Evening star., 1909-09-05
LONDON BEST OF ALL
EngIand's Metropolis Attrac-
tive to American Tourists.
VISITORS ARE NUMEROUS
House Of Commons Reports Progress
With the Budget.
WILL BE COMPLETED SEPT. Is
Royal Commission on Irish Rail-
ways Divided-Interest in Aero
nautics-Work of Women.
WILL BE COMPLETED SEPT. Is
Snecial Corresnnndcnce of The Star.


LONDON, August %, 1903.
There is still heavy stream of Amer
leans passing through London. though
there is a marked decrease from the
numbers of the previous fortnight. Last
week end brought crowds of returning
tourists to the London boat trains con-
nected with the Liverpool steamers.
London has been on its best behavior
for most of the time. Consequently
many visitors have confessed they liked it
best of all the European capitals visited.
But for the fact that all the main thor
eughfares are being torn up and mended
just now. with all the resultant traffic
delays and dust and SMELL London would.
indeed, have points in it's favor this
August.
Even the traffic will be improved one of
these days. There is renewed agitation
for the "gyratory'' management of the
traffic at busy junction points-that is to
say. all traffic would move on instead o:
the streams standing stifl alternately at
crossroads.f There would be a circular
motion at such spots and the vehicles
would be brought gradually into posi-
tion whence they would easily move out
in the direction they wanted to go. 1t
sounds like a giddy process but several
important engineers indorse 1t.
Budget Nearing Completion.
The government is now making more
rapid progress with the budget and hopes
to get through with it by the middle OF
September. 1t will then go to the house
of lords. and present signs are against
any very rude treatment of it. The fact
is the landowners have fahed to get public
support TO their protests against the land
taxes.
The old day of territorial interdepend-
ence, when everything centered about
the local mansion. is going. The laborer
sees hopes of improving his lot by get
ting footing on the land himself. and so
the majority of people are unwilling to
pay much attention to the outcry of men
VINO have been extraordinarily secure in
their land privileges in the past over
tax of only two cents in the pound on
land they do not develop, but keep for
pleasure purposes.
\ funny fiasco has been produced by
attempts OF antibudget speakers to at
tract seaside crowds. Even enthusiastic
conservatives and partisans of the land
owners have rebelled at the invasion of
their pleasure hauntS, that the enter
talnments have suffered no lack of patron
age from the new competition of political
orators.
Passing of Remarkable Man.
Up TO within the last few years Sir
Theodore Martin. whose death this week
at Llangoilen has attracted widespread
attention, was a familiar and very strik-
ing figure in the lobby OF the house OF
commons. into which he came al a par
iamentary agent. 1t seemed strange to
associate the idea of the keen business
man with the author of Bon Gaultier
Ballads and The Life Of the Prince
Consort," well as the husband of Helen
Faucit. the colleague of Macready In
some of the greatest dramatic produc-
the last distinguished upholder of the
stage traditions of Sarah Siddons His
rise to court favor was due to rather
pronounced toadyism TO the royal family
and inordinate eulogy of the queen and
the prince conSort In his books but he
was Il remarkable man for all that His
last public appearance was to denounce
the selfshness of automobilists and the
noise of their cars.
The royal commission on Irish rail-
ways is likely TO prove abortive for the
commissioners are divided in their
conclusions that no fewer than three
reports will probably be presented to
parliament. All the members are agreed
that something must be done to reduce
the rates and improve the service but
one section thinks the state should
acquire and work the railways, another
would be satisfied with more drastic
would divide the country into railway
districts 10 be operated by the trunk
companies.
Irish Opinion on Leading Issue.
Public opinion in Ireland is understood
10 be strongly In favor of naturalization
and untficatton. and il Is upon these
lines that the government will probably
elect 10 go. The shareholders would be
paid In government stock SO that the
financial operation would be comparative
~ simple: but the chief Irish measure
Of the next session is to I've a reform OF the
poor laws the railway problem will prob
ably have 10 wait TIL 1911 for solution.
That there is need for Improvements in
the lines, every touring American who
has visited Ireland will agree
Writing of railways reminds me Of a
rev scheme in London There is an as
sured popularity for the moving plat
form which tie Central London railway
proposes TO construct at the British Mu-
scum station to connect two distinct
tubes, for anything in the nature of
a free ride" appeals strongly TO the
average Londoner. Until a few years aSo
there were, at a big block of buildings in
the neighborhood of Mansion House two
perpetual hits, which carried passen-
gers from the basement to the topmost
floor and required no attendant The
number OF people who required '.l,ft"
IN that building was matter for won
derment, and IL was famous among all
the junior clerks and Office boys In the
city, who became experts at leaping In