Show THE BRITISH CABINET The present Liberal government of England has been subjected to much criticism since its relations with Russia have been so strained and there has been so much prospect of war on accountw of the Russian advance into Afghanistan and especially by the Conservatives who are recalling the good old times of Bea consfield and the grand triumphs of the Berlin Conference as they term them The Berlin Conference was the result of a great war in which Russia had sought to annex all European Turkey and which she would have done after the fall of Kars and the march to Constantinople if it had not been for the Berlin Conference Russia was in a better temper and a better trim to measure swords with England at the close of the war of 1877 than she is now and England was not so well prepared then as today Then it was Europe at Berlin which prevented the accomplishment i accomplish-ment of Russias designs and not the author of Vivian Grey although the Conservatives today are claiming that it was Beaconsfield and not Europe which was most potent then To have allowed Russia to Like Constantinople would have been to allow Russia to secure a mortgage on the balance of power in Europe It is not so today and even if Russia shall keep Penjdeh which is very doubtful it is a thing in which Europe has I no direct interest and hence does not care fora conference It is Russia and England now while in 77 after the defeat of Turkey it was Russia and Europe In 1877 Beaconsfield was backed by Europe and Bismarck Today it is otherwise other-wise and Gladstone is only backed by England and with only this backing he has compelled Russia to stop It was thought a wonderful stroke of statesmanship statesman-ship when Beaconsfield asked for a credit of 0000000 and brought up the Indian contingent but when Gladstone asks for a credit from the House and says that if the vote sanctions it he will state how much is wanted and what it is wanted for it is called backing down No doubt foreign complications are hateful to Gladstone Glad-stone and he feels that he would rather turn his attention to the reforms at home which are so much needed than to winning win-ning glory on the Indian frontier when the winning of the glory only endangers the scientific frontier And if the Liberal party shall be compelled com-pelled to surrender the reins of govern ernment to t the Conservative party is there any leader in that party who will dare to undertake to retrieve the honor which they say England has lost through the lack of courage and capacity on the part of Mr Gladstone We think not and if the Conservatives shall undertake to go to the country asking support for such promises they and their promises will both remain in the country It will be much wiser for England and Russia to adjust their own differences than to ask others to and the Daily News makes a good suggestion when it says It is better to make needed concessions ourselves than to trust to the mediation of a third power |