New-York tribune., 1901-06-23
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
LONDON.
THE RUSSELL BIGAMY CASE AND PRIvl-
LEGES OF THE FEERAGE. -
FRACTIONAL wRANGLING AMONG THE LIB
COMPETITION IN MANY LINES Il


Copyright; 1901; BY The New-York rribuneJ u
IBY CABLE TEIBuNE.I
London. June 22-The English journals. being
we'll disciplined. have refrained from making
any comment the Russell bigamy case; but
The Law Times and other professional jour
mails have pointed out the real significance of the
application of the criminal law to the privt-
legged class. Whatever magistrates or grand
juries may consider ii their duty to do after
an examination OF the prima facie evidence, a
peer charged with a criminal offence can be
tried only by the House of Lords. BY the irony
OF the privileged order. the most uncompromis-
Ing Radical among the peers. if committed by
a magistrate and indicted by grand jury.
would be left at the mercy of the Tory lords
serving as judges and jury. The procedure is
so unusual that the Radicals disposed TO
assert that whatever becomes of the bisamy
case, Earl Russell will be Instrumental in bring
ing about an abatement of the privileges Of the
peerage. Whoever reads the full report of the
proceedings when Lord Cardigan tried for
duellirg impressed with the sardonic humor
of the antiquated procedure. and is at a loss TO
forecast what would be the effect upon public
opinion if similar travesty upon justice and
common were to be enacted with pomp
and ceremony. The lords in that instance, with
stately ceremony. sOIemnly acquitted Lord Car
digan because he had been indicted for shooting
at Harvey Garnett Phipps Tuckett. whereas
the witnesses for the Crown had identified him
Harvey Tuckett. 1t is not strange that the
peerage has been screened from criminal prose-
cuton for sixty years. when the dignity of the
privileged order depended upon a thread so
slender
The upper house. with it's immunities from
ordinary criminal jurisdiction. comes out well
after inspection of the records; only four
peers and peeresses have been tried for felony
.,EC arrI
only three Irish peers in the eighteenth century.
The best precedents for Earl Russell would be
the trials of Lord Cardigan for duelling and the
Duchess Of Kingston for bigamy each of whom
acquitted
The Unfonst press Is iubiant over the wrang-
ling now in progress among the Liberals. and
is forecasting the break UP of the Opposition
Undue stress is laid upon recent speeches and
divisions. Mr.. Asquith and Mr.. Morley will re-
main where they are. under the leadership OF
Sir Henry Campbell -Bannerman, and the fac
tiOns will go quarrelling among themselves
until the in South Africa is brought 70 a
close. There can be no unity on the Liberal
side while this source Of disturbance remains.
but Sir Henry Campbell -Bannerman is con-
( Eeniept ~fgureheed, until a real leader, capable
OF ralIying the paEf with real authority, comes
10 the front. Mr.. Asquith has iufuriated the
Radical Hotspurs. but displayed his strength
and thereby improved his own chances for sue
cession to the leadership when South Africa no
longer holds the field. The government is de-
lfvered from criticism by the guerilla warfare
on the Liberal side. and II is vulnerable at
many points The war has been neither wei
managed nor we'll financed, and the military
reorganization scheme is artificial pretence.
The session has been wasted. and there will be
a meagre record of legislation. There is no ef-
fectfve centre of ministerial vigor. unless II be
the Colonial Office. where Mr. Chamberlain
keeps everything in order. when laid up
with the gout. The approaching colonial con-
ference promises 10 be most important one.
with points of divergence between Canada and
Australia, but Mr.. Chamberlain can be depended
upon 10 intervene at the right moment as a
judicious peacemaker.
The stagnant Street expects that money will
remain fairly plentiful until September or Octo-
ber when higher rates may be commanded in
consequence Of the probable demand for gold
from the United States. A revival of specula
ton Is irnpracticable here while the Kaffir Cir
Gus is closed. and dealers have leisure for
Watching what is going on in the American
market Veteran operators assert that the
situation there is abnormal, and cannot be ex-
planned by the causes usually governing ex-
change such as the balance of trade and the
value Of money They attribute the high Ameri-
can exchange. when money is cheap in Berlin.
Paris and London TO the enormous operations
which have been assisted by European capital.
and for which settlement is still in progress
English capitalists have not yet found out
practical method of combining their railway and
! steel manufacturing interests. although they
feeling their way toward fusion and amalgama-
tion Meanwhile warnings are sounded here
and there in the press against English invest
ment in the ordinary shares of the United States
Steel Corporation. which represented as
/ coming TO Europe by shiplOads. The Scots
man for example. remarks that when Ameri-
can insiders are anxious TO get rid of their
shares it is pre-eminently a moment for out
siders to leave them alone. especially when
London banks are refusing to make advances
on them The same journal draws moral
from the shrinkage of profits in the United
States Rubber Company. and asserts that the
ordinary share of capital in American trusts
represents nothing water. formerly
the case with most American railways. Com
rnents like these show that American competi-
tion a force which is exaggerated by the half
penny press is exciting prejudice and resistance.
The American invasion in business OF all kinds,
in financial investments and engineering work
and in sport on land and water. creates not a
little resentment. Embittered writer's ready
20 appeal TO anti-American prejudice and K
cite distrust in American securities which fnan-
ciers charged with unloading upon Europe
So many smart fixtures have gone wrong this
season that Jenkins finds relief in saying that
London was emptied usual during Ascot
week and all the ordinary town gayeties were
suspended The Ascot tradition has been sus-
tanned even If all the other conventions OF the
smart sets have been held in allegiance during a
dreary season Fashionable visitors found more