FOR THE WEEK ENDING THE 23RD OF JULY
The most widely discussed topic in the political world in the Unite States as the mail was leaving was Judge Parker's tele-ram to the Democratic Convention at St. Louis. Democratic editors seemed to he almost at a loss to find adjectives sufficiently commendatory nature xpress their admiration of the action taken, while Republicans, recovering from their first shock of surprise, were filling the columns of their organs with strongly-worded pro-tosts to the effect that the telegram and the Convention's reply to it really committed the Party to nothing xt all Tt was generally admitted that Judye Parker risked little in making his stand at the last moment when it was almost impossible for the delegates to rescind the nomination. " Why, however," is the question asked by many, "were vot Judge Parker and his friends willing to tell the country where he stood before the Party was asked to nominate him?"
'This intter view of the question is discussed in the following vigorous ver: ns by the 'Chicago Chronicle," under the saroustic heading of " More about Parker's Bravery'
Solongas hisudmirerscontinue to descant upon the great courage of Judge Parker in dispatching his telegram to Mr. Sheehan so long it continues to be necessary, even ab the risk of monotonous iteration to repeat that there was nothing courageous about the action ab all, If Judge Parket had aunouncsd his attitude upon the currency question tree months ago then, indeed, it might be claimed that he had manifested some courage, since the declarxtion would at once have antagonized the element which, in the person of Mr. Bryan, dominated the St. Louis Convention, So far from being temerarious however, Judge Parker displayed that quality of caution which is best viescribed by the colloquialism "foxy." He took care that not even his immediate entourage should know his views on any subject, so that they, could not place his candidacy in jeopardy before the Convention. He was silent, mute, inscrutable, evidently willing: to" accept © nomination at the hands of radicals or reorgenisers, of silverites or sound money men. His position was the historic one—give me the job and write your own platform. Undoubredly that would have been his attitude still had he not been brought toa realisation of the fact that there were still some people left in the Democratic Party who would not endorse any such cowardly—policy—people, moreover, whose support was essential to the possible " success of the Democratic ticket. It was the prodding of these people, not the courageous vali tion of Judge Parker himself, that i the telegram to Wi telegram which was itself an example of trickery "ud vulpine cunning, since it was capable of hall-a-dozen constructions, and, in its entirety, meant nothing at all the light shines upon the perfectly clear that, so far from arousing himself in righteous indignation at. the cowardice of the St. Louis Convention, Judge Parker was himself a skulker and had to be smoked out of the hole wherein he had hidden himself. He had no contions on any subject until the alarm and indignation of New York Democrats forced {him to a declaration which is interesting as political acrostic, but valueless as a state ment of principles, since it can be read any way that may be desired. If the spasmodic Jactivity of Judge Parker, upon hearing from New York city isto be glorified as bravery, then the same laudation must extend to the performances of a man who inadvertently sits down ngan a bent pin.
We wonder if there is in the backest woods a voter who would be influenced by such an outburst of sound and fury sigaifying nothing as the above.
The "Seattle Post-Intelligencer," in long leader on the subject, lets out the secret of "Why Parker Wrote." We extract the following from this artiel At this distance from the Democratic Convention and with the light upon the subject since east, it ix now possible to learn the true reason for the sending by Tudye Parker of the remarkable telegram which threw the Convention temporarily int" convulsion. The first and most natural assumption at the time was that his action was impulsive and _unpremeditated, doing more credit to his honesty of Purpose than to, his political sagacity. With the New York newspapers of the day preceding his action at hand, it now appears clearly that Judge Parker simply succumbed to an irresistible pressure put upon him by the great financial interests and made his declaration to the Convention merely because in no other way could he continue to receive the support of Wall Street. The adoption of a platform by the St. Louis Convention which contained no declaration in favour of the single gold standard was bitterly resented by Wall Street, and the word was given out at once that unless the Convention was committed, directly or indirectly, to che gold standard the support which had heretofore been accorded Judge Parker's exndidacy would be promptly withdrawn. 'This was luid before Judze Parker. The pressure on lim was irresistible. The threat was open and palpable that unless he committed himself, his Party and the Convention by decisive' action taken before the Convention adjourned, the support from Wall Street which had been promised hit would be withdrawn. The threat may have been a mere bluff; but it answered the purpose, Judge Parker gave way.
The papers have much to say anent the high-handed proceedings of Russia in ths Red Sea. The Chicago Chronicle" has 1a long leading article on the subject. We quote it entire as it apparently sets forth the view taken by most of the influential papers throughout the country Ie will not be made evident for a few days yet what Russia is seeking by her escapade in the Red Sea, but it is evident that she has in view one or mere of the following objects She may design to embroil herself with England in order Us lesson the shame of humiliating peace with Japan.
2.—She may be engaged ina bona fide {effort to break up a trade in contraband of war between England and Japan.
3.—Or she may be seeking nothing more than an interpretation or abrogation of the Treaty of Paris in regard to the Dardanelles.
The theory that she is seeking a quarrel with Kngland as an honourable method of terminating the war with Japan has s0 many features of probability in it that it is widely accepted both in this country and in Europe. It would surprise no one if within © month Port Arthur should fall and Kuropatkin should surrender o¢ suffer a crushing defeat. In that case Russia would present the spectacle of the most complete and humiliating military overthrow in modern history, not excepiing the collapse of France in 1870, If England should make war on Russia it would not follow that France would be drawn into the conflict, for the Franco-Russian alliance has always been a sham anda bugaboo, and even if it were not so France might stand aloof at the request of Russia, us the war would be brief and for Russia's conve-niece The second theory also has some elements of probability. Russia was acting strictly within her rights in the search of Britis and German' vessels for contraband of war, including dispatches to or from the Japanese Government, and there is some reason to believe that she found contraband articles on the Malacca destined to Japan and official dispatches for the Japanese Government on the Prinz Hein rich The "London Chronicle" for in. stance, expresses the hope that Lord Lavsdowne, in order to avoid' graver complications," will address Russia **in courteous terms." If the British lion should roar gently within a few days it may be set lown us certain that it has been discovered that England has been doing a big business with Japan in contraband of war. If a0 we shall hear no more about " piracy " or the Bassuse of the Darianelies, especially there is nothing new in the passage of the Dardanelles by merchant ships which were afterward converted joto warships. If Russia is neither seeking war with England nor engaged in preventing an illegal teathe she may be engaged in making up test case, with a view of reopening and abrogating the Treaties of Paris, London and Berlin, confining her fleet to the Black Sea. According to the "London Telegraph'"" these treaties ara now considered " obsolete, humiliating, and harmful," so that it would be quite reasonable to expect them to he voluntarily relinquished by the Powers,
could give her consent. while the Eastern except that it isditicult to ste how England war is in ps This theory does not look as reasonable as the other two. Whatever object Russia may have in view, it will probably be disclosed: within a week. Both Great Britain avd Germany have adopted energetic measures, and secrecy, even ift is desirable, will not be practice: able much longer.
The "Evening Bulletin" of Philadelphia has an interesting article on ' Neutral Shipe and the War," pact of which we reproduce as follows:
Wars are seldom waged without rai questions afooting the rights of neutrals and causing complications which are liable to have interesting results. This seems especially to be the ¢-8e with ragaed to the exploits of the Russian volunteer steamers Petersburg and Smolensk. which are ro-ported to have passed the Dardanelles disguised as peaceful vessels and are now described as holding up merchant ships of other nationalities in " style that recalls the achievements of the old Alabama. It is reported that the German Government, in spite of the Kaiser's supposed friendliness toward Russia, has entered an energetic protest against the Lemporary seizure of a North-German Lloyd steamship by
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.