New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-31
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
AFFAIRS IN LONDON.
British Comments on PlehUe's Mur-
der Are Cold and Critical.
Especial to The New-York Tribune by French Cable)
Copyright: 1904 BY The Tribune AssociatonO

London, July 30.-The British comments upon
the murder of NJ. Plehve have been sin
gularly cold and critical. While there is
no sympathy with the monst~ous crime of
assassination, there is general recognition
of the fact that it is the logical and inevi-
table result of his reactionary. medieval policy.
Justice is done NJ. Plehve an honest zealot,
who sincerely believed that Oriental despotism
was the paternal order of government. and that
the Russians must De treated like ignorant.
stupid children; but he is held responsible for
the rigorous measures of repression in Finland
and Poland and among the peasants of the
southern provinces, and for the downfall OF NJ.
W1tte. the greatest Russian statesman of recent
times, who aimed at making the empire stronger
and more prosperous by the development of
home industries. There is little confidence
among diplomatists here that the Car will
profit by the terrible warning of the murder Of
mis- strongest Minister. The impression received
by those who have sought secret informa ton of
the real situation in st. Petersburg is that the
portrait of the Car in THE Quarterly Review
is correctly drawn-that he is an amiable
weakling, who consults cIairvoyants. fortune
tellers and spiritualst mediums. and follows
their advice instead of being influenced by rep
resentative Russians Of the progressive class.
The financial market has been reassured by
the statements of Mr.. Balfour and Lord Lans-
downe respecting the seizures of neutral ships
in the Red Sea and the knight Commander
outrage. Full compensation is expected FOR
the destruction of the ship. since the Russian
government cannot disregard the protests of
the State Department and Foreign Office The
theory of the alarmsts that Russia is striving
TO drag the foreign powers into complications.
and that the Mauchuria campaign will he fol-
lowed by a European war is not accepted by
thoughtful men in touch with the foreign en-
basses- The safest opinion is that there has
been no deliberate attempt to draw the fire of
maritime nations by outrages directed against
neutral commerce. but that the Russian beau
rocracy has neither unity nor intelligence The
Minister of Marine gave orders to the Red Sea
rovers without consulting Lord Lansdorff He
also issued regulations last March the COM
manders of cruisers IN the Pacific which justi-
fed them in destroying the Knight Commander
when unsafe and iuconvenent TO take
prize into Vladivostok. These regulations, with
drastic definition OF coutrabaud OF war. have
made It well nigh impossible for neutrals to
carry on trade with Japan without extreme
hazard.
without doubt capitalists and business men
ara relieved b. the knowledge that. unforeseen
accidents being excluded. there is no probability
OF a general election or change in government
this year The government here like the Re
publican sduliuAgt~att-- ~ Anser;ce. Is ~ 1B
capable and experienced IN its conduct or foreign
affairs in critical period. when there is var in
the Far East when neutral commerce IS men
aced and the mastery Of the Pacific, the integ
rity OF China and the viniIcation OF the open
door principle are momentous issues in the
worlds politics. Changes in the direction of
diplomatic policies. therefore. are not opportune.
For this reason the free-food members are not
likely TO have full muster when the Liberals
move to vote censure on Monday All save
bakers dozen will walk out of the House with
out voting. and plume themselves on being op-
portunists The ministry viii then be safe until
next springs divisions and free to wind up the
session in the middle of August.
Yet the ministry itself lacks inherent unity
and political support. Mr. Brodrlck has gone out
of his way TO sneer al Arnold Forster's military
scheme, and Lansdowne also is reported 10 DC a
hostile critic Of his own colleagues methods OF
reform and retrenchment. The Oswestry cleo
tion has warned the government that no Union
ist member with a majority under LOO can
consider his seat safe. The depression among
old Tories has increased. and they complain
among themselves that Mr.. Chamberlain has
broken up the party by means of the fiscal ques
tion and is now striving to commit Mr.. Balfour
to a prolonged and bitter struggle with the Ma
tionalsts next year over the redistribution OF
seats and the reduction of the Irish delegation.
The government has also suffered because OF
a series Of unpopular measures. The Education
act has given offence to thousands OF sincere
Nonconformists, and the Licensing bill has
cited the resentment OF the temperance class.
since the minister's by refusing To limit the com
pensaton clause. have virtually created legal
property in licenses.
The importation of Chinese labor To South
Africa is also most unpopular policy which in
creases the Liberal poll at every by-eection.
Meanwhile. the tariff reform press is raising
the poverty issue and discussing 1t in popular
way "The Daily Mail" whose owner recently
made baronet publishes Calamity Col
umn' every morning, showing that there is no
money about. and that everybody is retrenchinG
expenses. drinking whiskey IN place Of cham
payne, wearing old clothes moving into Inferior
lodgings, walking instead OF driving in cabs
cutting off tips to servants, and using up shrink
ing bank balances. and ali cumulative proof
that times in England bad, and that the
people Of moderate incomes and all classes of
workers are suffering. The tariff reform agi-
tators wish their halfpenny readers to draw the
inference that the system of taxation now in
operation is ruinous and that free trade tai
away work and wages from the population and
impoverishes the country. Mr.. Chamberlain
may dress up a parable next week on the Duke
of Portiand's riding school
Governor Alger. who is now in Scotland was
almost the only conspicuous American poll
tician in London this week. The Presidential
election has materially diminished the volume oe
American tourist traffic. the current setting |
in the other direction. IN addition to tie Arch
bishop of Canterbury and Lord Roberts. hun