Show THE NEW PREMIER Yesterday afternoon Lord Salisbury stated in the House of Lords that he would continue The policy adopted by the Gladstone Ministry concerning negotiations negotia-tions with Russia about the Afghan question His lordship has acted wisely in coming to this decision and it is well that he has It would be most difficult to see how he could arrive at any other I decision unless his desire were to I throw his Government into a war with Russia a war in which her greatest gains would be but a prevention pre-vention of losses England cannot hope even remotely to assume a protectorate over Afghanistan and were she to do so rash a thing she would but make foes and Russian sympathizers of the Afghans Already their memory of Englapds interference inter-ference with their internal affairs is embittered em-bittered by two wars and many unjust and humiliating acts If the Afghans lean to England rather than to Russia it is not that they love England more but that they love Russia less The new Premier showed himself a man of much broader view than has been his custom heretofore when he said that the business of the Government now was not to comment on the past but to try and bring the policy of their predecessors prede-cessors in regard to the gravest matter with which they had to deal to a successful success-ful issue and one consistent with the public pub-lic interest However much one may sympathize with the Liberals and deplore the adyent to power of the Tories it must be said concerning the utterances of Lord Salisbury about his predecessors policy that they bear the stamp of a man who has sunk party for country and the ring jf f a true patriot They also show that his lordship recognizes the truth that the foreign complications in which countries coun-tries sometimes become involved are often beyond the immediate control of parties no matter what their politics He finds himself surrounded with difficulties of all sorts and not being certain of support sup-port in all his measures having come to office under very peculiar circumstances feels that he must be moderate and look the situation calmly in the face His dilemma may prove to be his greatest aid and raise him to the rank of a statesman from that of a leader His views on the Egyptian question must commend com-mend his sense and moderation to all including those to whom he was so lately so bitterly opposed op-posed None of Mr Gladstones admirers can speak with any pride or exultation concerning the escapade in Egypt The bombardment of Alexandria and the behavior be-havior of the British soldiers at Telel Kebir were brilliant things and that is their chief merit Mashing the Mahdi and the expedition to the Soudan were not so brilliant nor so justifiable as could be wished On the condition of Egypt and the policy of the Government there the Premier expressed himself in the following follow-ing words One principle must animate us namely To so weigh our steps that when once taken we must not retrace them The military i difficulty is a large one the political dUll culty a greater one Very true words and ones that show that Lord Salisbury realizes now far better than when in opposition the difficulties of dealing with a country that numerous nations na-tions hold to be a common heritage for I I intermeddling May his actions prove as wise as were his words of yesterday I |