The Indianapolis journal., 1902-02-09
Lord Cecil's Political Aspirations
Hurt by Opposition to the De-
ceased wife's Sister Bill.
DISLOYALTY IN IRELAND
WORK OF THE UNITED LEAGUE SAID
TO BE REVOLUTIONARY.
Rabid Americans Accused of FOment-
ing TrOubIe-LOndOners Insur-
ing Against Smallpox.

LONDON, Feb. S.-The apparent incom-
petence, and. it is claimed. possible dis
honesty. which peTmeate the purchasing
departments Of the British army. as re-
= vealed this week i'm Parliament. have
Gaused public agitation that augurs badly
( = the War Office. Judging from recent
md promised disclosures. scarcely any OF
the supplies for the army in South Africa
were secured on business principles. Spec
ulating contractors are now known to have
made hundreds OF thousands Of pounds by
reselling contracts. The opposition vainly
endeavOred to get details regarding the
new contract for the supply of meat, an
nOunced by the government in the House
OF Commons with the view of ascertaining
II a saving over the former methods will
really be effected The government sue
cessfully avoided answering, but the Asso-
ciated Press understands that the contract
I'm question first resold at S100. 600
premium and then at 10000, while Cecil
Rhodes and the De Beers group handed
over 100000 and thus finally secured the
privilege of supplying the troops in South
Africa with fresh meat These figures are
likely to be published here soon, and when
known will doubtless add fuel TO the fire of
public indignation which threatens to CEN
ter around the secretary of war. Mr.. BrOd-
rick. viciously as it did around Lord
Lansdowne when the latter was sponsor
for the early blunders Of the war. A dozen
or more committees OF investigation are
now sitting or are in process Of formation,
but. as the Saturday Review says: These
are only too often Synonymous Of oblivion"
The fact remains adds the Saturday
Review, that we have been swindled on
very large scale.
While these stringent criticisms of the
War Office are being publicly aired there is
proceeding beneath the surface a revolt
which threatens to be of even greater i'm
pOrtance. The leading. authorities of the
volunteers. including many Of the COM
maaders OF the best known regiments sew
eral of them being military persons and
nearly all wealthy, are holding secret meet
tngs TO decide on the best methods of de-
feating Mr.. BrOdricks = new volunteer regu-
lations The committee which Mr.. BrOd-
rick appointed TO hear the grievances only
aggravated matters. The commanders of
the leading regiments had previously
formed themselves into a deputation TO
wait on Mr.. BrOdrick, and he temporarily,
declined to see them, but the secretary for
war stole march on the members OF the
deputation by announcing in the House Of
Commons that he had appointed a COM
mittee OF his own in which none of the
deputatiOn was Included. His action ere
ated intense feeling among the members of
the original deputatiOn, who privately de-
clare the new volunteer regulations and the
'deadhead committee We're introduced for
the sole purpose OF making conscription
possible.
The colonel of one Of the London regi-
ments said: we know Mr.. BrOdrick wants
cOnscripticn, though perhaps in modified
form. II his ideas win the day the volun-
teers Will gradually cease to be an effective
force and will thereby supply the War
Office with its strongest argument in favor
of compulsory military service or the en-
forcement of the old ballot laws. Rather
than see that come about we intend TO
break up our regiments. l have a letter
from a distinguished HObleman urging me
10 take that course, and many other com
manding officers contemplate disbanding
their regiments