LORD SALISBURY'S SPEECH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 25, 21 June 1900, Page 10

LORD SALISBURY'S SPEECH.

Lord Salisbury is reported (says the Melbourne Age) to have made a great Bpeech recently to the members of the Primrose League. But, great or little as the utterance may have been, it most certainly contained matter that makes his friends grieve and his enemies rejoice. The occasion was one that might well have inspired a statesman to his highest effort. The times are big with Imperial interests, and neighboring nations bend their ears to listen to every syllable that falls from the lips of the British Premier. AftiVyet, by what appears to be a singular lapse of judgment, Lord Salisbury descended from the role of the statesman and discoursed to his Primrose Leaguers from the low level of the British partympui. And not alone did he punctuate his remarks with reference t0 the vote of the country at the coming general elections, but he made a distinct bid for the establishment of an anti-Irish party at those elections. The extract from his speech, as cabled to this end of the world, is as follows : — ' The disloyalty of the Tranevaal Republic in secretly arming has proved of such terrible advantage to the people now in arms against England that it has suggested an earnest lesson, and one which will not be forgotten. We know better now than we did a decade ago the risks of giving perhaps a disloyal Government in Ireland a similar opportunity. The verdict of the electors of Great Britain at the general election in 1895 on the Home Rule question will, after the South African experience?, meet with no early reversal.' It is difficult to conceive of anything more mischievous and imprudent than such an utterenceon such an occasion. Following, as it did, the concilatory visit of the Queen to Ireland, her gracious speeches, her admiration of Irish valor in an official recognition of the shamrock as a part of the soldier's regalia, and her warmhearted reception, nothing could be spoken by the Prime Minister more rasping to the Irish temper.