Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-05-10


the Foreign Office Has Adviccs.
Denies That There is Any Hope
That Ireland May Ever Have
PeacenbIe Independence-He Urges
the Formation of Rifle Clubs TO
the End That Every Englishmnn
May Become Soldier.
LONDON, May 9-The annual Grand
Habitation of the Primrose League
was held in Albert Hall this afternoon.
The Marquis of Salisbury, grand mas
ter, presided and received an ovation.
Madame Albani sang a verse of God
Save the Queen which was then TAX
en- up by the whole audience.
Lord Salisbury in the course of his
address commented on the remarkable
change which had taken place in the
latter half of the century in the views
OF the people regarding the empire
They formerly repealed it, he said, as
burden, and that doctrine was car
ried to such extremes by a splendid
genius, Gladstone, that it produced a
strong reaction, which started after
the disaster of Majuba Hill and death
Of Gen. Gordon. The death of Gordon,
he continued, had been avenged per-
haps it was too soon to say the great
humiliation of Majuba had been eff
faced or that the great wrong had been
righted, but they felt they were on
the road to accomplish that end. I'm
der the brilliant guidance of Lord
Roberts, 100000 soldiers, a larger army
than had ever before been sent across
the same expanse of sea, was now en-
gagged in reducing to obedience those
territories which ought never to have
been released, and to restoring TO South
Africa the only chance it had of peace,
development and tranquility.
Lord Salisbury then took I'D the IT.
ish question, saying that the accumu-
lation OF arms in time of peace and the
potential power of resistance in a dis
contented province was too clearly IL
Illustrated in the case of the Transvaai
and the Free State to be ignored in
IUe case Oh ireland.
His reference to the possibility of a
coalition OF the powers against England
were little short of sensational He
warned his hearers that in this event
uality the empire could trust no pro-
LESSONS of friendship abroad, hut
must be prepared to stand or fall by
her own might, and he urged the for
nation or rife clubs among all classes
and the training of every youth for
the possible defense of his country
against foreign invasion.
The premier referred to the difficult
and intricate Irish problem and said:
Mr.. Gladstone in an evil moment
for the fame of the country and for his
party, attached himself to the idea of
the separation of England and Ireland.
No one can say the home rule cause
presents any elements of sanguine an
ticipation for the future | am assur-
ed that there is no hope of the predom-
tnant partner ever consenting to give
Ireland practical independence. We
have learned something from the South
African war. How a disloyal govern
ment, In spite of warnings. could ac-
cumulate ornaments against the most
powerful combatant, and thus secure
a terrible advantage. We now know
better than we did ten years ago what
q risk Ii would be if we gave a disloyal
government in Ireland the power OF
accommodating forces against this coun-
try.
Hereafter external affairs will oc-
cupy considerably larger place among
the problems we have to solve. Not
lHr hoco4teo ~,
are more important, but if we look
around we can see the elements and
causes of menace and peril slowly ac-
cumulating and they may accumulate
to such point as to require our earn
est and most active efforts to repel
them.
Il am nervous at using language ui
such kind, lest it should be thought
l am indicating that something is
known to the foreign Office by point
ing out this possible danger. But
wish most emphatically to say I have
no idea of that kind. The state OF
affairs as | know it and so far as the
government is concerned, is peacefull
1t is impossible to speak too highly OF
the careful, calm neutrality which has
been observed by all the governments
Of the world
The premier's remarks were greeted
with loud cheers.
Continuing, Lord Salisbury said:
"a certain section of our subjects
not, l hope. very large, though a
noisy Y, has at the present moment
a great ,roject against this country
1t does 15t. however, follow, that We
have no precautions to take. Govern
ments may come and may go, ana feel
ings may change from year TO year.
That root of bitterness against Eng
land, which / am unable to explain
may be mere caprice to satisfy the
exigencies of journalists to-day, or 1t
may indicate q deep seated feeling
which, later, we may have TO reckon
with. There can be no security, nor
confidence in the feelings or sympathy
of other nations. except through the
efficiency of their own defence and the
strength of their own right arm
Everywhere the power of defense is in
creasing, and who knows but all these
things may be united in one great
wave to dash upon our shores?"
The premier then urged the neces-
ity of precaution in time, remarking
that the material for military aggres-
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