Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-14
The Political Situation in Great
Britain Dishearteninst to 10y.
al Enslishmen.
"A Weak Ministry Saved by d Fee
BILE Opposition :. The War
Issue.
Radicals Willing to Leave Set
Element OF the War to Party
in Power.

MaJorlty,sts protectea anu sa''-o "
the feeblest opposition.
While the country can not remain
otherwise than patriotic three Of the
leading liberals have been addressing
provincial audiences in hesitating tones
Asquith is still under the restraint i'm
posed by Campbell Bannerman'ts dis
Hcipline, enformed after the Reform Clut
meeting, and has lacked courage Her
bert Gladstone would like to see the
liberals return to power, with MAORI.
ty of the independent Irish vote. but re-
spects the fifth commandment and faces
both ways.
Sir Edward Gray substituted fine
irony for vigorous denunciation. He de-
scribes the government as possessed by
large and comprehensive fatalism
which conduces more to bearing trou-
bles with resignation than to getting
the country out Of them. This lis neat
sarcasm, but it is a pistol shot fired in
the air. The liberals themselves can be
as easily convicted of slackness and
want of grip AS the ministers, say,
there is not strength enough in the op-
position to bow.
mpbell-Bannerman, Morley and
Harcourt are in reserve, but they are
hardly likely to raise the signal ftr pop
uiar -evilt against the government,
which has mismanaged everything con-
nected with the war. Current radical
ism is content to leave the ministers to
clean up the mess they have made, and
sslirks the responsibility of conducting
the war and of settling or unsettling ev-
erything in South Africa.
Meanwhile the ministers, relieved
from destructive criticism by the oppo-
sition side, are not deeply concerned
with the querulous, fault-finding Of
their own party press, and are carrying
their burdens with meekness. Some Of
them, like Salisbury and Brodrick, af-
feet an air of jocular optimism. Others.
like Hicks Beach, take refuge in politi-
cal fatalisnl, but most of them IRE In
dolent and helpless. while the country
looks on with increasing discomfort and
and no longer seeks to fore
cast the end OF the war, which has been
so fatal to military careers and minis
terial regulations
The ministers seem to consider them
selves soldiers OF fortune, who are do
ing the best they can and must be chiv
alrnuslys treated. Fellow-feelins may
have made them wondrous kind In deal
Ing with Gen, Butler who also says he
did the best he could in South Africa,
but had. rank bad luck. After letting
Butler down easily when Roberts was
frtr
overlooked his dispatch to White advis-
ing the surrender of Ladysmitll and
singled him out for the command of the
First Corps of the reorganized army.
Press criticism was fierce, but Alder!
shot could have snapped its fingers at
It ii Butler had not spatchcockesi him
self into after-luncheon oratory. The
country now demands deliverancia from
talking generals who have not learned
the saving grace of silence. The best
defense which the military journals
make to Buffers amazing indiscretion is
that he had been shot at more than any
other general and was finally reused to
speak in tis own defense. AS for the
dispatch to Gen. White. they praise 1t
half-heartedly ash chivalrous intima-
ton that Butler was prepared to accept
the responsibility for the surrender of
10000 British soldiers They neglect to
explain why Butler was not better in
formed respecting garrisons resources,
and endurance. and why he was willing
to abandon the relief of Ladysmith sitter
a single. badly planned battle.
Butler, In truth, was too ready to all
low others to do his work and then draw
a blank check on himself for RESPONSE
billy for all consequences.
Clery planned the battle of Colenso,
Warren was in charge at Spion Kop.
and White was empowered to surrender
and the COMMUNICATIVE
was magnanimously prepared to shout
der the entire responsibility. Chivalry
like this might be magnificent for the
but it was not war.
The Aldershot gang was on trial two
years ago and failed. The recognized
army ought not to be remanded to the
control Of generals whose Incompetence
has been demonstrated, especially when
trained veterans in the field are fighting
most CALAMITY, as has been shown by
the defeats of Botha and Delarey, and
doing the work surely II slowly as is
proved by the capture Of Scheepers, one
of the most resourceful and desperate
of the Boer commanders.
Genuine army reformers are now
looking for direct intervention by the
king in the displacement of Butler. 1t
would be popular act, and would be a
fresh proof that monarchy has resour-
ces for saving the situation wien the
ministers are sluggish and Indifferent
to public opinion.
The king only needs to take notice Of
the fact that Butler considers a cam
paign dispatch, carried in his own pock-
et as private property. and charges
that magazine editor is in possession
of another important military dispatch.
An official inquiry would seem indis-
pensable when puplic documents are
hawked about and loosely referred to in
ost-prandial oratory.
The kings chief military adviser is
the duke of Connaught, who is believed
to share the old duke of Camtridge's
opinion of Butler. That sturdy marti-
net, who was once Buffers warmest adj
mirer. Is now his sternest, most intoler-
ant critic.
The Aldershot gang has been depend
ent upon social support, and fer this
reason Vanity Fair is intensely Interest
ed. in the fate of Butler, after he has
been convicted OF being in shocking bad
form.
James L.. Ellinwood, wealthy citi-
zen, died at st. Joseph, Mo-, OF diabetes.
Mr.. Ellwood was pioneer merchant.
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