New-York tribune., 1900-09-20
ELECTION TALK IN ENGLAND.
FORECASTING CABINET CHANGES
LORD RUSSELLS SUCCESSOR.
JCopyrEht; 1900: Hy The New-York Tribune.I
[BY CABLE TO THE TRr7UyFI

JDopy7ght; 1900: I3y The New-Tork TrihuneI
[BY CABLE TO THE TR17UxEl
London. Sept. % l a rn-The press is filed
with election intelligence but the contest is too
unequal to be interesting. \ UnIonist victory
is conceded even by the Liberal political mana
gers. and the only question in doubt is whether
the Government will have a larger or a smaller
majority in the new than it had in the old
Parliament There will be little political ora
tory. and the details of the settlement in South
Africa viii not be explained although this is
the issue upon which the Government asks for
seven years extension Of its lease OF power.
The electorate. which has been artifciauy
stricted by the disfranchisenent of an enormous
body Of voters under the old registry. win be
called upon to arm the Government with a man
date 10 convert Dutch Africa into British Africa
50 scientifically that the work can never be IN
done
Public interest centres in the reconstruction
Of the Cabinet rather than in the result of the
elections, which is a foregone conclusion. Lord
Lansdowne is marked out for slaughter, and
ViscoUnt Cross will also be forced to retire. It
IS also rumored that the Duke Of Devonshire
VIII not be a member Of the Ministry after the
elections and that Lord Lansdowne's resigna-
ton from the War Office will be the signal for
the retirement Of Mr.. Goscheu from the Ad-
nairalty. IF these forecasts are fulfilled Mr..
Chamberlain will be almost the only prominent
Liberal-Unionist in the Cabinet, and ought to
have a most conspicuous office in order 10 illus
trate the principle Of the survival Of the fttest
There are, however, good many superannu-
ated Tories who would adorn the privacy Of re-
tirenent. and their fate has not yet been sett1e
by the runor nongers One theory IS that Lord
Croruer VIII be brought into the Foreign ONCE
and General Kitchener into the War Office, and
that Mr. Balfour, M Chamberlain and Sir
Michael Hicks-Beach viii be left where they
are. The "AIdershot Gang" which planned the
holiday promenade TO Pretoria year ago, viii
find itself between the devil and the deep sea-
when asked to choose between Mr. Chamberlain
and General Kitchener.
Another mystery which fascnates the rumor
ulongers is the probable selection Of the new
Lord Chief Justice. The Lord High Chancellor
ordinarily makes all judicial appointments. but
the Prime Minister is responsible for the choice
Of Lord Chief Justice Lord Salisbury and
Lord HaIsbury are intimate personal friends,
and probably VIII talk over the matter, but the
decision rests with the Prime Minister. Sir
Edward Clarke would have been Lord RusselTs
natural successor If he had not gone wrong on
South Africa and been forced to abandon public
life Sir Richard Webster has excluded himself
from the chief seat on the bench by becoming
Master Of the Rolls. Sir Robert Findlay has
been Attorney-GeneraI only few months and
his elevation to Lord RusseI's place would be
considered premature. Some most astute law
yers and officials are predicting the appointment
Of Sir Francis Jeune. He has been president Of
one Of the great divisions Of the bench and has
great influence at Court and in political circles
Some Unionist journals are seeking to create
the impression that Germany and England are
leading and controlling the other Powers on the
China question Germany has taken. without
doubt, q line Of her own. but the British Foreign
Office has made it clear that it preferred 10 fol-
low the other Powers and was unwilling TO lead
the way The German Emperor's circular Is
now commended by the English press as the
yrfsest deIiverance yet made on the China ques-
tfon although it IS not explained how any black
list Of guilty rnandarins can be provided which
will omit at the top the name Of the Empress
Towaser as the chief conspirator against the Ior-
efrD embassies and mission stations. The most
candid English journals tell the plain truth
about the diplomatic situation, namely, that
Great Britain by remaining in the background
and waiting for other Powers 20 take the initl-
atIve has lost the great opportunity for justify
ing its position as an Aslatic Power and exert
ing moral influence in the world. England has
been adrift in China without a definite policy.
Nov, that the elections are coming on the For
eIgn Office is stIfening its diplomacy and re-
ceives credit from the Unionisr press for making
strong demands at Picking l. n r