Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-02-11
The Disunlted Liberals no Match
for the Conservatives.
LosD RosEsERY IS SHY
that ssa.e.n,nn VIII Nos Enter .h~
rieid Now The >p,cndId triumph
OF Hoa""na-'ne fr'hcr Of pho
Biography : scvcro Hines. of sir
William Lockhnr. Morsnnn.ic
md Other M"rrin<c.-ln Memory
OF Dickens.
(By telegraph to virglnian-p llot.)
OF Dick ems

(By Telegraph to Virginian- Pilot.)
London. Feb. lot has been a great
week for the Government. AS foretold
In these dispatches, Lord Salisbury held
his own in Parliament and with the
country The disunited Liberal party
was no match for the Conservative or
ganlzation, and even the small minorl-
ties mustered into the Hobbies were
largely leavened with disconten cd
members, who. much against their
Wills. voted in favor of the party
amendment. The crushing Govern.
ment victory in the bye-election at
York and the definite break between
the Liberals and the reunited Irish
leaves the field clear for the party In
power.
ALREADY meeting of the Liberty
party mas been called to express con-
nueHce IN Its leader in the House Of
o...i'iohs' sir Henry Campbell-Ban-
herman. and 1t Is freely rumored tho :
ne meditates throwing ,lp the thani-N
less task of the nominal leadership ona
mat the opposition is turning wistful
eyes In the direction OF Lord Roseherv
AN ASTUTE SPHINX.
Ihat so-called sphinx, however. Is
ruei 700 astute to retake the guidance
oi such an ill-conditioned BODY furine
a period SO crucial in the countries hiss
Tory and though, spasmodicaily. he
eVlnces desire to re-cnter tho fla,d ne
active politics, he is the last man In the
world 70 take pig In poke, hence
.ne remainder of the session Will prob
aoiy be only marked by desultorv on
position, the Liberals taking the mid
die of-the-road course and tho irish
aunerlng to out-and-out denunciation
OF the government and It's war. But
neither Will be able to prevent the
Chancello of the Exchequer. Sir
Nllchael Hicks Beach. from passing any
financial measures he decides upon to
meet the tremendous drain caused by
the hostilities. In the same way the
Secretary OF War. the MARQUIS of
Transformers hands. cannot be forced,
and whatever explanations. investira
lions or reforms may be forthcoming
In relation to Great Brtain's military
SYSTEM they must await the consent
or that much-abused Cabinet mem
Der.
REDMOND'S TRIUMPH.
The reunion of the Irish members
under Mr.. John Redmond, may be re-
garded more as Il personal triumph for
that stalwart independent than as hav-
ing serious bearing upon the politics
or the immediate future. The organs
or all the Irish parties are unanimous
IN declaring he is the right man in the
right place. Yet, since the downfall of
CHARLES Stewart Parnell Mr. Redmond's
hend has been against almost every
other mans, steadfastly refusing all
compromise. until by sheer strength of
character he has forced his countrymen
to acknowledge his abilities as a leader
OF no mean order. However while his
party continues to act without alliance
with any English section he can accom-
plish practically nothing. If the pres
emit delicious organization proves per-
manent. which some people doubt. 1t
may be n powerful factor after the CON
clrson of the war, especially suhse-
quent to the next general election. But.
until then. 1t is hard to see how the
Irish members can effect anything ex-
ccpt intermittent obstruction and per-
fervid advocacy of the Beers cause.
which daily diminishes the possibility
OF securing home rule. However. it
must always be borne in mind. that the
Governments supremacy would be con-
siderably modified in the event OF nm
overwhelming British defeat, or failure
to attain some definite and important
objective. But, such is Lord Salisbury's
strength. and so Injured has the nation
grow to reyerses. that it Is scarcely
feasible to conceive that the greatest
of such disasters could accomplish the
complete downfall of the present Minis
try.
CRITICISM CEASES.
The most instructive index OF public
telling is the cessation of bitter criti-
cism of the government by the leading
organs, after the voting in the House
of Commons and at York had proved
that, right Or wrong, Lord Salisbury's
Cabinet RETAINED its hold. With the
exception of Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain
statesman-like speech, Mr.. Timothy
Healy stands out as u bright exception
to a rather featureless debate While
he stirred the anger of the Liberals
and Conservatives alike and outraged
their patriotism, Mr.. Healy was unani-
mously, though grudgingly, accorded
praise for making the finest rhetorical
effort heard since the House convened.
His delivery and language were wor-
thy of Edmund Burke and the best
orators who have spoken the English
tongue. And those who are saying
this have added in the same breath
that the man ought to be shot for n
traitor
So much for the political happenings
which. with the war, have divided the
interest of the week.
FATHER OF PHOTOGRAPHY.
The centenary of the birth of the late
William Henry Fox Talbot February