The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-26

the one Just introduced appear to be rather
worse than useless.
10 Lord Harrington Shelved?
Owing to the death OF his father. tho Duke
OF DEvoNsHIRE, the Marquis OF HARRINGTON
will exchange the place OF member of the
House Of Commons, which he has held
during more than third Of century.
for seat in the House Of Lords. What is
likely to be the effect OF this incident on his
political career. and on the cohesion OF the
Liberal Unionists considered as a distinct
party organization
There Is widely current notion that the
removal OF political leader from the
popular and almost Omnipotent branch Of
Parliament to the upper House condemns
him to permanent eclipse. II not to complete
exclusion from the field OF political ac-
tivity and usefulness. 1t Is indeed hard to
conceive OF such men as the younger PITT.
CHARLES Fox. GEORGE CANNING. Sir
RonERT PEEL. and Mr.. GLADSTONE, as other
than great Commoners; and one feels that
a peerage. which for other men might mean
elevation. would for them signify dethrone-
ment. Neither can it be denied that when
animated. inconvenient. or for any reason
unacceptable to their colleagues. the
relegation OF them to the House OF
Lords has been resorted to as q
polite method OF kicking them up stairs.
Such was the lot OF Sir STAFFORD
NoRTHCoTE, OF Mr.. ROBERT LOWE. and OF
Sir r. Cross; and 1t is known that SIM
liar fate was reserved for Mr.. w. H. SMITH.
Yet all such presidents and illustrations
only prove. after all. that second-rate men.
or flrst-rate men whose days Of energy are
over. find something appropriate and con-
venient In the honorable retirement from
the House OF Lords. They do not prove
that man Of remarkable ability. who re-
tains the strength to use 1t. cannot direct
the course and shape tho fortunes OF a
political party from the upper House.
This will be plain from the most cursory
during this century. Among the members
of the House of Lords who have been Prime
Ministers may be mentioned Lord LIVER
POOL. the Duke Of WELLINGTON. Earl GREY.
Lord MELBOURNE, Lord ABERDEEN. Lord
DERBY. Lord BEAcONsFIELD. and Lord SAL
IsBURY. 1t should also be remembered that
Lord JOHN RUSSELL. after he entered the
House OF Lords as Earl RUSSELL. discharged
with notable efficiency the delicate and diff
fcult functions Of Foreign Secretary during
our civil war. The case Of Lord BEACoNs-
FIELD is particularly interesting because.
although 1t was inflrmity which compelled
him to avoid the incessant strain OF work
In the House OF Commons. no one dis
puted his leadership Of the Conservative
party: and he even seemed to acquire in
popular estimation weight and prestige
which he had previously lacked. 1t is GER
tain that the disappearance Of his old nick
name. Dizzy" was contemporaneous with
his acceptance Of an earldom. It is likewise
probable that Lord SALISBURY has gained
more than he has lost by his withdrawal
from parliamentary arena for which the
precarious state OF his health untitled him.
Nor will 1t be denied that Mr.. GLADSTONE
would remain the unchallenged chief Of his
party whether he spoke from the benches
Of the upper or the lower House.
It may be doubted. however. whether the
Liberal Unionist members OF the House OF
Commons have sufficiently firm party Or
ganization to Withstand the loss OF the per-
sonal direction OF Lord HARRINGTON. They
are already in the position which the Peel
ties occupied after the death Of their chief.
They have ceased to represent considera-
BILE body OF electors; they are leaders with
out . following: shepherds without sheep.
There 10 not one Of their number who
will DO permitted by his colleagues
to take Lord HARTINGToN's place. Mr..
CHAMBERLAIN may have the requisite
ability: he has neither the social stand
ing. stability OF character. nor long
established influence needed to control
those Liberal Unionists OF whom Sir HENRY
The drift Of such men will now be toward
reunion with the Gladstonians. while an
other section Of the Dissident Liberals will
be equally likely to grayitate toward COM
plete absorption In the Tory party. The
chances are that Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN and his
lieutenant. Mr.. JESSE CoLLINos. will be ulti-
mately left in severe isolation at the head
OF little band OF members from Birming-
ham and the adjoining constituencies.
II the transfer of Lord HARRINGTON to the
upper House is followed by the collapse of
the Dissentient Liberal faction. he will prob
ably follow the other Wing dukes into the
Tory fold. He would be almost an ideal
successor Of Lord SALISBURY as the chief OF
q party which strives to remain as conserv-
alive as 1t can. while becoming a. demo-
cratic as 1t must. There is scarcely any
kind OF reform as to which the Tories at
Birmingham tho other day did not show
themselves more advanced than were the
Liberals six years ago. The old-fashioned
Conservatives would probably feel them
selves safer under the guidance Of the new
Duke Of DEvoNsHIRE than even under that
OF Mr.. RALSoUH. who has occasionally
parplexed and alarmed them by his
kpCenalak 10 ondeN A.Qhthali0 pplyeuir.