New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-23
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
LONDON.
ELOQUENT SILENCE OF LORD SAILS
BURY AND LORD RosEBERy
ARMY REORGANIZATION LOOKED FOR
WITH LORD ROBERTS IN LORD wor.sr-
LEVs PLAcE-AIoRE LITERARY
MEN FOR PARLIAMENT.
Copyright: 1900; BY The New-yorlr Tribune.I
IBY cABLE TO THE rRIBuNr1


Copyright; 1900: BY Tne New-york Tribune
IBY cAnLE TO THE TR1BUNEl
London. Sept pa months canvass is too
long for 3aded public which seems weary of it
before II is a week old. There Is no excfter7en+
over the result, and little real enthusiasm for
ether principles OF men The election addresses
have fallen fat on both sides, and the silence of
the only two leaders who have not expressed
their views on the situation is more ELOQUENT
than the cleverest appeal to voters from the
front benches OF the House Of Commons. These
are Lord Salisbury and Lord Rosebery. Lord
salisbury viii establish a new precedent IF he
SLOWS the polling TO begin without issuing a
manifesto OF some kind. and the Liberals will
cite i as fresh proof Of his cynical indifference
10 democratic institutions and his conteupt for
the power Of the general electorate. His friends
assert that short letter may be expected any
hour IN which he viii state the grounds for an
appeal 10 the country. They explain that Sir
william Vernon Harcourt and Sir Henry Camp
bel-Bannernan waited until they could draw
fire from Mr.. Balfour and Mr.. Chamberlain. and
that Lord Salisbury has held his letter back IN
I'll they have spoken.
Lord Salisbury. however. has always been g
law unto himself IN politics, with a patrician
distaste for war cries and direct appeals to the
masses The silence OF Lord Rosebery, if it re-
mains unbroken, VIII be interpreted as an indi-
cation that he does not wish to be associated
with the Liberal party while It IS divided into
two distinct sections He does not hold himself
responsible for the eQuivocaI attitude OF q large
body Of Radicals toward South Africa, ard does
not wish 20 expose himself TO attack, as Mr.
AscIith and 4Ir Herbert Gladstone have done
hy advocating liberal imperialism. This is the
explanatton given by his friends, but It may
be upset any day by letter or a speech from
him on the political situation. Keen observers
are expecting his return TO the leadership Of
the party after the elections. for they are fore
casting the downfall Of Mr.. Labouchere and
other Little Englander Radicals, who have been
violently opposed to Mr.. Chamberlain's policy in
South Africa and half hearted IN supporting the
var. They predict that the Opposition in the
next House, outside Of the Irish benches. Will
Be made Up mainly Of Liberal ImperiaIists. and
that Lord Rosebery's recall viii be a natural
sequel 10 this object lesson in practical politics
There are critics who believe that he VIII make
a serious mistake Il he allows his party in the
hour OF adversity to go to the polls without a
single helpful word from him, and there are
enemies who Go not hesitate TO say that he is
Studying blue books. is deep IN the literature OF
China. and IS expecting z summons from Lord
salisbury TO take charge OF the Foreign Office.
Z1zss tTvo s.se1E aglues are aness Interesting
f1r the moment than al the talking machines
now IN operation throughout the United King
dom
All thoughtful students OF British institutions
have deplored the lack Of balance between the
two great parties. In the last Parliament one
party was so strong that st was rendered i'm
mobile By big battalionA and the other was so
weak and distracted with factional divisions
that & failed TO exercise the functions Of vigil
Iant and critical Opposition. Leader writers
tines that Ministry which was released from
The surveillance Of effective Opposition criticism
was exposed 70 enervattng influences and inter
nal paralysis. These warnings have not stood
II the way Of q Unionist appeal TO the country
On the narrowest possible issue. when probably
a. least fifth Of the electors will be disfran-
chised by the operation Of the registration sys-
ten and when there is the best chance for main
tstning and possibly enlarging the overwhelming
majority which has thrown the parties entirely
ont Of balance. This majority viii be an inevi-
table response 10 the appeal to English pa
t3otisrn at the close Of a war in which loyal
colonies have marched braveIy to the music Of
The new imperialism; but It viii be unsettling
for both Cuionist and Opposition, and will i'm
pair tie resources Of invigorating criticism when
the first work Of Parliament may be a complete
reorganization Of the military system Of the
kingdom and the Empire.
4 tourist from Mars suddenly arriving in Lon
don would not discover that the country was on
the eve Of the elections unless he dined at
political club There are no posters in the in
terest of candidates. There are few meetings,
and there S general apathy. The Liberal lit
ers-y bureau, Of which AIr Augustine Birrell is
director IS scattering leaflets and tracts among
is constituencies and issuing a large stock OF
political cartoons Mr. 7. c. Gould has sharp
e1ed his pencil. and his cartoon representing
Lord Salisbury and AIr. Chamberlain dressing
ID for khaki campaign IS q good example Of
political satire. The cartoons with which the
LIBERAL leaflets are frightened are probably the
most effective weapons in the arnory Of a
deraoralized party. The Unionists are also max
ing use Of art caTicature but no artist IN their
Service has 3Ir Gould's talent. One Of the most
popular Unionist cartoons is an irnperialist lion
With England at the suout, Ireland at the NAV,
Scotland above the eyes, India at the name.
South Africa at the fore paws. Canada ct the
BODY. Australia az the ruuD and the West
Indies and Gibraltar At the tail. This imperial
beast IS a foil for the Little England" lion out
lined from the coasts Of England and Scotland,
With Ireland as q supremely active tail.
The literary contingent in ths House OF Com
mons viii probably be strongly reinforced. Mr..
Morley, Dir. Bryce and Mr.. Lecky viii be IN their
Old places without doubt. and half dozen nov
ellsts are seeking to join them. AR Gilbert
Parker, 8lr. Anthony Hope Hawkins. DR.. Conan
Doyle Mr Winston Spencer Churchill and Mr..
Compton Rickett are standing for Parliament
as are also several journalists. Mr.. ChurchlIs
canvass n Oldham is a most spirited one. His
speeches are too rhetorical 10 suit veteran cam
patgners, hut he is strong in argument and has
much OF his fathers skill In unexpected thrusts
ond picturesque phrasing. Mr. Hawkins is a
T I,n boe der "a