New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-24
THE TORY CABINET.


misses is inherently weak. Only two of the
leading Secretaryships are filed by the same
men who occupied them when they resigned with
Lord Beaconsfed One of these is the Marquis
of Salisbury. Secretary fol Foreign Affairs ana
the other is Sir Richard Assheton Cross, who
returns to the Home Department, notwithstand-
ing his want of success IN dealing with the Lon
don water companies Three of the Secretary
ships are assigned to men who have had no ex
perience in the departments placed under their
charge. Lord Randolph Churchill, who has
never had an opportunity for displaying admin
istrative ability, assumes the tremendous re-
sponsbilides of the India Office. Colonel
Frederick Stanley, who made an efficient Secre-
tary for War in Lord BeacoDsields Cdomet, Is
not allowed TO return to that department, but Is
assigned to the Colonial Office where he VIII
succeed his brother, Lord Derby. Mr.. Smith,
who was formerly First Lord of the Admiralty
is now Secretary of War. These curious traDs-
fers of experienced men to new departments,
with the business of which they are not familiar,
can be easily explained. Mr.. Smith is 80 un-
enuiyocally committed to the policy of recon
structing the Navy on large scale that he
could not have returned to the Admiralty with
out embarrassing the Ministry at tine whch
there is no chance for naval expenditures. Inc
Marquis of Salisbury, moreover, finds II con-
venient to play OF one Stanley against another
and TO replace his former rival i'll the Conserva-
tive Ministry with another member of the great
Lancashire family. Colonel Stanley's succession
to the Colonial Office probably gratifies the Mar
ouis of Salisbury's dislike for Lord Derby. III
is AN excellent stroke of social and political
strategy, but dIminishes the administrative
power of the new Cabinet. Lord George
Hamilton, whose jaunty speeches won for hlm
promotion under Lord Beaconsiield to an Office
where he had charge of the educational ~
tercsts of the country, is now given fresh field
of work in the Admiralty.
| In the Offices which we have named the mex
perienee and rawncss of the new Ministers VIII
stand in the way of the success OF the Govern
ment and will tend to impair public confidence.
| Englshmen like to have their great Offices con-
Quoted by experienced officials who have served
| an apprenticeship as Under Secretaries or de-
monstrated their administrative ability. The
| new Cabinet contains too much raw material 10
inspire confidence in it as "a working Admins
traton Some of tho most experienced mem
beers of Lord Beac0nsfelTs Cabinet are de-
prived Of the Offices which legitimately belong
70 them. Viscount Cranbrook would have been
at home in the India Office, and Sir Stafford
, Northcote is the only Conservative leader who
has had any practical training i'll finance. Their
special talents for administration are ignored
| Lord Randolph ChurchilPs ambition is accom-
modated at the risk of throwing Indian affairs
into confusion, and Sir Michael Hicks Beach "a
| Chancellor of the Exche9uer is left to struggle
with the mysteries of his first Budget. The
! Dnke of Richmond, who would have made a
safe President of the Council, is appointed Mr.
! Chanberlain's successor aud the Marquis of
Salsbury's nephew, Mr.. Balfour, takes Sir
Charles bikes place at the head of the Local
| Government Board Contrasts such as these
ilusti ate the infeIiority of the Conservative
Ministry in practical working power.
The Irish appointments are assgood as could
| have been expected. The Earl of Carnarvon is
one of the most prudent and cautious Of the
Conservative leaders. He resigned his Office i'll
Lord Beaconsfeld's Cabinet alter the crisis OF
San Stefano because he was consistent ad 20
cate of peace and could not sanction warike
| policy. He is broad minded peer, who can be
depended upon TO govern Ireland with firm
| ness, good sense and tact The appointment of
Mr.. Gibson rs Lord Chancellor of Ireland, like
that of Sir Hardinge Gifiard rs Lord High
Chancellor of the Realm, is a promotion well
deserved 1t removes, however. from the Com
mons the best debater on the Conservative side.
Outdebated at every point as the party already
| is, this is serious loss.