Wichita eagle., 1886-10-07
1ail9 - gaole
HENRY LABOUCHERE.

HENRY LAB0UCHERE.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FAMOUS
POLITICIAN AND JOURNALIST.
one Of the Phenomenal Figures In Eng
lish Current Politics-Constant Expos
ure of Abuses and Injustice-work as
Journalist.
Henry Labouchere is one OF the phenom-
email facts Of English current politics. I be-
ieve it is scarce too much to say that, next to
Mr.. Gladstone, Mr.. Labouchere is about the
most popular man in England, and it must
be admitted that bis popularity is deserved,
has been fairly won, and rests upon solid
foundation. He has much more to do with
the control Of English politics than you might
imagine, for he and Mr.. Cowen, who are
both in the confidence of the Irish members,
have been acting as go-between recently In
behalf of the government; Mr.. Cowen Win
Mr.. Parpell, Mr. Labouchere with Mr. Cham-
berlain That Mr. Labouchere should carry
on negotiations between two prominent pun
lie men is, in more than one sense, quite nj
ting, Tor in his youth he was in the dlplo-
matte service. and was for some time an at
tache of the British legation at Washington
There is story told Of him at this period
Of his career which indicates his nonchalance
and disposition for a joke A visitor called
one day at the legation to see the British min
ister "He is not in," said Labouchere.
"Never mind; I'll take seat and wait till he
comes.n The visitor was handed chair, on
which he sat for about an hour, when he be-
came rather restive and consulted his watch
"Iook here" he said, II can't wait forever;
how much longer will he be-" "Well," said
the impudent attache, "he left for Canada
this afternoon, and / expect him back in
about six weeks" During his diplomatic
career Labouchere saw men and cities, and
doubtless had many opportunities for OBJ
serving the shady side of human character.
EXPOSING ABUSES AND INJUSTICE.
No man of our time has had more varied
knowledge of the world, and it is no wonder
he became somewhat of a cynic. But there
is no bitterness in his cyncism; it is of gay
and light order Under the outward garb OF
cynicism and light rallery there is, if mis-
take not. large fund of genuine human
feeling Mr.. Laboucbere's constant exposure
of abuses and injustice, especially in the ad-
ministration of the law, is beyond all praise.
Every faitbless public officer, every stupid or
'vindictive magistrate, every unfair Judge VIII
be subjected to his merciess criticism; and his
pen is always ready to support the cause OF
the injured and the weak. He is specially Sc
we're on gluttonous aldermen and on the forces
of bumbledom: and never week goes by
without some fresh exposure of these people
in the columns Of Truth.
Mr.. Labouchere's intellectual powers and
his progressive views may possibly be traced
to his Huguenot descent: for he belongs to q
French Protestant family which came to Eng
land after the revocation of the Edict of
Nantes His uncle was Lord Taunton, a
prominent member of the Liberal party some
thirty or forty years ago, and member OF
the Liberal government; SO that Mr. Labou-
chere, democratic leader, is a member of an
ar;stocratic family Thus, while sympathiz-
ing fully with the aspirations of the people,
he is sufficiently in touch with the arlstocracy
to know exactly what resistance will be made
to any proposed reforms and how that resist
ance can best be overcome Though Mr.. La
bouchere was in parliament for short time
many years ago, his real parliamentary ca
recr NAV be said to date from 1880, in which
year he was elected along with Mr.. Bradlaugh
TO represent Northampton. Previous to that
time Mr. Labouchere had been good deal OF
a society man, having, l believe, enjoyed
the friendship of the Prince of Wales and
other leaders of fashion and society. He had
also been an amateur financier, in which ca
nacitv he had often outwitted some OF the
oldest and keenest hands on the stock eX-
change.
HIS WORK AS A JOURNALIST.
When The World-the earliest Of the $50
cietyr iournals-was founded by Mr.. Ed
mund Yates and Mr.. Grenville Murray, Mr.
Iabou,here was connected with it, but after
ward founded Truth, an organ which now
enioys an immense circulation, brings its pro
prietor a large annual income, and is dis
tinctly the most readable paper III England
A good part of this is written every week b,
Mr. IIabouchere himself, and it Is wonderful
how he manages to find time for it, as he
ALWAYS cool and collected, never hurried o
worried about anything TrSth Is rea'
mostly by people who detest Mr.. Labouchere'
poiitical opinions It's arrival is eagerly az,
ticipated by well-todo fashionable people Il
suburban villas and III pleasant retreats b.
the seaside or in the towns affected by tn
wealthy and idle classes. L have actuall
seen n copy of the unhallowed paper inside
cathedral III q provincial town, while II
owner-a well-dressed lady-was listenin
placidly to the afternoon anthem. l thin
its proprietor would have rciished the lncoi
cruitv of the spectacle. ! was in q iirSt-cla:
carriage on a railway leading out of Londo1
in which NaS a lady eagerly perusinS Irutl
"Yo;, should not read such a paper, said he
husband, thorough type of the English VI
per middle class "Why not" because i
editor is Il disreputable man" We'll. it
very interesting, ami suppose it doesn't ma
ter who wro,e it," replied the lady, as S.
read on.
In personal appearance Mr.. Labouchere
,f middle height. with hair somewhat ting'
viii, GRAY he is % years old), and with a d
,iiedlv intellectual fGoe. He always loo
ike a man who has tasted all things al
found them vanity; for at times there Is
mos, melancholy expression on his face, VIII
at other times IL humorous cynciSm IS I
pro,ninent expression. He always wears
black froclz coat. buttoneti all the way. al
ruts one hand in his pocket while speakill
His voice is not very strong, but clear y
good. Te has probably consumed me
cigarettes than any other man m EnSian
end re is, strange 10 say, Z water drlnker.
london Cor Boston Advertiser
,l,,..trati.c OF t,.c Turkish Law.