Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-26
Mr.. BALFOUR'S POLICY
Tariff Reformers Want to
Know Where He Stands.
WILL DEMAND STATEMENT
Dissatisfied With Attitude on Fiscal
Questions.
-ti'-r --.-r-
THE CHANNEL TUNNEL SCHEME
Hope for Getting Measure Through
Parliament, Though Opposition is
Still Strong-London Gossip.
HE CHANNEL TUNNEL SCHEME

Still strong-London Gossip.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON, January IL, 1907.
1 hear on good authority that the tariff
reformers are getting more and more dis
satisfied with Mr.. Balfour's attitude on the
fiscal policy. and that they are determined
at an early date to demand a specific state
ment of his views. They have been greatly
disturbed by the statement of many OF Mr..
Balfour's friends that he Is opposed to any
tax on imported manufactured goods. This
is denial of the first article in the tariff
that it should excite uneasiness and discon-
tent among the non-protectionists
They also notice that since the letters ex-
changed between Mr. Balfour and Mr.
Chamberlain last February the leader of
the opposition has carefully avoided any
reference to tariff reform and that all eff
forts-and there have been many-to draw
from him a distinct declaration on the
subject have failed. In the circumstances
1t is not surprising that among the tariff re-
formers the deepest diStruSt should exist of
Mr.. BalfOurS attitude and policy. So strong
is this feeling that it will. l hear. find def
mite expression at a very early date. The
leader of the opposition will be asked to
accept more explicitly than he has yet done
the policy of the Tariff Reform League, and
If he declines there will be something like
revolt against his authority. "
Though toryism is politically in such q
bad way, tory clubs find no difficulty in
the great tory clubs there is a long list of
candidates waiting for election. At the
Junior Carlton there are 800 names on
the waiting list. and it will probably be
yo1r hDf1. l,-A
enter the club. l am afraid it would not
be possible to discover such a rush for
membership at any Of the great liberal
clubs. The explanation. however, is per-
die classes have gone over to toryism, and
it is from these classes mainly that the
membership of the big political clubs Is re-
cruited.
English Channel Tunnel.
The channel tunnel scheme is uppermost
again, and it looks as though this time
something like progress In getting bill
through parliament would be accomplished.
The opposition to it is still immense and
newspapers are devoting columns to opin-
ions for and against it. Some of the objec-
lions of the "old fogey'' kind and some
utterly ridiculous. Much of it comes. how
ever, from shipping interests, which believe
that they will be injured by a tunnel. The
question has no reference to party politics,
and 1t is therefore rather remarkable that
almost all the unonist journals in London
are taking up the cry against the tunnel.
Lord Wolseley, who was its leading mill
tary opponent twenty years ago, returns to
the charge and declares that the invasion
of this country is now a more feasible mil
itary operation than it was in the days of
Napoleon.
The whole of the arguments against the
tunnel are based on the ground that the
risk of it's falling into the hands of
ono &c cal hat lInh a iS
possible is no doubt true. but this risk Is
so slight that it can hardly enter into the
calculations of reasonable men. The pre-
cautions to be taken are so great that they
are amply sufficient to guard against every
possible surprise. Nothing could deprive
England of the control of this end of the
tunnel except the loss of the command of
the sea, and if it has once come to that it
little matters what happens to the tunnel.
So deeply moved are the imaginations of
some of the enemies of the tunnel that one
of them anticipates that after unsuc-
cessful war Britain might have to accept
as one of the conditions of peace that this
end of the channel should remain in pos
session of the enemy. On the other hand,
Maj. Gen. Sir Alfred Turner is strong
supporter of the scheme.
Hamburg's New Terminal.
The German press is discussing matters in
connection with the opening of the Great
Hamburg Central Railway station and
throwing a curious light on some further
developments Of. the kaser's personal
regime even in comparatively Insignificant
affairs. "'- a''-@ 20 : 81 mo
Hamburg for more than a generation has
had a number of railway terniinf which
were really inadequate for the needs of a
city of three-quarters of million inhabi-
tants. About ten, years ago the senate of
the city voted a sum for the central sta
ton, which, with later additions, amounted
to nearly two millions sterling. The build
ing began and progressed slowly but sure
ly, the architects and surveyors taking
all precautions and thinking out every step
they took. But suddenly the kaiser ap-
pears on the scene, and insists on full
steam Ia shead The s he ipssed
was. But the consequences have. been
serious.
Since it was opened, ten days ago. hardly
an hour passes without some hitch. The
not working smoothly. Trains are run
ming off the lines or coiliding: or doing
something which they ought not to do, and
in the night hours the electric light mys-
seen madly rushing about with petroleum
lamps and candles through the gloom.
Kopenick's Good Luck.
The famous Capt Won Kopenick has spent
a comparatively happy. Christmas and New
lear IoheHS OIL friendship from MS nu-
merous admirers poured into the institution
to which he has, retired for four, years.
wealthy lady living in the most aristo-
cratic quarter Of Berlin informed the gal
liant captain she had set aside 5000 marks
for him, which, together with interest, was
to be handed to him on his release from
gaol
The committee of q. gymnastic association
wrote that it was setting aside small
amount every week for him. Another ad-
mirer forwarded photographs of his family
that of his nlother-in-Iaw, and
swore by all his gods that the captain was
heartily welcome to bed and board in his
house whenever he cared to call. A hotel
proprietor in Hamburg offers him the sit
uation Of hall porter at salary of 5000
marks Isl 500 "A year and all found. No
fewer than eight publishers have offered
to publish his Autobiography on Favorable
terms, one of the publishers being an Eng
lishman.
The punches ,ofr flowers. the boxes OF
chocolates, the strings of sausages which
have arrived for the ever-popular rascal
are legion, but the prison authorities were
memorable. and they were all returned to
the senders. 1t appears that a number of
influential men here are getting up petit
ton to the kaiser begging for his re-
lease.
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