New-York tribune., 1902-05-25
LONDON.
lord ROSEBERY'S ZIGZAG COURSE TOW
ARD LEADERSHIP.
FREE TRADE BEST FIGHTING ISSUE FOR
LIBERALs-sPANIsH FUNCTIONS END
ED-INTEREsT IN KAIsER,s
MOVEMENTS

London. May 24.-Lord Rosebery's speech at
the National Liberal Club is a fresh tack in
the course on which he has been sailing since
he left the Chesterfield anchorage What is
really important is the general direction in
which he is heading among the zigzags of poll
teal oratory. It is toward the leadership. He
aspires TO rally the Liberal party and regain
the stronghold of political power; and brilliant
and tactful as he is when he speaks and IA
vcred as he is by the personal friendship of the
King. it is not impossible that be may succeed
when the war in South Africa is over The fact
that he appeared at the National Liberal Club
where the Radicals have been denouncing him
for years, was highly significant and showed
that he considered the Liberal Paris worth
mass
The speech, while not a great one was tolerant
and flexible. and pleased even the Radical Hot
spur. He made ingenious use of the Cart
wright and Dillon incidents. and not only con-
deraned Mr.. Chamberlain with a fine irony as
a good judge of recantatiops. but also laid
stress on the revival of the corn duty as fiscal
revolution Of far reaching character. by which
the ministers were overturning the whole sys-
TEN Of free trade
Lord Rosebery's speech emphasizes the fact
that free trade is the best fighting issue which
the Liberals have for regaining power and pres
tige- Perhaps he was inconsistent in contending
that the Liberals must keep theiT eyes
fixed upon the problems Of the past and in the
next breath going back fifty years and declaring
that, for good for evil. the fortunes Of the
party were bound up with free trade. but he
was logical and practical politician in diff
ferentiating the liberal free trade policy from
the revision of the fiscal systems which Sir
Michael Hicks -Beachs food tax and Mr.. Cham
berlain's imperial zollverein project were open
ing the way. What he failed 10 perceive was
the futility Of the kind OF Liberal imperialstic
sentiment which he represented when brought
into competition with Mr.. Chamberlain's sagac-
~ in taking up the imperial federation on the
business side. with the moral support of the
colonies behind him.
The next general election, whenever Il comes
VIII find an electorate released from the patri-
otic obligations OF supporting the government
IN time and at liberty give expression to
personal grievances and irritation. Income tax
payers are now exposed TO ineusitorial processes
and harassed By surveyors and collectors under
general instructions from the Treasury TO go
behind assessments aud establish claims for
arrears. II has become a sweating tax. which
bears heavily upon the resources OF people Of
moderate incomes. and has never been enforced
more vigorously than at present Thousands Of
natural Conservatives are predisposed, from the
operation of the income tax, to condemn the
whole financial administration of the unionist
government. They will have nothing, however.
to expect from a change OF government, since
the Liberals are committed by all traditions to
direct rather than indirect taxation, yet they
win have little to lose by the transfer Of po-
ntical power TO the opposition since Sir Mi
chael Hicks Beach in finance is essentially a
Liberal ard strong free trader.
Mr. Chamberlain alone offers deliverance 70
the income tax payer, for he provides a COM
prehensive project for justifying the revision
of the fiscal system in the zoliverein for estab-
ushing free trade within the empire and gen.
eral tariff against foreign merchandise. British
conservatism and dislike for change will offer
strenuous resistance TO this genuine imperialis-
tic movement The Liberal party. representing
even in the present demoralized state the masses
Of the worker, is committed in advance 70 the
defence of the present i'll balanced fiscal system.
by which the burdens are borne almost exclu-
sively by the rich and people Of moderate in
comes.
British politics. dull and stagnant for long
period, promises 10 be most interesting in the
early future While England is waiting with
characteristic patience for the fulfIment Of the
hope that peace will be the outcome of the pro-
tracted Cabinet meeting and the negotiations at
Pretoria, and that the coronation will come on
under unclouded sky, foreign affairs pass
almost without observation The triumph Of
American altruism and good faith in the es
tablishment Of the Cuban Republic has excited
no discussion in the press beyond an occasional
intimation that the United States having found
another Cromer in General Wood ought TO have
kept him Havana. set in order the political
and industrial reforms required for working
out the redemption of the fortunes of the
island.
President Loubet's visit TO Russia has been
watched iistlessly, and a much greater inter
est has been excited by the persistent rumors
that the German Emperor is considering the
possibility Of making a journey to the United
States and accepting an informal invitation
from President Roosevelt for shooting either
arncng the Adirondacks or the Rockies. 1t is
difficult for Englishmen 10 observe without pref
udice the signs of increasing friendliness be-
tween the United States and Germany and take
comprehensive view that America, the British
Empire and Germany the progressive forces
Of the world whom the future belongs, and
that any increase of good feeling between two
OF these great powers indirectly promotes the
interests of all three.
The Spanish functions have ended with literary
and loyal celebrations European interest
lspsed with the departure OF the princes and
the special embassies The foreign governments,
by sending influential embassies. have lent
moral support TO the Spanish monarchy and
strengthened the compromise governments day.
Senior sagasta. old and feeble is not likely TO
live long, and Sehor Moret will probably
ceed him; but General weyler is the silent SOL
dier, who has the army behind him. and may
attempt 20 re-enact the part OF Serrano Wheth-
er the boy King will be headstrong advocate
OF Weylers policy of militarism or sober
minded sovereign. bent upon developing the in
dustrial resources OF Spain is a mystery of the