The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-29
BEAConSFlElD's SUCCESSOR
The Marquis of Salisbury the
next Tory Leader.
Dawes and some Of his
Tricks.
From the New York World.
THE TORY LEADERSHIP.

The meeting of the leading Conservatives
in parliament on Tuesday next, the day
fixed for Lord Beaconsfields funeral at
Hughenden, is doubtless called for the pur-
pose of choosing his successor. The three
most prominent members of the party are
Lord Cairns, Sir Stafford Northcote and the
marquis of Salisbury. Lord Cairns first
made his mark when, as solicitor-general in
the second Derby administration, he de-
Tended Lord Ellenboroug, in a speech of
great power and singularly free from Nisi
Priusisms, against MIR. Cardwells vote of
censure on his dispatch reprimanding the
governor general of India for his harsh po-
Icy towards the ex-mutineers. Since then
he has always been indispensable to Con
sentative administrations, and in the upper
chamber he has presided on the woolsack
with dignity and led the opposition with
considerable tact and force. His speech
the other day on the Boer peace was per
haps the best effort of his life, and was I'M
doubleday direct bid for the leadership
Lord Cairns is a prominent man in reli-
giOus and charitable movements highly
intellectual Lord Shaftesbury in fact-and
therein lies his weakness if Lord Pal
merston, thorough judge of his country
men, was right in saying that gentlemen
with phylacteries never wins the Derby of
politics."
The marquis of Salisbury is, as the dead
leader once described him, "a brilliant
master of f1outs and gibes" a 'slashing re-
viewer" and that is about all. He is not
safe man, and his acrid and atrabilious
speeches do not suit the country gentleman.
Personal following he has none. He was
Lord Beaconsfield's lieutenant at the Berlin
conference, and shared in the popular APP
rod rnf1 Int 10
squires will never forget that it was to the
foreign office they owed their signal over
throw last year. 1t was said of Lord Der
by long before he retired from the cabinet
that he was a Liberal in Tory livery, and
when the marquis of Salisbury succeeded
him the genuine Tories felt that it was
only one hybrid supplanting another. His
Toryism was unquestionable, but had he
not rated and unsparingly abused Mr..
Disraeli in 1861?
Sir Stafford Northcote has led the party
in the lower house since Lord Beaconstield's
elevation to the peerage, but he cut much
more brilliant figure as chairman of quar-
ter sessions in Devonshire. He is intense
~ respectable and safe, but utterly lacks
the higher qualities of a successful leader.
The contest lies between Lord Cairns and
the marquis of Salisbury, but it is highly
probable that the Duke of Richmond and
Gordon viii be appointed nominal leader
until the paaty has recovered from the
shock of Lord Beaconsfelds loss and has
had time to weigh the merits Of the rival
candidates. The duke of Richmond, a
man Of mediocre ability and sound judg-
ment, was lord president of the council in
the late administration and held minor
offices in previous Tory cabinets. The
gap left by Lord Beaconsfeld's death can
only be half filed at best, There is no
man in the ranks approaching him in
stature. 1t was bad day for the old fam
lies when the rotten boroughs to which
their clever plebeian proteges were assign
ed We're abolished by the reform act Of
1882. The barons and their sturdy squires
survive, but Disraeli was the last of those
trained political leaders to whose skill and
audacity victory was so often due