POLITICAL POINTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 136, 5 December 1903, Page 12

POLITICAL POINTS.

Of the fifty-eight gentlemen constituting the reconstructed Government, twen-ty-tive (nays Truth) are Peers and seven are sons of Peers, receiving collectively salaries amounting to over £95,000. Tho Cabinet is composed of eighteen members ; of theso sevon are Poors, nnd six are either sons of Peers or members of tho territorial nristocrn^y. Tho 'rest of the forty million inhabitants of these isles i are represented by Mr. Grnham Murray, a Scotch lawyer, who is Secretary for Scotland ; Mr. Arnold-For&ter and Mr. Austen Chamberlain. Mr. Arnold-Fors-ter's connection with trade and commerce has been only, I believe, one or two directorships in public companies. Mr. Austen Chamberlain has never been connected with either. Probnbly (says M.A.P.) ono of tho main reasons why Mr. Balfour selected Mr. Lyttelton as his colleague was a certain forlornness in his own position, nnd the tendency thnt such forlornnesa is calculated to create. If a Minister finds that ho is nt lnst thrown back on himself, he must seek his support and his comradeship in men whom he can trust not merely na political associates, but ns warm personal frionds. Mr. Bnlfour is not a man of warm, ardent, or frequent affections. It hns been stated that he really does/ not care for anybody much outside of a certain fow ; nnd there have been those who have srtid that outsido of his own family, the ono man Mr. Balfour bus over really cnied for is Alfred Lyttelton. And perhaps that as much as his talents — which nre far greater than hnve been represented — is wiy Mr. Lyttelton is Coloninl Secretary. Mr. Chamberlain's superiority (snys The Times) lies precisely in tho fact that his mind remains flexible nnd thnt ho can call iv question, examine, and, if need be, reject, the- opinions which he learned from his teachers in early lifo or formed for himself twenty years. ago. His followers would bo very unlike himself if they " took for gospel " whatever he may say to-day ; but, if they are worthy of* him, they will not bo afraid to re-examine under his guidance, and to reject without fear on cause shown', any opinion of twenty or sixty years ago, no matters in how mnny pedantic treatises it may be embalmed. Qn tho publication of the Arbitration Tfeaty between France and Great Britain, Bnron d'Estournelles do Constant addressed a letter of congratulation to M. Delcnsso in the name of the members of the French Parliamentary Group of International Arbitration. The following passngo amply explains Baron d'Estouptellea's interpretation of tho new Agreement : — "By expressly confirming 1 the engagements taken at The Hague the French and Eiiglish Governments respond to the wishes of all nntionn. Their initiative secures a future for tho Permanent Tri bunal; of International Justice founded in 1899 on tho generous proposal of our Russian >ally, by the mutual consent of twenfy-sbc Powers." In another letter to a friend) Baron d'Estournelles de Constant says that this treaty is for the present all that could be desired, and adds, "«o wb are now in older. The work oi Th« Hague is not' dead," It may bo mentioned that Baron d'Es'tournelles'do Constant has always advocated The Hague Convention as the basis for any further development of international arbitration. The Novbe Vremya of St. Petersburg says it ' records with dismay the statements made on tho subject of the " Yellow Peril " in the course of the proceed ings at a recent Congress at Khabarovka. It remarks that the speeches made at tho Congress showed the cbmpleto iinpotenco of tho Russian population of Eastern Si' beria to cope with this peril, and urges that a speedy remedy should bo found for this deplorable state of nffnirs by the rapid by Russian elements of tho territory threatened by the invasion, not only of the Chinese, but also of the Japanese The disaffection ntndng tho Russian working classes seems to be daily increasing. After the recent strike at Odessa tho Government' took 600 of the strikers and deported them on the shortest notice to various far-off provinces, where it is a matter of great difficulty to secure any remunerative employment whatever. The general feeling in the large industrial centres in regard to such severe administrative measured as this is ono of reprobation. Even Russians' whose loyalty is nbove suspicion are coming to the view of the " lying " foreign press that, under tho rulership of Russia's "strong" man, M. do Plehve, Russian administrative torture is nothing if not refined. The Governor of the governments of Kieff, Volhynia, and Podolia, General Dragomiroff, who has recently beon retired by M. do Plohv'e for humanely attempting to avoid the necessity of using tho riflo and tho bayonet on ' tho strikers at Kieff in opposition to the peremptory orders of the Russian Minister for Horn*. Affairs to "crush" them by force of . arms," is but the latest of a number of the latter's subordinates who have been removed from their posts for lacking "thoroughness." The Madrid correspondent of The Times recpntly Sent bis journal an interesting account of an interview with the Leader of the Republican party in Spain. " Tho retirement of Senor Silvela from public lifo I regard," soya Senor Salmeron, " as a political event of extraordinary importajico. Spain is traversing one of the most serious crises of its constitutional history. For us Republicans, however, criticism of tho Conservative and Liberal parties, which have now arrived by their own blunders at the extreme limits of disintegration, and tho criticism of tho permanent conflict between the Royal authority and the will of the country, are not enough. We Republicans nro more closely united than ever. . The talk in the press of our intestine divisions is absurd. No Soliticnl party in Spain to-day is so well isciplined ns the Republican party. We appenl to all who have the cult of liberal ideas to aid us in the common task for the redemption of the fatherland and of liberty. Wo alono possess a nntionnl programmo for tho practical organisation of the country. YVe alone can recover for Spain her placo in tho councils of Europe. We alone nre aware that tho economic development of our country is the sine qua non oi tho restoration of our shattered international prestige. The supremo moment of struggle is at hand." Canada generally (says The Times correspondent) approves tho great scheme of mifitarv reorganisation submitted to Parliament by Sir F. Borden, jis iccommeuded by Lord Dundonald. The fundamental idea is a cestral camp of instruction, 20,000 or 30,000 acres in extent, at which selooted men of nil arms will bo assembled to carry out manoeuvres under service conditions. Those men, knowing their work thoroughly, will then go to district camps of instruction, which w'll thus be permeated with the knowledge acquired in the central camp. Sir F. Boiden informed the House that he had adopted the principle proposed to him by Lord Dundonald for obtaining a militia force of 100,000 men available for immediate service in ease of need, but costing the country the smallest possible sum. About 40 per cent, of this total will be trainer! annually and will receive improved pny. The remaining 60 per cent, of the establishment will be enrolled for war service nnd for as much voluntary peace twining as th»y care to do. They will be supplied with rifles n'nd ammunition, and will be enabled to make themselves good shots. The proposals are the most important of a military nature which have ever been submitted to the i P&rliMuwt of Canada.