The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-28
LONDON NEWS 1AND. GOSSIP.
Reported Dissension- fn,thc Cabinet
Over the budget.

L
| week of political alarms. IF one-half OF
| the gossip in the clubs is true. the Cabi-
net chamber was the scene Of pitched
battle before Sir Nliehaeln Hicks Beach
had his will in declining TO throw the en-
tire cost of the war upon pusterity. in the
| way of loans. and in further declining to
| commit a breach of free trade by exempt
| ing impure sugars from the new tax.
| Punch this week echoes the general
feeling of Ministerial unrest by picturing
| John Bulls refusal to allow Ministers to
dismount from their jibbing and kick
| ing mule. They must ride ii through.
| Whatever grain of truth there may be in
| these rumors. II is quite certain that Sir
| Michael Hicks-Beach is now getting his
way all round. though in so doing he in
| creases the spirit of revolt among the
| Ministerial rank and file with protection
| list and other heretical ieanirgs. and
| though the coal tax must certainly lose
| a NiniSterialist seat at Monmouth Burghs,
| where bye-election is pending. Yet mil
| liant Liberalism is very slow to take its
| chance. Being Ieaderless, the party IS
| lifeless.
| This may not long be so, for many in
| fuential Liberals are being brought to
| realize that never since Mr.. Gladstone S
Midlothian campaign has Liberalism had
a better chance. The Westminster Ga
zette," now the most powerful of the Lib
eral journals. leads the new movement.
1t declares the Liberals must use all
means TO evict the Government and must
be willing to take Office even in the pres
ent Tory House of Commons for suffi-
cient period to enable them to introduce
thorough scheme of financial reform
and an effective scheme of army reform
| Then, whatever happened TO Liberal
| ism in the House. IL would stand before
the country as a reorganized and united
| party with a definite policy that would
| cure dissensions and inspire men to fight
| for it. To have such party is. all LID
! erals agree one of the first national
needs, and it would probably get a large
measure of support, even in the present
| House of Commons. If the idea seems
chimerical it is not because the Govern
ment is strong or because its supporters
are satisfied. but because Lord Rosebery
| and Sir William Harcourt still haunt LID
! eraiism with their personal feud.
English dissent may date an important
| historical development from TINS Week
| The joint spring assembly of the Baptist
| and Congregational Unions has been III
session in London, and reception OF ex-
| traordinary enthusiasm has been given
| to Dr. Joseph Parker's proposals. as
| Chairman of the Congregational Union OF
| England and Wales, for a union of the
Congregational, Baptist, and Presbyterian
| bodies OF England on lines similar to
those adopted in the recent union OF the
Free Churches of Scotland
The united body would under these pro-
posals establish ministerial sustentation
| fund would preserve the individuality Of
each Church. would not insist upon uni
form or infexible way of receiving or
recognizing it's ministers, would replace
eight existing theological colleges by three
high grade colleges at oxford. Cambridge.
and Durham, and deal with the questions
of property. endowments. colleges, funds,
etc. These are the lines upon which Free
Churchmen are being urged to consider
consolidation.
This also has been a momentous week
in English educational affairs. The High
Court recently decided that the school
boards, in whose hands the primary state
education is placed, have no legal right
TO expend public money on anything be
You'd the three RS, reading, writing, and
arithmetic. and this week the London
School Board decided to submit TO the de-
cision. and not carry tire appeal to the
nlSneG his means III IDUuoH
alone that 1893 of the London School
Board higher educatio and evening
scholars can no longer be educated out
of the rates. The same rule applies to
every provincial town, affecting hundreds
and thousands of scholars The old princi
pie of Toryism, that the working classes
have no need for more than the rudest
elements of education, is thus justified
by law.
The question now agitating educational
circles is whether the Salisbury Ministry
is Tory enough TO maintain this princi-
pie, or whether political pressure from
the new ToryIsm of provincial England
will compel them to remove the deadlock
by passing short enabling act.
Scotland 3 loyal heart is much oppressed
just now. The King has not alone decided
not to follow his mothers example in
making Balmoral place OF regular royal
residence, but il is now announced that
the report of the intention Of the King
and Queen to reside at the historic Holy
rood castle, in Edinburgh, is a ridiculous
invention. Ireland. however, may have
royal residence, and some authorities go
so far as to declare that Lord Cadogan
will be the last Viceroy of Ireland, King
in residence making his viceroydlty un-
necessary.
The musical world has been set agog
this week by well accredited reports of a
new and important opera movement for
the coming season, under the encourage
ment of the King. dukes. and milIionaires
a new opera house on the new HoIborn-
Strand Avenue is the object of this new
combination. Meanwhile, structural i'm
provements at Covent Garden will give
opera a high place there, while two or
three opera companies are projected on
the lines of the Carl Rosa and other sim
liar organizations. AS though to disprove
the indictment so often brought against
English musical taste. a seven weeks
opera season of sorts has just been car
ried out at MISREPRESENTATION Shoreditch;
while Tristan and Isolde which Covent