New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-06
LORD RANDOLPH.
AS ORATOR IN THE HOUSE AND AS LEADER
OF THE TORY DEMOCRACY.


OF THE TORY DEMOCRACY.
rr.ox rpn REGULAR coKxEsroxDKNr OF THE rRIBuSE.l
London December 8.
give him the name by which he is most COM
monty referred to. In these busy times people
seldom say Lord Randolph Churchill They say
Lord Randolph; often, with kind of ahecuona'e
brcvity Randolph. Affection however, is not
the feeling Just now shown most freely to MIN
by his party. 1t is little startling to see MIN
rise in the House Of Commons without sontary
cheer from those about him. Those who freQuent
the House are used to this spectacle. weh'
down on Monday for l think the nrst uino
this year. and the incident had all the 1orce oi
novelty. A Suakim debate was / cannot
suppose that the American public takes deep
interest in Suakim, and it is not subject upon
which am going to enter But apprehend
We all have an interest in Lord Randolph; even
those who think him the spoiled child OF pohucs
There is only one more striking hsure IN inc
House to-day Lord Randolph is sometimes
reprosched with having held different oplmons
on the same subject at different times. IL may
be so. but if it be true of him u is ten u'ne'
truer Of that other and Older hgure VINO si''
surrounded by his shattered and uvdeo legi"hs
Divided also from his former associates ana
colleagues is the stin young leader OF the iorS
Democracy lie has renowned his central pace
on the Front Bench. he sits Mt the corner oi
the second bench; above the gangway however
not below. The gangway is Rublcon winch
be has vet TO cross, though after Last night
there are people who hint that he may IN ume
cross not only the gangway but the floor OF the
House That is mere Improbable guesswork'
The future may take care Of itself; to-day u
quite interesting enough to those who care 1or
the. high lights Of current politics There AT
the corner of his bench sits Lord Randolph' ms
hat on his head sunk, not much OF him Vlsipie
above the shoulders except the HISTORICAL mus
tache. at which he is pulling in the hstorlcai
fashion Mr. Punch and Mr.. Punehs Iopy haVe
made it historical II it were not so otherwise
The mustache and it's owners restless habit OF
twirling it are as familiar now to Mr. funchs
nublic az were the straw in Lord Palmerston's
mouth. or the legs Of Lord John Russell, seek
ing ever vainly for their resting-place on the
floor they were too short to reach Anu NIX
Punchs public is worldwide.
Lord Randolph is down on the paper 1or
question about Suakim, to which VIII REFER
presently. But even in SO simple matter as
uniting a question, he has manner of his own
Many other men have their own manners -, ~
nuttina ouesticns-not always good ones. III
nsed to be the custom to read all the Questions
opt To save time, that has been stopped. They
ful or useless information has only to lndi-
.... III. in,.,,orstorv But some Of them are
Ga eager for momentary distinction as 10 nse
at full length pause moment. then Loudly
and even pornpously: Mr. Speaker, SIR. peg
lesve IN ask the Under Secretary OF State 1or
FOREIGN Affairs question No. 20, which STANDS
IN INV name, When the Speaker calls out
aInrd Randolph Churchill" the noble lord, as
he "a $, lied in House of Commons parlance, halr
rises from his seat lifts his hat says soluy'
"Ouestion No 81 and sinks back to give an
other tug at the dark-brown mustache
II il known he is going to speak on SuaIom'
and there is q strong muster OF Iones giooin-
iIv wondering what Randolph Will do next
The scene, if we had time to look al IL, -
striking for more reasons than one. NO less
person than Mr. John Morley opens IRE on the
(;overumcnt crowded together In O thin DlacK
limo On the Front Bench; then, and often our
;n~ this eventful evening, huTiedly consulting
tocrther: a group of clustering and agltateo
h.ads M John Morley is hardly et his
bert: has not vet, think, learned to be
ever At his best in the House Of Commons.
There is sill something about him that sug-
rests the student rather than the debater When
a mans mind has run for quarter OF cell
turv in one channel it is not so easy all at once
"a turn the fun force Of tho stream into announcer
He is clear, forcble, fluent enough,-master OF
himself and his ideas; not quite master OF his
.uh;ence. The occasion rs great enough to bring
Mr.. Gladstone down TO the House, ana 70 put
him ON his legs-but does not rouse him to u
sreat effort His voice is neither clear nor
strong: many and many a sentence do nos reach
20 the bench under the gallery, where ST.
The Tories, who will believe anything and say
ANYTHING of Mr.. Gladstone, tell you that this
Indistinctness Is calculated. He prefers they
should suppose him incapable Of rising to the
old level: intending, for his part when the
right moment C mes to rise as high as ever, ana
be heard IN the remotest recesses OF the House
and the country. Sir James Ferguson, VINO
has replied to Mr.. Morley, replied in a confused,
ineffective way. Mr.. Stanhope, Secretary for
War on whom the reply to MIR. Gladstone de-
wolves, is resonant, business-hkc direct; capa-
BILE of so stating his case as to be understanoeo
of the people and Of the House, and to produce
an impression As he nears the end you may
see Lord Randolph take of his hat and put
It. under the seat, and you know that he means
10 follow the Secretary for War
The House by this time Is full surprisingly
full for the flag end of an autumn sltuhgs
The Tory benches are well covered above ano
below the gangway, and they maintain grim
silence, as Lord Randolph Is seen to be on MI
feet, and Mr. Conrtney-for the House is IN com
mjttee-calls on him. The Opposition chee
and the cheer is a cordial one, for whatever
may be their private sentiments about the orator
they more than guess that he is going to MAKE
himself disagreeable TO the Government, an'
that is enough for them. The nervousness
IL it be nervousness, which is denoted
by the continuing movement OF the forehnge
10 the upper lip, has ceased If you have STUDIES
him in Mr. Tenniers cartoons only. and nav
never seen him in the flesh, you may be SUI
prised TO note that this slender, carefully dIesse
figure is rather above the average height. liner
is not trace Of embarrassment; the strange
would never guess that he stood alone. SUI
rounded by enemies, or at least by opponents; b.
men once his supporters, now angry, suspicious
resentful