The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-08
The War Debate in Parliament.

1t seems probable that the debate in the
House OF Commons on the address respon-
sive to the Queens Speech will leave
the Salisbury Government ostenslbly as
strong IA ever, because the members who
lis ipprovc Of the conduct of the war have
not hit, as yet, upon a common ground Of
action.
The assertion officially made by the
Liberal Opposition that the war, although
unjust and unnecessary" should be
vigorously prosecuted. cannot command
the votes of the Irish Nationalists who
hold that AN iniquitous war Of aggression
entirely %unproyoked" ought not to be con
tinued. 1t Is not expected that the latter
declaration, although virtually identical
with that which was carried against Lord
NoRTH's Government after CoRNwALLIs's
surrender, will be at this time sup
ported by any members OF the House
Of Commons, outside OF the Irish
party. The time, apparently, is not
ripe for a motion similar to that which
overthrow Lord ABERDEES's Government
during the Crimean War. That was a reso-
luton reduced to the simplest terms, and
tantamount to the averment that the
present management Of the war in South
Africa is unsatisfactory to this House"
Such a motion, should further severe
reyerses be suffered by the British arms,
would be not unlikely to secure the votes,
not only Of all the Liberals and lash
Nationalists, but also Of many disconnected
Conservatives, and, conccivably, it might be
carried. 1t would express even now the con-
v~ictions OF a majority OF the British people,
and the secret, though not as yet avowed,
opinions of "A large proportion Of the House
Of Commons. Meanwhile, the most men,
orablc feature Of the debate on the Minis
tcrial side is Mr.. C~HAMBERLAIN's defiant
speech, in which he not only defends the
proceedings which provoked tho contest,
and warns the Beers that defeat will mean
for them perpetual subordination, but
announces that, If the necessity shall arise.
further sacrifices will be cxacted from the
colonies, while he hints not obscurely at the
application Of CONSUMPTION to the United
Kingdom.
Before outlining the main features Of Mr..
C~HAMBERLAIN's speech, we should note
what seems to be a strange tactical blunder
on his part in charging the Liberal OPPOSE
ton with a lack of logic for describing the
war as unjust and unnecessary, and yet
proposing to vote for its vigorous prosecu-
ton. Nothing but an ebullition Of i'll tenn
per can explain his denunciation Of the
reasons, however casuistical, alleged for
votes which, obviously, will help to save the
Cabinet from overthrow. The spokesman
Of Lord NORTH in the House of Commons
during our Revolutionary War were much
too shrcwd to reproach the followers Of
ROCKINGHAM and S~HELBrRNE with a lack OF
logic because, while %pronouncing the war
unnecessary and unjust, they yet voted
for the appropriations needed to carry 1t
on. The hour came when the Rockingham
and Shclburne factions showed them
selves unpleasantly logical and when they
were assisted by a multitude Of Tories dis
gusted at the inefficient conduct OF opera
tons in America. For the moment, the
Irish Natlonalists are the only logicians in
the House of Commons, and Mr.. CHAMBER.
LAIN can scarcely wish to hasten the time
when the opposition Of the Liberals shall
cease to be academic.
The Secretary for the Colonies began by
insisting that the issues between the Beers
and the British were inherent in the differ.
ences between the Boer and British ciyiliza.
tions, and that, consequently, the war was
inevitable. This Is n bclatcd discovery ON
the part of Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN, and il in.
consistent with tn" absence ofany effort on
his part to prevent the control Of the Execu-
tive and Legislature in the Cape Colony bv
the Afrikandcrs, n control they have for
some time exercised, although their ,iyil,.
zation is Identical with that Of their Boor
brethren. 1fhethought the war inevitable
why did he spend a whole summer in dis.