Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-16

several varying accounts of Lord Rose
bery's condition of health and the causes
of it, and some remarkable statements on
the subject are being made. i hesitate to
mention the worst of these. but it appears
to be certain that very serious break
down. indeed. has occurred.
There seems to have been much more
than recurrence of the aff1iction which
troubled Lord Roseberys period of pre-
miership in 1894 and 1895. while he was
at Downing street he suffered acutely
from insomnia and he seldom managed
to obtain more than an hour or so of
steep Il night The early end of his min
iStry, in 1879. was partly attributable to
that. and the feud between him
and Sir William Harcourt
1T may be that remedies then adopted
may to some extent account for the pres
ent SrOuble. At any rate. that is one of
the explanations given for his lordship's
erratic political career during the last
ten years or Among the symptoms
and effects of this intermittent trouble
have been the absorption into a secluded
private life, an occasional aloofness from
his best political friends. a detachment
from regular politics. and certain pro-
longed and almost unaccountabie abb
sences during which Lord Rosebery has
sought for rest and peace IL southern wa
ters on his yacht.
A spasmodic return to political activity
brought about the existence of the Lib
eral League. of which Lord Rosebery was
president. The league ended rather alb
ruptly and feebly. as well as unfortunate
ly, for some of its members. During the
education bill debates in the house of
| lords last year Lord Rosebery sat quies-
cent on the cross benches for three OF
| four nights, with his hands clasped be-
hind his head, listening but making no
movement to intervene.
Then he disappeared from the house
| and did not return, leaving unuttered that
brilliant and powerful speech which the
| 4, L,
| ed to make. And now that the reform of
the house of lords is to the fore, a subject
| in which he has always taken the keenest
| interest 1t seems that Lord ROsebery is
| to be laid aside from participation of any
i considerable part, If the disturbing re-
ports now heard are true. Very great
| sympathy and regret are felt in political
| circles.
London Municipal Elections.
| There never has been much temper
shown over London elections as in the con-
j test going today for the county council
| the triennial election of all the directly chos
| en- members. There are 11s members to be
| chosen for the fifty-nine constituencies into
| which the administrative county of London
is divided and a poll is progressing In
each the metropolis is decidedly lively to.
day. The progressives have held the major
| tty ever since the council was created by
| he local government act OF 1888, excep,
| during the triennial period 1868, wher
| hfty-nine members of each party were re-
| turned and the aldermanc bench was
| halved At this moment, of the elected
| members eighty-four are progressiyes anC
| thirty four moderates or municipal reform
| ers-the latter being the name adopted a.
| this contest by the moderate parry, though
| broadly speaking, the progressives are lib
erals and the municipal reformers ar.
unionists. 1t will. therefore, be seen agains
| what heavy odds In the matter Of seat.
these last are fighting. but their hopes jus
now are running fairly high.
| American campaign methods have beer
borrowed along with American cartoons
which were used to fight the trusts with
the progresives figuring trust magnates
The gibe has failed largely because tn,
boot is on the other leg. for II the moderate
win London facilities are In danger of bein,
| handed over to trusts. The Daily Mail ant
the Harmsworth syndicate of papers hay,
carried on a bitter fight-but have over
done it. To most citizens Ishe fact that the
| Harmsworth ring supports a cause is suffi
cient for them to oppose IL. The excitemen
here today is intense.
Kaiser Reduces His Stables.
The kaiser is angry at the waste and ex
travagance in the imperial news at Berlin
my correspondent writes. and has ordered
| far-reaching economies. 1t happened in th
! wise. The other day the kaiser was exer
eising In the riding school and noticed TIVE
| or three men clad grooms loafing abou
In the passages. He asked them what thei
duties were, and they returned as answe