The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-12
HOME RULE NEARER
Than EVER BEFORE
Remarkably Successful Progress
Made Last Week With the
Irish Land Bill.
ARBITRATION TREATY POSSIBLE
Establishment of Cordial Relations
Between France and England
May Have Important Ef
feet on Peace.
ARBITRATION TREATY POSSIBLE



SPECIAL. BY CABLE To THE NEW YORK
HERALD AND THE ST. LOUIS REPrELl'.
London. July 1L-tCopyrisht. 1aOS>.-'rhe
President of the French Republic re-
ceived in London with all the honor due
10 the chief of Il ncighhoriuC and friendly
state. The King greeted his distinguished
visitor with the grace and courtesy which
never fail him ON ceremonial occasions.
The populace. if not enthusiastically dem
onstrative. was thoroughly cordial in its
greeting. ard everything was satisfactory
except the decorations. which were singu-
larry meacer and ineffective.
The French. however do not expect us
10 shine in that way. and they are seldom
disappointed.
The King. by his recent visit to Paris.
where he is so we'll known. rendered a
great service to. both countries which may
soon result in a treaty of arbitration.
For such n treaty his Majesty's Minis
tiers. especially Lord I.ansdowne. would. of
course. he responsible but this is one of
the opportunities whore the sovereign,
without stepping beyond his proper sphere,
may smooth the wheels of diplomacy and
maintain the harmony of nations.
The last great treaty with France the
commercial treaty of 1860. was equally ben
as Mr.. Chamberlain says preferential. for
it gave nothing to France which it did not
give to all the world but besides being
economically expedent. It was a sign of
goodwill. and in that respect treaty of
| arbitration would he even more influential.
IRISH LAND BILL MARCHES.
The Irish land bill. which passed through
| committees in the House of Commons on
Wednesday night, has had strange, singu-
lar history
1t provides for lump payment of IL, TOO
90 from the eXchequer of the United King
| dom and for a contingent liability of at
| least f100C00.O0O.
II brings the British Government for the
| first time face to face with an indefinite
number of Irish tenants. There will be no
| Irish body responsible for these tenants, yet
| the debates in committee. extended as they
were, over several weeks. have been almost
| entirely conducted by the Irish members
| and the Chief Secretary for ireland.
The leaders of the opposition have taken
| no part in the proceedings. Mr. Wyndham
| has been justly praised for the tact. cour-
| tesy and skill with which he piloted the
| measure, but circumstances have made the
| task a very easy one.
The opposition voted in a body for the
second reading of the bill and then felt they
| had done all which could be expected of
/ them.
The Irish Nationalist. led by a consum-
| mate parliamentary tactician. elected fror,
Mr.. Wyndham one concession after another
| and overwhelmed him with, compliments
| which, from their point of view, he certain
| ly deserved.
| No bill introduced since 1898 has gone halt
so far in the direction of home rule.
| Great pressure will be put upon the House
of Lords to prevent them from making any
changes which would offend the National
lists. The difference between such state OF
things and home rule is rather formal than
| material