The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-08-02
A CONSERVATIVES VIEWS.
HOW HE REGARDS THE GRAND OLD
MAN AND PARNELL.
A Talk with Mr.. Robert Niven on British
Politics = Gladstone as Political
Leader Instead of a Statesman.

Last week at Glen Echo Mr.. Robert Nivcn,
barrister, OF Lincoln's Inn, London, delivered
most notable course of six lectures in the
Hall of Philosophy on great men of that
nationality; and one on the .'Relations of
Carlisle and Goethe" another in sRelation TO
Carlisle and Emerson But his most interest
ing lectures were devotedto the delineation of
the characters Of Gladstone and Parnell, Mat
thew Arnold, Lord Salisbury, Mr.. Chamber
lain, and Randolph Churchill, characters who
handle the great political questions that now
agitate the British Empire, the men who ale
Leading players on the stage of public life
Mr.. Niven is well fitted to do this work. be-
ing highly educated gentleman of Scot
tish birth, who began his education in
Glasgow High School, and took an open
classical scholarship in Lincoln College, in
Oxford. Mr.. Niven's health having failed, he
has spent much time in studying men and the
political situation of the times while travelling
in Australia and other countries. No lecturer
since Edward Everret Hale, Phillips Brooks.
those scholarly and eloquent men, E. III.
Chaplin, and Henry Ward Beecher, has been
more enthusiastically received than Mr.
Nlven by the cultivated audiences the great
cities and intellectual centres. Mr.. Nfven,
like SO many men of gifts, often tries his hand
on contribution for the London Times,
Pail Mall Gazette, the Spectator or Fort
nightly ReUiew. In person Mr.. Niven does
not come up to the standard English type in
gtrth, but he is very English in accent and
the cut OF his side whiskers and in the un-
studied toilets which are so characteristic, no
son OF old England ever dressing convention
ally for any occasion short Of formal dinner
In other words Mr.. Niven appeared before the
Glen Echoites In simple travelling costume
OF gray clothes. His manner though scholarly
Is rather cold, but he frequently gets himself
In glow by rounding up period with some
degree of fire and eloquence.
In MIR. Nivcn's lecture on Gladstone and
public men, one soon saw that he leaned to
the Conservative side Of the Irish question;
and he handled Mr. Parnell, the one-time
leader, with manner suggestive of pair of
longs, as he held that gentleman up to view
Mr.. Niven is too highly cultivated to express
mere prejudice. He gave both those leaders
the highest praise for native talents, for
leadership, but he thought Gladstones pres
ent inconsistent position in politics, dating
back some five years, savored more of an
ambition to leadership than to pure states
manship." Later, in amplifying his re-
marks to representative Of The HERALD,
he said: "Parnell may re-enter politics
and become leader of faction, but he
has lost his prestige as great light. Glad.
stone carries the average Englishman of the
Liberal party with him on account OF the high
moral attitude he has always maintained
1hO dfctdSo opinion lS Oh little
consequences to anybody. Gladstone's char
acter has always held the reverence of this
party, which is composed of great numbers
OF the working classes. Some OF the extreme
views OF the Liberal party are regarded by
Tie Conservatives as reasonable, and the
truth is that Ireland is now better rep
resented In proportion to numbers than
Scotland, England, or Wales They now
have almost popular sovereignty. And
when the Giaastonian appeal was made they
had eighty-five representatives in the House
of Commons. The Scots, to-day, are clam
moring for some of the privileges that Ireland
exclusively enjoys, such as appeal to the
courts when disputes arise between tenants
and landlords. But for Gladstcnes influence
the workingmen would never have taken the
take time to consider. The Irishman seldom
does. He is like spirited and fractions
horse. He has tendency to take fright at
mere moonshine; to kick up his heels and run
away with whatever load he may be attempt
ing to carry. 1t is not the Irishman's fault.
He has come into his troubles through heredity.
They certainly date back over two hundred
years. The Irish problem is the foremost
question in English politics to-day But Eng
land never will grant Ireland the privilege of |
setting up for herself little independence.
What she needs, and is bound to get, is just, |
firm government They have been bad neigh |
bors on both sides of the channel and they |
must learn to live together. England is con- |
stantly not only extending her empire, but |
strengthening it by vesting all under one head |
in central government. Why, it is just as if |
one of your smallest States should defy your
U United States Government and claim to be |
outside of the Uuion. The American sym-
pathy with the Irish is most inconsistent, !
and you even denounce the position of John |
Bright as inconsistent. 1t all depends on the |
point of view. While Liberal in politics.
Bright sustained your Government during, ali |
your war of the rebellion of the Southern
States, and he sustained the home Government
against the Irish demand for Home Rule, on the
same principles, which amounts to the same
hing; while Gladstone's position is-in the |
'ye OF the Conservative-of whom am one.
IN this subject at least-is most inconsistent
me as a leader. To-day he is advocating the
Iery position that five years ago he repu-
Hated"
All Night and All Day at Atlantic City.