The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-04

House of Commons during the past few
days is simply irritating and offensive to
nine out Of ten people in the United King
dom.
people are looking for some strong man to
lead them. Lord Rosebery's name Is the
most prominent His .pitiless flashing of
Lord Salisbury on the day Parliament reas-
sembled marks him, In the opinion Of
many. as the right man to face the present
imperial crisis. n small faction, led by the
Daily Mail, is pushing the claims OF Joseph
Chamberlain. the colonial secretary, for a
trial. The Mail says he has shown himself
to be "shrewd, determined and able min
lister and apparently Is the only member of
the Cabinet who grysped the realities of
the situation in South Africa
Though the paper admits he lacks tact
and that his speeches have done much to
ALLEVIATE the sympathies of America in this
war, and gave umbrage to Germany and
France, yet the Mail suggests 1t would be
well to watch Mr. Chamberlain's attitude
during the next few days.
Truly has the patience and fortitude of
the people of England been subject to
we're tests. After brisk rally from the
staggering blows to the nations military
prestige the people had right to turn to
Parliament for encouragement and inspira-
ton. But one by one the ministers have
been unmasked and discredited and the
weakness of the official headers of the oc-
casion has been revealed. From every
newspaper in the land has arisen the cry
that party strife must cease and political
ambitions be laid aside, and that the stiied
determination of a willing people must have
rein. result of this outburst is seen in
new and more lofty tone in the discussion
by the speech of George Wyndham, the
parliamentary under secretary of the War
Office, on Thursday evening, which was the
first ministerial statement evincing a
proper appreciation of public feeling. There
is no hope of the debate on Lord Edmund
Fitzmaurice's amendment to the address
in reply to the speech from the throne col
lapsfng; division will probably not
take place before Tuesday. There Is
movement on foot to induce the govern
ment to refuse to discuss at any length Mr..
John RedmOnd's amendment, on the ground
that the present stage of the campaign is
not suitable for the discussion of conciIia-
ton or the terms of peace. Mr.. Redmond
desires information as to the relations of
Great Britain with the United States and
Germany, and proposes to ask Mr.. A. j.
Balfour, the government leader, on Mon
day, whether he has any announcement to
make or papers to lay on the table bearing
on the proposed new triple alliance between
Great Britain, the United States and Ger
many, announced by Mr.. Chamberlain at
Leicester Nov. 80.
An important statement was made by Mr..
Wyndham in the House of Commons
Thursday. namely. that the vacancies the
war had made among the officers would
be partly filled by promotion from the
ranks. This means the characterization of
the army On this subject letter which
is attracting much attention appeared in
Fridays issue of the Daily Chronicle. 1t
was written by British officer who knows
most Of the armies of Europe from per-
sonal observation, and who has seen much
service He plainly declared that the class
Of society from which British officers are
drawn is distinctly degenerate. due to lack
of intellectual training and the dissipation
and vice Of the aristocracy" which 1t is
commonly known provides SO per cent. of
the officers The writer. also says: THE in
tellectual standard of the young man of
seventeen. fresh from the English public
schools, Is lower than that of German
board school boy of eight. His time is de-
voted to athletic sports. AS his ancestors
have DONE he marries a girl of the same
training and in three or four generations
society will consist of physically, splendidly
developed idols The only remedy, accord
ing to the writer, is 'intermarriage between
society and the healthy middle classes
The social future depends entirely upon
the progress of the war, but the Queen
wishes everything to go on as usual as far
possible She has ordered two drawing
rooms to be held before Easter and others
in May. Her Majestys decision is well
coined by the London tradesmen. The
Queen made all arrangements to go to
| Italy. but she now declares her intention of
remaining in England unless by the be-
ginning of March there is great improve
ment in the situation. The Prince of Wales
and other members OF the royal family
will remain In any event.