The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-07


carried every seat but one. The solitary
Liberal member for what had formerly
been a Liberal stronghold was Mr..
Goschen Probably no other man could
have saved his party from utter extlnc-
ton in the city at that crisis.
Being now out of Office he turned his at
tention 10 what may be called financial
head and ears in debt 10 French and Eng
lish capitalists, and the affairs of
the country we're in such a hor-
rible muddie that the interest was
unpaid and the principal was
in danger notwithstanding that the IN
happy Egyptians were ground 10 the very
earth by taxation. Mr.. Goschen went to
Cairo al delegate for the British bondhold-
ers, and speedily devised scheme by
which the khediye was enabled to pay his
debts. while the crushing burdens OF his
people were greatly relieved. 1t was
brilliant stroke of financial skill, and, as
it touched the pockets of many thousands
OF very influential people in England, 1t
doubled Mr. Goschen' 5 reputation and gave
him great claim on public gratitude.
That was the beginning of that momen-
tous series of events by which Egypt has
become little more than a province OF Great
Britain, but at the same time has grown
more prosperous and enjoyed more liberty
than ever before Mr. Goscuen himself,
part he was playing in the making of his
tory Having got his hand III at this pc
culia- kind OF work, he now took holder
flight, and went as ambassador extraor-
binary to Turkey TO settle very ugly dis
pute between Turkey and Greece, which
threatened to set all Europe in blaze.
There seems something iaughable in the
notion of city merchant and banker I'M
dertaking the duties of a diplomatist and
debating 10 foreign nations what they
should do; and great fun was made of Mr..
Goschen's mission at the time. Yet it was
perfectly successful. The pushing, reso-
lutte man of affairs gained great ascend
ancy over the Indolent, narrow-minded
sultan, with the result that Turkey agreed
to an arrangement which was practically
q revision of the treaty of Berlin, and
which has proved quite effective for keep
ing the peace in the east of Europe.
Before this Mr.. Goschen had given very
striking instance of the old spirit of indie
pendence which he showed at school and
college. Finding that his seat as member
for the city of London was not altogether
uncomfortable, and that his constituents
were inclined TO grumble at some of his
doIngs, he boldly faced the situation,
wrote strong letter and retired from the
seat at the first opportunity. The electors
of Ripon, in Yorkshire, returned him
without difficulty, and he afterward
was elected for Edinburgh. being one
of the few men who ever sat in parliament
for both the English and the Scottish
capital.
In 1886 came his memorable quarrel with
Mr.. Gladstone on the home rule question.
OF all the politicians who severed them
selves from Mr.. Gladstone at that time and
formed the LIBERAL nionist party, the
two who incurred the bitterest displeasure
of their former chief were his ex-colleagues,
Sir George Trevelyan and Mr.. Goschen
The grand old man was beside himself
with rage when he heard other detection.
and he not only covered them with abuse
in terms quite unworthy of him, but ne
took measures for driving them both
out of public life. Both were de-
feated at the polls, and Sir George
Trevelyan's courage gave way. He
cried peccapi and returned to the
Gladstonian fold. Mr.. Goschen took a
very different course. He easily got an
other seat. and at once became one of Mr..
Gladstone's most formidable antagonists.
He made him bitterly rue the day when
he called him Tory" and tried to expel
him from politics. He furnished the
Unionist party with just what they stood
most in need of. an able financier, and to
crown his vengeance on Mr.. Gladstone. he
stepped into the position that great man
used TO MI. lie became chancellor OF the
exchequer in Lord Salisbury's min
istry and contributed incidentally
to their success by succession
OF brilliant budgets, lowering the
taxation, paying oil large sums of national
debt, abotlshlng vexatious impcsts, and
yet always having a handsome surplus.
In short, he has carried out in five wears
measures which Mr.. Gladstone never
hoped TO be able TO carry in double the
time. The greatest of his exploits I'M
doubtedly, and the one by which he will
be longest remembered, is the reduction of
the rate of interest on consols from 3 per
cent. to 2}a per cent, measure which
gave great stimulus TO industry and
commerce both by cheapening money and
by checking the tendency to hoard IN
money unproductively.
This and other such startling strides
ahead, however, have made Mr.. Goshen
very unpopular with the Conservatives.
and when the other day there was a talk
OF his being made first lord of the treasury
IN succession to Mr. smith, there was very
nearly revolt in the party The same
feeling OF hostility toward him among the
less advanced section of the LiberaI-ITniou
lists will probably make it impossibIa for
HIM TO occupy the place vacated by Lord
harrington by his accession 10 the house
OF peers as Duke Of Devonshire. To tell
the truth, Mr.. Goschen is not liked No
one can deny his ability or his many val.
liable qualities; but he is lacking in that
rare faculty of Cancellation which made
MT. Smith so powerful, and equally SO in
that lofty courtesy and chivalros unselfish-
ness which has made Mr.. Baltour beloved
even by his hottest political foes. With
all has intellect and all his versatility. Mr.
Uoschen has never succeeded in becominr
quite gentleman, and that will probabIy
stand IN the way of his ever ATTAINING tho
highest positions of all. VIZ
l ct he has very agreeable social sida
ana there is no jolher fellow in congorisi
company. The place TO see Mr.. Goschan
at ms best Is at one of Augustus Harris,
supper parties at Drury Lane theater
where the clevCrest men and the prettIee,
women IN England are gathered roupd tho
festive board, eating the choicest food and
drlnklng the fnest wine and brir zinc oT,t
thelr very best natural gifts for the general
deiiGht OF the company. There the chan
ceIior OF the exchequer. more Jewish look
ing than ever, ut 90, faultlessly dressed
wlth huge gardenia in his buttonhoIa
ana q glass of pink champagne i'm bis
manu- ms face full of merry tyiuk(es and
ms eyes cleaning with enjoyment Iats
himself out freely among his friends and
makes speeches that set the table in q r" ~
ork hard and live well - is his mott,
ny following 1t strictly ne is vo1jnr, 1rsy,
sun ana with plenty of pluck and oreat
fortune behind him, there is no sayinc
no" oig space he yet may fill. 20
EDWARD WAKEFIELD.
Slallam Rav