The Washington weekly post., 1900-05-15
ENGLAND In DANGER.
But from What Quarter Is This Deadly
Foe TO BE EXpectedt
From the Philadelphia Times.

@iOLa the lpnla Times.
A menace of some grave character
overhangs England that is unknown to
the rest Of the world. 1t is useless to
longer disguise this. The speech of Lord
Salisbury before the Primrose League was
intended to be a warning TO the nation
that an impending danger eonfronts the
British Empire
Utterly wanting in tact as were the
marquis words, his language used re-
garding the Irish people is not likely 10
give the sons of Erin many heartaches
His lOrdship spoke only as the head of
the Primrose League, the policy of
which is unalterable hostility to home
rule for Ireland. The league is the Tam
many organization Of England. 1t was
organized in 1884 by Lord Randolph
Churchill and Others who united several
antiquated Tory organizations. II was
named in honor of Lord Beaconsfields $
favOrite flower, and to-day has 100000
members.
AT any other time than the present.
when Irish soldiers are giving their lives
in South Africa for the empire, no pos
sible objection could be raised, even by
Irishmen, against declaration of prin-
ciples by the chieftain of the league.
us lOSlllllN 10 ITlSH lfttQOUl Is It lAiUIc
disguised than were the pro-slavery opin-
ions of the leaders OF he old Democratic
party. The hostility 70 Gladstone, when
living, was bitter and uncompromising.
That he long stood aS the champion of
Irish liberty was assumed to justify the
head OF the Primrose League, speaking
as plain Mr.. Cecil, in his bitter denun-
citation of the dead statesman. That is
Z Itch 80 4
same bitter and unburied hatreds of our
political opponents in this country.
That the English people in all political
ranks have taken the marquis as he in
tended to be understood is evident from
the cablegram sent TO the New York
Journal yesterday by William T. Stead,
who, Of all living Englishmen, cannot be
suspected of friendliness toward the Con-
servative party or its leader. He ignores
the ill-timed and disrespectful language
used against the Irish people, but treats
the address as a warning Of the gravest
character.
From what quarter is this deadly foe
of England 70 be expected? If we might
hazard guess, the menace comes from
Russia, and the initial danger point is the
Indian frontier! Mr.. Stead says in so
many words that England's fighting men
are absent in Africa and an unnamed
continental power could land on her coast
and capture the seat OF the empire, The
boasted British navy Is largely on paper,
experts have declared in the most loyal
London newspapers. The guns on its
ships are mostly antiquated, and much
of the armor is too thin for attack by
modern projectiles.
The editors statements are startling in
the extreme, and if he correctly inter-
prets Lord Salisbury, a crisis in the his
tory of the British Empire certainly has
arrived.
But the Liberals and the Irish people
ought not 10 fail to assail the weak spot
exposed in the mailed coat of their i'm
placable zoe, the Conservative party.
Every Irish statesman and editor should
assume that the premier's language voic-
ed the sentiments of her majesty, the
Queen. IN the absence OF denial or re-
pudiatiOl.
Agitation. properly led, would compel
her majesty 10 ask for Salisbury's resig
nation.