The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-05-17
WILL It BE EARL SPENCER?
The Opinion Generally Entertained in
England That He Will be MIR
Gladsuone's Successor.
REASONS WHY He MAY Be CHOSEN

Ills Career as Ireland's Viceroy and 8
Supporter of the Home Rule
Movement.
Harold Frederick writes to the New
York Times from London, under the
date Of April l6. as follows: In a pre-.
ceding letter survey was had of the
political and personal considerations
which make it probable that Earl
Spencer will be Mr.. GIadstone's sue
eessor. That such selection should be
tacitiy acqliesced in by even this most
advanced wing OF the Radical party
Indicates how prone We are all to ex
aggsrate the progress Of Democratic
ideas in England-or rather, how we
snake mistakes by assuming that Dem
ocracy means in England what it does
with us. lhe hereditary idea is an en-.
ormously powerful factor in every phase
OF English political life, and is as strong
now as it ever has been. By this do
pot mean that the House OF Lords is all
object of admiration among Liberals.
or chat the principle Of EQUAL rights and
privileges ia not steadily, albeit slowly
aud with long halts and hitches by the
the way, winning ground among the
English people. The House OF Lords as
itnow existsis very obviously a doomed
institution. Within even this closing
decade of the century we may quite
easily see q Parliament in Westminster
which shall. with stern determination
Of purpose, attack the verv foundations
Of the present system Of landlordism bv
she taxation Of ground rents. But no
matter how sweeping and couaptete
these coming reforms may be, the wise
and good peer will remain q potential
figure in British politics. Indeed, it Is
Tar from clear that he will not be all tht,
stronger for this clearing away Of the
weeds and rubbish about him.
Earl Spencer is an interesting and
valuable type of the class Of nohlemen
who render the theory OF a hereditary
aristocracy intelligible to the outside
observer. To the EogliShman he repre-
sents an admirable combination OF long
descent. wealth. landed responsibility.
and high sccial position. with ability
and deep desire TO serve his country.
The spectacle Of clever and learned
man. the master Of great estates and
the equal in rank Of the prondest, who
devotes his time and energies 20 public
labors, has distant fascination tor the
English mind. Perhaps the American
is not wholly jnsensible to this same
feeling; he has kindlier interest, /
fancy, in
THE CAREER OF A PUBLIC NAN
whose ancestors were also public men.
than in the fortunes Of those who have
come up from the ranks. This IS ano.
ther way OF saving that there Is good
deal Of human naturse in man, whether
he be on one side OF the oceau or the
ether. But here, where the race has
struck down deep roots into the soil.
and likes to 20 ahead slowly, all TO-
gether, this tendency to look for natural
leaders among these whose forefathers
also led, and to have pride and satisfac-
sion In such OF these as show themselves
worthy of their descent and place. IS
peculiarly strong. II was this sen
timent which for 50 MANY years kept
Lord Harrington upon the steps Of the
Liberal throne, SO to speak, as the
acknowledged heir to Mr.. Gladstone.
1t is this sentiment which now points
to Lord Spencer as the successor to that
responsible and honorable post
Earl Spencer was born in 1885 and
succeeded to the title at the age Of q
A year later he married. but the unio..
was childless, aud his heir is a half
brother moro than twenty wears his
junior. He vas from the tirst regarded
as y youth OF great promise. and from
1859 to 1863 was attached in a con-
fidential capacity to the households OF
the Priuce COnsort aud the Prince OF
w 8lc6. LII 1000 AO w 10 0AdAO lOA$A AAS~
tenant Of Ireland, a remarkably dig
nined post for one SO young. aud he
held sway at Dublin Castle during the
whole Of Mr.. Gladstone's first admin.
istration, that is to say. for nearly six
wears. The subsequent upheaval in
Irish politics had been so prodlgious
that period ending IN 1874, seems now
to belong to remote history. Nobody
now remembers aRYtning about Lord
Spencer's frat term as lord lieutenant Il M u
in Ireland. But he went again TO take
up the same Office once more 10 1882,
and nobody Is likely soon to forget
what happened then. 5.
The K,lmain lam treaty had just been
made Which meant that: Forsnter's i e Co
ercion policg had failed and that e 1s the !
.Liberal party fEsa as reso olyed to deal with II