The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-07-25
LORD RosEsERY AND HIS PARTY
New York Tribune.


New York Tribune.
A striking corroborauion ot the esd-
mate OF the English Liberal party which
was las: week made by ;ha Tribune and
i;s London correspondent appears in the
letter Of Lord Rosebery to the City Lib
eral Club, Of London, I; emphasizes
the hoIlowness o. the truce which was
the other day trumped up between the
warning factions Of the party ana tn
hopelessness Of the par;y's outlook for
the immediate future, as well as the
deplorable effect upon the government
AMI nation OF having only one effect
i've party in country in which govern
meat by party is the rule, ana in which
accordingly. an efficient opposition is
moral necessity. Such a statement ot
the case Is peculiarly forcible, coming,
as It does. from the foremost states
man Of the party. the man who was
chosen by the creator Of that party to
be his successor in the leadership Of it,
and the one living Liberal who has been
prime minister; the man Of all men,
moreover. who has no ak to grind and
cannot be suspected Of selfish or am
bitous motives in making this ut;eranee'
Lord Rosebery makes it clear yha; me
chief point al issue is not, after all, the
rieh' or the wrong Of the war in South
Africa. but rather that leading men Of
the party sincerely disagree concerning
Il. They disagree, moreover, on a matter
n The highest moral principle. Some
hold that the war IS unjust and the
British cours, is criminal Others a.
clare the war to b. just, righteous ard
praisew5rthy. And those who take the
one view are as sincere as those who
,aka the other. For either side 20 sac
rlace such principles would BE- self
qualification. such as would stamp
man unfit for leadership. V, so long
as these differences exist il IS imp7ssih e
FOR tn two factions Of the party %
work together or 10 have a common
lead.r I, is likewise impossible TO ,em-
nor,ze until after the WAR. or TO hold
the matter in abeyance A question Of
national righteousness or criminal.'y
cannot be shslved. The man who
lodges it is unworthy Of leadership
Nor indeed. would such temp7rlz.ng oe
effectuaL For the issue Is one that will
outlast :he war. I, will be perpetual
II the war should end today in the com
plete establishment Of British authority
south OF the Zambesi and tomorrow
Messrs. Morley and Labouchere and
their colleagues should com: into power
they would he morally constrained 10
undo the results Of the war and re-es-
tablish the Boer states. The differences
between he TWO factions Of the party
are !rremadiable and perpetual.
There can be no doubt as 70 the side
10 which Lord Rosebery inclines.
Neither can there be much doubt that
it is the popular side, not only in the
British na.ion at large, bu, also within
the ranks Of the Liberal party. The
great majority favor imperialism and
the prosecution Of The war TO its logi-
cal end. just as the great majority of
Americans favor the acceptance Of the
results Of the var with Spain. That
does not mean that they approve the be-
ginning. Millions Of Americans We're
opposed to going to war with Spain, but
once the war was begun hey were in
favor Of fighting it out and it may be
that there are many who sincerely re-
pret thar this country ever had 70 as
sumo the burden Of caring for the Phil
ippines, yet who, since the burien wa
laid upon Us, are now in favor Of bear
ing it manfully and honorabiy. IN Ike
manner many Britons regret tha. the
country was forced into war with the
Beers, and yet are in favor 0f prose-
cutting the war TO an end which will
be final and will be for the Welfare Of
the empire. A great leader Of men,
holding such views could doubtless rally
10 his following the great mass Of the
once great Liberal party. But such a
leader is not within the present view.
Lord Rosebery himself measures most