, 1900-09-24
WAR IS A CURSE
MR.. MORLEY SCORING ENGLAND
FOR THE SOUTH AFRI-
CAN BUSINESS.
Conservatives Will Win-Herbert
Gladstone Admits There is no
on OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Great
Revenue From Death Taxes.

revenue FIoHn cedti 'dNCo.
London, Sept. 22.-The political
compaign has commenced in earnest.
Only another week remains before the
polling begins and it will be only a
little over five weeks before another
parliament assemblies. That it will be
a conservative body is a ~foregOne con
clusion. Mr.. Herbert Gladstone admits
that it is quite impossible for the lib
erals to win over the 100 seats neCes-
from the outset the election loses its
interest, practically resolving itself in
to an opportunity for politicians on
10Th sides to air their views and to
discuss the momentous issues of the
last year untrammeled by the nve
tionalities of St. Stephens. This out
break of oratory, judged from the in
itial stages. promises to develop no
news or startling facts. The conser-
NdllNtS tollllilt lIl'll Il'l SI'o w q Nc
Tense of the war in South Africa and
of its management: while the liberals
attempt to ignore it, concentrating
their attacks upon the failure of the
conservatives to fulfill the promises
of beneficial home legislation. Though
this is officially the liberals main
plank, the division of their ranks over
the wal is so great that it is quite
impossible to keep all the candidates
in line.
Thus, while Sir Edward Grey and
the Right Hon. H. H. Asquith and 9th
ers are telling the voters that it is
useless to discuss the war and are ad-
hitting the annexation of the Boer re-
publics as the only logical outcome.
Mr.. Moreley and other well known
members of the party are telling them
that the war was unnecessary and that
the annexation of the republics is a
blot upon E%ngland's fair name. On
one point, however, the liberals all
unite: and that point is the unfairness
of Lord Salisbury in bringing about a
dissolution at the present moment
when the register of 1898 is expiring,
ed owe two years ago are disenfran-
chised. The register comes into
force in February. Thousands are af-
fected; and the liberals maintain that
Lord S~alisbury's action is not only
without precedent but is unconditional.
On the other hand, the conservatives
claim that Lord Salisbury acted fairly
had he waited until after February,
he would have the ~undoubted advan-
tage of the votes of soldiers returning
from South Africa. In their wrath
the election was precipitated with
SO little warning the liberals are not
alone. Business men, regardless of
party. are furious over the disintegra-
ton of trade, which always accom-
panies election contracts.
Publishers, for instance, after a
wretched year, seeing the war in South
Africa ending the affairs in China be-
coming nor quiescent, made all prep
arations for a revival of trade. Just
as they were beginning to put new
dissolution of parliament anne like a
thunderclap, spelling all their pros
poets. The stock exchange, on the
same ground, has got a great griev-
ance against Lord Salisbury, as it will
be well into December before the pub
lie can be expected to take a keen in
in stocks.
The question of home rule, except
in Ireland, is scarcely mentioned. Mr..
Herbert Gladstone, who represents
West Leeds, advises his constituents
to let the matter rest; but the Earl of
strikes a much franker note,
in announcing his adherence to gov
eminent and returning to the ranks of
the liberals because home rule" is
dead.
A initiative bomb has been thrown
into the conservative camp by the Lib
eral Morning Leader, which publishes
a lengthy story showing that the wife,
sons and daughter of Mr.. Joseph
Chamberlain. the secretary of state for
the colonies, hold almost all the shares
of the firm of Hoskins Sons, contrac-
tors to the admiralty. Among the sons
holding large amounts of the stock is
Mr.. j. Austin Chamberlain (the eldest
son Of the secretary who is a civil
lord of the admiralty. To put a worse
complexion on the matter it is pointed
out that there are no Hoskins now con-
nected with the business which is prac-
tically a family concern and apparent
ly prosperous. The only answer so far
vouchsafed to the accusation is a let
ter from Mr.. Chamberlain's secretary
40 ~