ism minds The remarkable utterances of
the premier on that occasion have
formed almost the sole topic of CONVEX
sation since, though editorial writer's
quickly gave up the attempt to analyze
for the benefit of the public the numerous
features of the speech and were well-nigh
staggered into silence by its unex-
pectedness and the multiplicity of
the issues Ii contained. 1t was
delivered when the nation expected
exactly the opposite kind of remarks. To
implore his countrymen to awake to the
peris constantly menacing their great
empire and its existence at the very mo-
ment when long period of patient wait
ing had been replaced by jubilation over
Lord Roberts's successful advance, was
such an expedient bereft of the first princi-
pies of politics, especially considering the
approach Of elections, that some of Lord
Salisbury's own supporters believe he was
also off his head when he spoke. Not
content with this he pulled down every
pretty fabric that had been built around
the Queens visit to Ireland, calmly COM
pairing the present efforts to attain home
rule to Boer conspiracies and hostility.
And this, after the Queen and every lead
ing member of Lord Salisbury's own Cab
met and party had been at particular pains
to bury the Irish Ratchet. Moreover. the
whole tone of the speech lacked all those
formalities, reticences and yelled illusions
to which the English people have been
accustomed since the days of Pitt and
Palmerston. Lord Salisbury hitherto had
religiously followed such precedents. but
on Wednesday he spoke to the public as
he might to an intimate friend after din
ner.
So amazing and so interesting has been
Lord Salisbury himself, as revealed this
week. that the broad-and from the stand
point of other nations, the far most i'm
portant-sensational features of the speech
has passed almost unnoticed. Were the
premier of any other European state to
get up in these times of wars and rumors
of war and urge the people of an eminently
commercial race to accustom themselves
TO the use of firearms and to establish
rife clubs in every city, village and hamlet,
there would run through Europe such
SILVER of fright and vivid anticipation of
hostile intention and devastating conflict
that market prices would drop by decades
and mobilization plans would be at the
finger tip of every war minister. That
this has not occurred appears to be due
to the generally recognized fact that Sails
bury is more philosopher than a states
man, and that when he pessimistically
painted the hostilities toward England the
world over, he was speaking purely in the
abstract without harboring in his mind one
concrete instance whereby that hostility
might become an immediate menace.
The Outlook simultaneously represents
Lord Salisbury as saying: LET us have
ri his
maidens fetch their fathers dinners and
beer" This reference to beer is not half
so facetious as might appear. Lord Sails
burys outspoken opposition TO radical tenn
perance measures in the House of Lords
on Tuesday will probably afford the basis
for one Of the strongest planks of the OPP
position platform at the next election
Confronted by the archbishops and bishops
the premier spoke more frankly on the
temperance question than almost any lead
ing man in English politics ever dared to
speak. AS at the Primrose League meet
ing Lord Salisbury appeared to be think
ing aloud, with no regard for consequences,
and declared he did not see the force of
preventing a certain number of people
getting drunk when il entailed preventing
''six times as many sober consumers hav-
ing the opportunity for free Indulgence,
TO which they have right. The term
free indulgence is a campaign headline
that will not be easily forgotten nor did
the slim majority of three by which Lord
Salisbury carried the debate strengthen the
position of the government. Lord Windsor.
one of Lord Salisburys warmest support
ers. publishes articles saying the premier's
attitude on this question is deeply regret
able and may turn Conservatives and Lib
era1 Imperialists into uncompromfsing OPP
ponents of the government
Another curious feature of the week is
the narrow majority of eleven which the
government secured in the House of Com
mons over the motion to prevent ministers
from being company directors. Had the
motion been carried forty companies
would have lost members of their boards
and twenty-five ministers, including Lord
Salisbury, Mr.. Goschen, Mr.. Chamberlain,
Lord Hamilton and the Earl of Selborne
would have lost an additional source of
income All the Weeklies. regardless of
party. agree in supporting the principle of
the defeated motion and doubtless in the
course of time the government itself will
bring in a measure TO prohibit any minister
of the crown from taking part in the direc-
tion of a public company.
The Saturday Review, interpreting Lord
Salisburys recent generalism regarding
haired toward England and the necessity
of arming the country as especially ap-
plicable to the United States, declares:
During the Cuban war there were a large
number of people in this country who SYM
pathized with Spain. but they kept their
feelings strictly to themselves Not a dis
cordant note was heard in our press, and
the British government prevented COM
bination of European powers that would
have thrown the American government on
It's Ddck. HOW DO the united states repay
US? We are treated to all kinds of in
trigues over the Alaskan boundary and the
Nicaraguan canal. and now at least half
the American press and nation loudly pro-
claim their sympathy with the Beers and
are organizing receptions for their dele
gates. We shall have to defend our en-
pire and must do II. Lord Salisbury
says, with our right arm"
This Is interesting comment. but It
neither represents the best informed nor
the popular opinion. Lord Salisbury had
no idea of referring to American pro-Boer
manifestations when speaking at the meet
ing of the Primrose League. Moreover,
these manifestations are popularity re-
garded in England. thanks to the cable
dispatches of English correspondents. as
nothing but a temporary effervescence of
political agitation in a country the
verge of an election, and as such of no
serious import.
The Speaker, commenting upon the Rus
sian railroad and territorial aggression in
China. declares that Lord Salisbury and
Mr.. Chamberlain cannot protect British in
terests, real or imaginary. in any part of
the world, and that the United States have
been tho only guardians of our interests
In China, while Lord Salisbury has been
helpless looker-on.
Federation delegates from Australia are