Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-25
LONDON HEAT TERRIFIC
American Wave Seems to Have
Visited England.
CROWN LANDS QUESTION
Interminable Strife Over Religion in
Schools.
SPEED AND NOISE OF MOTORS
Story From India Of the Rumored
Wooing by Lord Kitchener
Death Of Duke.
SPEED AND NOISE OF MOTORS
Special Correspondence Of The Star.


LONDON, August Is. 1905.
August bank holiday in England was un-
wontedly fine and London was emptied
of its people. Some politicians spent the
day in addressing open-air meetings, but
the heat was so great that most people
sought big tree in the country under
which to rest. Time was when the holiday
was a working mans festival, but it is now
recognized by all classes, and the lawyers
are successfully agitating for the closing
of the court on that day next year. Since
then the heat has steadily Increased and
we appear to have caught some part of the
American heat wave, reports of which have
been cabled here.
The speech of Earl Darlington, minister
of agriculture, was one of the holiday
events and 1t is another evidence OF the
sincerity with which the government Is
applying itself to the land question
The crown lands will be, as far as posi-
BILE, used for the purpose Of trying, on
sound, economical basis. the system of
small holdings Happily in this case the
department of agriculture Is now the
master of the situation. An act passed
this year gives the necessary powers, ana
Lord Darlington Is evidently Prepares re- ~
ton will be severely attacked by the land
lord party, who look with dislike on the In
crease of small occupiers.
The liberal party Is very much irritated
by the action of the labor representation
committee in making three-cornered hght
in the Cockermouth division OF Cumber-
land, by which means the conservatives
were able to regain the seat; Inc con.
servative candidate, Sir John Randles, was
beaten at the general election by the vet
eran temperance leader, Sir Wilfr1d Law
son, who died a few weeks ago. The lib
erals offered the Cumberland miners the
Of candidate.
were unable to accept the invitation. Mr..
Keir Hardie, however, who heads the labor
party in the House of Commons put up
Mr.. Robert Smillie, Scotch irreconcllaple,
and he took away from the liberal candi-
date votes which, had the fight been a
square one between the two old political
parties, would have given the liberal, capt.
Guest 700 majority. AS 1t was Sir john
Randles got majority of nearly that num-
Der. go .
The labor men by this move split the
vote, kept out liberal VINO would nave
voted for labor legislation, and let In
conservative who will vote steadily against
it. The futility of this wrecking policy Is
causing some bitterness and Mr.. Winston
Churchill hints at reprisals which may ROB
now hold Mr.. Smillie, by the way, Is a
champion "wrecker," for this is the fifth
time he has been at the bottom of the poll.
but has enabled the conservative to beat
the liberal Consequently he is more pop
ular in conservative. than In liberal ranks.
He asserts that he will fight both parties
impartially until the labor party In the
House of Commons has reached fuller
measure Of strength.
~
The interminable strife Of English poll
ticians as to whether religious instruction
on UNCONVENTIONAL lines may be given by
teachers in public elementary schools.
seems to have arrived at a point at which
the law court will do more to bring about
a speedy settlement than the houses of
parliament. The education act of the last
government was framed In 1902 to put
Church of England and Roman Catholic So
called voluntary schools on the pub &C rates
and at the same time to secure the contin-
uance of the special religious instruction
of these particular denominations By de-
cision Just given Mr.. Balfour and his
friends would seem to have Numbered
badly The court Of appeal had before them
the case of the attorney genera! vs. the
county council Of the West Riding Of
Yorkshire.
The important question at issue was
whether the county council. as the educa-
ton authority. were bound to pay the
old voluntary schools. for giving religious
instruction. The council had deducted from
the teachers salaries a certain percentage
religious instruction in these schools. and
thereupon the board of education. acting
through the attorney general, applied for a
mandamus to compel the council to pay
the teachers their full salaries. The court
below decided to grant the mandamus, but
the matter was carried to the court of ap-
peal and that body by majority of two to
one has decided that there is no obligation
on the part of the education authority to
pay for religious instruction.
The question will no doubt be carried to
the house of lords, but If the view of the
court of appeal is finally upheld. the deci-
how 70 oh off
wholly justifes the conduct of the non-con-
formist passive resisters.' The county
council had no right to use the rates In
paving for religious instruction in voluntary
visions Of the bill before parliament, which
now provides that special religious tnstruc-
ton Is not to be given at the public ex-
pense and even If that measure did not
become law there would be no obligation
on the part of the local authorities to pay
for religious education In the old voluntary
schools. The teachers may give the instruc-
ton If they like. Private people may also.
II they like, pay them for doing It, but
there is no obligation on the part of the
educational authority to pay them for time
they give to religious instruction. Fortu-
nately the existing act cannot be amended
without the assent Of the present house of
commons, and this will give the govern
ment special advantage in dealing with
for at present the lords threaten to emas-
culate the liberal education proposals.
X
memorial to the home secretary asking
that new regulations should be made with
regard to the speed and noise Of motor carr
in London has been very infuentially Sign
ed. The names Of the signatories are II
| themselves an evidence Of the extent te
which the grievance is felt. It is also
worthy Of note that the vast majority Of
those who have signed 1t belong to whai
may be called the motoring class" They
| have, therefore, no prejudice against these
| must be put under severe regulation. TIT
| difficulty is not as to speed. That can b.
| dealt with definitely, but the question O.
noise Is more difficult and perhaps NOR
| important. The rattle Of these vehicles a!
| they run along the streets Is becoming In
tolerable. House property is falling IL