The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-19

were links, and made England by It's
navy the mistress of Southern Europe
To Disraeli belongs the credit OF the Fac
tory act, by which the hours OF labor Ior
women and children were lesseneo anu
the legal age for child-labor increased
and so outspoken was Disraeh al
ways in his denunciation OF the ms
toric inhumanity and unwisdom OF En-
glands Irish policy that had ne lived ne
would have anticipated Gladstone IN form
ing coalition with the party OF farneii.
He anticipated Gladstone's opportunity
for suffrage reform in 1857; he would nave
anticipated him in the matter OF nome
rule for Ireland had he been in full mental
and bodily vigor in 1ss1-s3.
If the test of greatness be to DO great
things rather than make great speeches,
Disraeli was q greater statesman than
Gladstone. And Disraeli could say great
things always on great occasions. when
he entered political life he was cordially
hated, distrusted and despised by English
men of all parties as a mere adventurer,
handsome Jew dandy, brilliant writer OF
sensational political novels. and he had to
conquer this solid wall of English pre-
iudice before he could win the crown. For
twelve years he patiently fought for his
own hand, waited in defeat for the coming
step of victory, deferred, not lost, and
it came in 1876, came to stay to death
and after death. While Disraeli was not
of Hebrew faith he was of pure Jew blood,
and he was always true to his race. He
treated the Jew with honor in all his nc
tions, and in parliament he stood by Baron
Lionel Rothschild, who for years was ex-
cluded from the seat he had obtained IN
the House of Commons on account of his
refusal to take the test oath ION the true
faith of Christian"
Disraeli is one of the few English states
men of modern times who have risen to
the head of the Tory party IN face of the
hostility and contempt of the church, the
university, the court and the aristocracy.
He was not educated at any of the great
English church schools or universities; he
was Jew, who had to face social con-
tempt and race hate that was universal
among the ruling classes; he tried litera-
ture and forced recognition of his talent,
but society that opened its doors on golden
hinges turning to the drunken, dissolute,
BOBBY son of a bankrupt lord was
closed to the brilliant young novel;
list. Then, with his reputation for literary
cleverness he managed to work his way into
parliament, and even then he had to wait
twelve years for decent recognition of his
powers of leadership. His opportunity
came at last; he saw it, and instantly cap
tured it; he made everything yield to his
powerful will, his sublime patience, his
sleepless vigilance. The circumstances
were all against him, but he refused to be
the creature of circumstance; he pierced
its wall when he could not scale it; he
compelled circumstances to yield, bent
them to his will and design rather than
suffered circumstances to shape his fate or
daunt his SOUL
Today England wears Disraeli's favorite
flowers because she feels that in life this
man of Jew blood was as high-spirited
and as patriotic an Englishman as ever
governed her state. England wears prim-
roses today because she feels that Disraeli
always wore the English colors next his
heart. 1t is worth noting that the finest
parliamentary tribute to Lincoln when the
news of his assassination reached England
was uttered by Disraeli, not by Gladstone.