Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-02-08

copyrighted, 1900, by The Associated Prose.
London, Eng, Feb. 3.-The indig-
nation, humiliation and amazement Of
the nation at the incompetency dis
played by its ministers have risen to
heights probably never before attained.
While the Empire is engaged In the
most serious struggle to which 1t has
been committed since the first years of
the Nineteenth Century, the statesmen
at home have committed themselves to
party man9uvres, mutual recrimina-
tions, contradictions, shifting evasions
and palpably lame excuses, utterly
needless of the temper of the people, so
that the movement in favor Of recon-
struction of the cabinet, first inaugu-
rated few weeks ago. promises, unless
more vigorous policy is speedily
adopted, to develop into national up
rising which will sweep out the poli-
ticians, whose utter failure almost
appears to justify the prophecies Of
the downfall of the British Empire, so
literally poured forth by writers and
speakers in the United States and on
the continent.
Even the Times, that bulwark of
conservatism, declares the "chatter in
the House OF Commons during the
past few days is simply irritating and
offensive to nine out of ten people in
the Unitod Kingdom"
Consequently, it is not astonishing
that the people are looking for some
strong man to lead them. Lord Rose
berry's name is the most prominent
| His pitiless lashing of Lord Salisbury
| on the day Parliament reassembled
marks him, in the opinion of many. as
the right man to face the present i'm
| perial crisis. A small faction, led by
| the Daily Mail. Is pushing the claims
Of Joseph Chamberlain, the Colonial
| Secretary, for trial. The Mail says
he has shown himself to be "a shrewd,
determined and able organizer, and,
apparently, is the only member OF the
cabinet who grasped the realities Of
the situation in South Africa, y though
the pager admits he lacks tact, and
that his speeches have done much to
ALLEVIATE the sympathies of Americans
in this war, and gave umbrage to
Germany and France. Yet, the Mail
suggests, 1t would be we'll to watch
Mr.. Chamberlain's attitude during the
next few days.
/ William Redmond desires definite
information as to the relations OF
Great Bi itain with the United States
and Germany, and proposes to ASH
A. j. Balfour, the government leader,
Monday, whether he has any announce
ment to make or papers to lay on the
table bearing on the proposed new
triple alliance between Great Britain,
the United States and Germany an
nounced by Mr.. Chamberlain at
Leicester, November Both.
An important statement was made
by Mr.. -Wyndham in the House Of
/ l laxS ma lxy that n
J vacancies the war had made among the
officers would be partly filed by FRO
} motion from the ranks. This means
/ the characterization of the army. On
! this subject, letter which is attract
ing much attention appeared in yester-
, days issue of the Daily Chronicle. 1t
was written by British officer who
J knows NEST of the armies of Europe
from personal observation, and who
: has seen much service. He plainly
declared that the class OF society from
, which British officers are drawn is
: "distinotly degenerate, due to lack Of
: intellectual training and the dis
, sipation and vice of the aristocracy, -
: and that the class Commonly known
8 as society provides 80 per cent OF the
officers. - The writer also said the
. intellectual standard Of young man
t of II, fresh from the English public
r schools, is lower than that Of q Ger.
man schoolboy of s. His time is de.
Y voted to athletic sports: as his an.
: cestors have done, he marries girl Of
: the same training, and in three or four
: generation society will consist Of physi.
i caily splendidly developed idiots. The
Q only remedy, according to the writer,
o is "intermarriage between society ant
the healthy middle classes. !"
t The social future depends entirel,
o upon the progress of the war, but the
!, Queen wishes everything to go on Al
8 usual, as far as possible.