New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-16
NJ. P.'S AND DIRECTORSHIPS.
LORD ROSEBERYS ONE EVE LAMB-MR.
LABOUCHERE AS PUBLIC%
PROSECUTOR.

One or Lord RoseDerys first actions on accept
ing office to send in his resignation as Director
Of the British Linen Company. This has been
much applauded, not because it greatly mattered
whether the Secretary of State for Foreign Afars
had o seat on the board of quantity named Scxtch
bank, but because the action constituted oren
avowal Of scrupulous observance Of princdple
elsewhere laxly held. In this country election 30
the House of Commons. even more eficaciousiy
succession 70 pecrage, Is sufficient and attractive
qualification for nomination 70 board Of directors
with more less satisfactory salary payment IN
fees. The unhappy nobleman now languishing in
prison." reminiscent Of another famous b B k
supplies case in point Sir Gilbert Campbell had
no special knowledge Of the business In which the
ingenious Morgan and T0lmie embarked and which
was remotely connected with literature, science
and art. He was sadly impecunious, grateful for
E5 note, wherever IL came from. But he was
undeniably a baronet, the third of the line Ac-
cordingly he hooked 20 the confedevacy,
and there il no doubt that the succession Of "Au-
thors' Alliances" Literary and Scientific Asso-
cations" and Fine Art Galleries. which -four
ished for nearly ten years and finally run
down by the implacable Mr. Labouchere, owed their
prosperity TO the fact that the name Of Sir G.
Campbell, Bart. figured prominently in their list
directors.
The baronets Christian name was Gilbert But
IL was found more useful and convenient 10 alude
to him by HIS initial. There was alive during the
run Of this ingenious fraud another Sir G. Camp
bell. lie was chrstened George. had boen Licutcn-
ant-Governor OF Bengal, was Member of Para-
ment and Knight Commander of the Star Of
India. Poor Sir George Campbells later years were
overshadowed by letters constantly reaching him
inquirng after certain ruineas his correspondents
hal x1,c,v ,n.A 4
high character. invested in the Literary and Arts
tic Association in the Authors Alliance and they
wanted to know when they would receive the
promised advantages Poor Sir George Campbell ID
dead now, and another sits in his place for Kirk
caldy, while the bloody hand of the baronetcy Of
Campbell Of Carrick-Buoy, County Donegal. Ire
land, Is marked up In ghostly colors on the call
door of one of Her Mjesty's prisons
With a large class of Members of Parliament
the remuneration arising from connection With
boards Of commercial, trading and financial COM
panies is q considerable item in their Incomes
II is understood that when a member accepts Of
fee in the Ministry he resigns oil connections Of
this kind. which. indeed, seems only decent
thing 70 do. No man can serve two masters,
more especially when one is of state and tho
other private company trading upon funds sub
scribed by the public. Lord Rosebery as we have
seen, observes the rule in punctili0us fashion.
But that IL is not universal in similar circles il
we'll known. OF the Cabinet dismissed at the
general election there prominent member
head OF one Of the great spending departments,
who combined with strict attention to public bust
ness the dictatorship Of River Plate Bank This
turned out so badly that when last year the bank
failed the noble lord not only lost what money
he had invested In It, but became liable for such
heavy calls that no Hnanriallv ryfnnlad
Happily for him the British Constitution makes
provision of pension for an ex-Cabinet Minister,
who may for the rest Of his life draw a pension
Of $4,000 year II he is able TO claim IL on the
grounds that his private are not sufficient to
enable him 70 maintain the dignity of his position
The pension Of $4,000 a year has accordingly
been awarded. But 1t is clear that if the whole
svme rule observed by Lord Rosebery had pre-
vailed In all cases the country would have been
spared an expenditure which In the circumstances
il is too generous TO grudge
Another case pertaining 10 Lord Salfsbury's
Ministry that came prominently under the atten-
ton Of the country was that Of Sir James Fergus
son. while still Under Secretary for Foreign Al.
fairs. Studiousy surveying mankind from China
10 Peru. Sir James managed TO take his share
in the direction of the affairs of quite o cluster
Of private companies. About two years ago there
tive appointment 10 the Board OF the Pennsular
and Oriental Steamship Company. Shortly after
Sir James moved from the Foreign Office
to ST. Martins le Grand, whereupon some busy
bodies in the press pointed out that considering
the Peninsuar and Oriental Company had large
mail contracts with Her Majesty's Government, it
was not desirable that the Postmaster General
should have seat at its board. For some time
Sir james FERGUSON stonly disregarded these pro-
tests. But they grew in volume, and action he
ing threatened in the House of Commons. tho
Postmaster-General was careful before Parliament
met to resign tins particular dictatorship.
The result of the trial of the confederates in
what is known ne the Literary and Artistic Frauds
alluded TO above Is u signal triumph for Mr.. La
bouchere and his Journal, Truth" 1t was he
who, with the tenacty Of sleuthhound, tracked
these scamps to their den ard exposed the whole
pitiful business. He has been engaged on the
work for some years, and only within the past few
months succeeded in shaming the police authori-
ties into taking action which has resulted after
trial in the Central Criminal Court, in sending
the principals of the Literary and Artistic Associ-
alton into penal servtude for a varied term OF
years and immurng the dccoy baronet for cigh-
teen months at hard labor This is the second
public service of an analogous kind Mr.. Labouchere
has brought TO successful conclusion The other
in respect Of what came TO be known the
Stamford Road TO Ruiz This was plot il which
two rogues Joined, setting up sham theatrical
agency 70 which they lured ambitious cooks and
stagc-strucx kitchen-maids. easing them Of their
savings and in most cases attempting 10 rob them
of their virtae. lie pegged away at this week
after week. till the police were Obliged to take
action and the rooms il: Stamtord-st. are now
vacant. their former tenants beng provided for
elsewhere.
This role of amateur detective. followed up by
that OF public prosecutor. is obviously danger
Gus one to assume. The law of libel in this coun-
try IL distinctly in favor of the rogue. In all Mr.
Jaboucherc's crusades 40 early stage Of the pro-