The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-05-13
So Remarkable II Is Believed lie
Was MOI Right Mentally.
REOPENS THE IRISH TROUBLE
Does Away With All the Good Done by the
Queens visit TO Ireland, and Discounts
Lord Roberts yleiories...EnEIand
Is Ama1ed.
lcorresponaenoe q 49, .Ialed Pres.l

Correspondence Of Asso ,iated Press.)
LONDON. May 12-Lord Salisbury
addressed the members Of the Primrose
League on Wednesday but the drift OF
his meaning has not yet filtered into
the British minds. The remarkable ut
terances Of the premier on that occa-
sion continues 70 form almost the
sole topic Of conversation, though eli
torial writer's quickly gave up the at
tempt to analyze for the benefit Of the
public the numerous features Of the
speech and were well nigh staggered
into silence by it's battling unexpected
ness and the multiplicity Of the issues
II contained.
II was delivered when the nation ex-
Dected exactly the opposite kind OF re-
marks. To implore his countrymen to
awake 20 the perils constantly menac-
ing their great empire and its existence
at the very moment when a long period
OF patient waiting had been replaced
by Jubilation over Lord Roberts sue
cessful advance, was an expedient
so utterly bereft OF the very first prin-
ciples Of politics. especially considering
the approach Of the elections. that
some OF Lord Salisbury's own support
ers believe he was almost of his head
when he spoke.
Not content with this, he pulled
down every pretty fabric that had been
built around the queens visit to Ire
land. calmly comparing the political et-
forts to attain home rule TO Boer con-
spiracies and hostility. And this after
the queen and every leading member
OF Lord salisbury's own cabinet and
party had been at particular pains to
bury the Irish hatchet. Moreover, the
whole tone OF the speech lacked all
those formalities. reticences and veiled
allusions to which the English people
have been accustomed since the days
Of Pitt and Palmerston.
Lord Salisbury hitherto had religious
ly followed such precedents, but on
Wednesday he spoke to the public as
he might to an intimate friend after
dinner. So amazing and so interesting
has been Lord Salisbury himself, as re-
vealed this week. and the broad
and from the standpoint Of other ma
tions, the far most mportant-sensa-
tional feature of the speech has passed
almost unnotIced.
Were the premier of any other Euro
pean state to get up in these times OF
wars and rumors Of war and urge the
people of an eninently commercial race
to accustom themselves to the use OF
firearms and to establish rifle clubs in
every city. village and hamlet, there
would run through Europe such a
shiver OF fright and such vivid antici.
patton of hostile intention and devas.
tating conflict that market prices woulc
drop by decades and mobilization plans
would be at the finger tip of every wa,
minister
That this has not occurred appear:
to be due to the generally recognized
fact that Salisbury is more a philoso
pher than statesman and that whel
he pessimistically painted the hostili
ties toward England the world over. h,
was speaking purely in the abstract
without harboring in his mind one con
crete instance whereby that hostilit.
might become an immediate menace.
A curious incident connected with tn,
parade of the Ladysmith Naval Brigai,
of the British cruiser Powerful wa.
that the decorating authorities almos
smothered the officers of Lord Strath
coma and Mount Royal. the Canadian
high commissioner, with the stars ant
} stripes, while on the outside Of the
United States embassy on the samt
street, there was no sign of an Ameri.
can flag. Lord strathcona pointed out
the unsuitability of the predomlnenct
of the stars and stripes, and the mum.
Der of those emblems was reduced.
The latest display of British ingenui
ty is a new bible. Mr.. j. X. Starley
who describes himself as a Bicycle
Director" of Coventry. mas issued. un'
der the auspices of the Sunday schoo
Supply Company, bible in which tn,
new testament precedes the old. In tn,
preface Mr., Starley justifies his actor
by saying the old testament was meant
to be a eandlestick on which the new
should stand, adding:
yet we have largely made the OLD
an eXtinguisher which puts out Its
light"
With all the best players at the war
the polo seasons opens tamely. Club:
like the Raneagh and Hurlingham
are likely to be quiet this summer
There was an interesting game Wed
nesday at birmingham. however, wher
match between England and Ameri-
ca was played. The American team
was composed of Foxhall Keene. W