New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-28
THE NEW MINISTRY.
SOME SURPRISES-MR.. LABOUCHERE AND
SIR CHARLES DILKE-THE HOME SECRE-
TARY-THE LORD-LIFUTENANT.
Westminster, August II.

late 10 appointments manu- ''@'N
upon an appointment not made. Writing III this
column a wear ago | discussed at some length
the probabilities OF Mr. Laboucheres inclusion
in the next Liberal Ministry and arrived at
the conclusion that he would not be found
sitting on the Treasury Bench. But that con-
c]usion was distinctly based on the SUPPOSE
ton that il Office were pressed upon his accept
aDce he would decline it, lie has not pech
offered anything, and the wide circle oi per-
sons whom lie is accustomed more or lcss "h-
DERBY 70 lash arc chuckling with delght over
his discontinue. Mr.. Lahouchere only hughs'
but the fact OF his discontinue remains, it being
entirely beyond his control lie never posed for
office, as the letter alluded to tcstihes Some
people who know him intimately arc OF INC
opinion that had it been offered he wouin nave
refused il. But it wasn't offered othcr peoPr'
friends and enemies. had shouldered him into a
POSITION OF expectancy. On the eve OF the uiNi-
sion on the vote OF no confidence Mr.. Chamber
lain went out of his way 10 discuss the member
for northampton as a probable, nay certain
colleague of the new Prime Minister. THIS was
remarkable as being the first public rccognI-
tion of Mr. Laboucheres existence 10 "hloh
Chamberlain has for five years condescehueu'
There was q time when these Two ape' H''o'
esting and entcrprisng persons were ihS, a.
bile. They hunted in couples, the game nelns
Ind,fYerentlv Ministers or eEMinisers. "heii
Mr.. Chamberlain seeded from the Lloerai
party Mr. Laboucieie. staying behina 'uin'"
upon his old companion with 'he "H'.i"' :,
that is born of cstranged affection III HIS az
tacks upon ordinary people and lnstl'u'io"s WV
is a certain cynical geniality that nia"e' Wv
pleasant TO every one but the person directly -"
terestcd When Mr. Chamberlain came "'''oi
review. whether on the platform or IN ,ne p''o'
Mr. I.abouchere always took OIL the s'o
venomously scratched.
Az Cbamherlain. with lofty air of indifference
has for many wears ignored the eAlstepce OIL WI
Iabouchere. and studiouslY abstaned roin '"N
inc notice OF his incessant attacks buV i"o0
Thursday he devoted an important passage oi HE
speech 10 the member fer Northampton ielsnin7
slcep I'm the corner scat by the eang"ay "i'i'in
hand reach Of his old companion addressing VIC
House. Citing Mr. Laboucheres well-k"o"H
views on the question OF the evacuation OF E2yP',
Mr.. Chamberlain smilingly asked the deils".e"
Mnisterialists how Mr.. Gladstone, presldhS III MS
new Cabinet. would be able 10 asslniia"' u0
views of the member for Northampton Oh u'i'
critical question with those oil Lcrd foseo'i'
acting as Foreign Secretary? As 1or 'he hono'
able member for Northampton" the rsht nonoi-
able gentleman he will then be, suppose W.,
chamberlain added looking down on the placlu
aaleep under boring speech" how will he De
.hlo IN reconcile the interests Of the Capihet
with the interests OF TRUTH" The House roareo
with laughter at this hit, but 1T was observed
that Mr.. Gladstone did not even smile
Mr. Chamberlain knew what he was about, as
IN IN him bare Justice he generally does. III ne
had Il at heart to drive the nail In the CONN OF
Mr.. Labouchere's chances of joining the Ministry
Il was probably done at that moment lie was
endeayorinc. in accordance with the main dillo
of his speech, to show that the dlihcuiues oi
the Liberal party would begin with the hls'
meeting of the Cabinet necessarily representing 'e
widely diversified sections that went to make
ND the majority Of forty. Foremost IN 'he I'M
passing list, most important as involvmg an inter
national question, was the evacuation ol HsSP"
In season and out Of season Mr. Labouchere mas
b~en nrcachinc the imperative duty of the British
Government getting out OF the country Dc '"o
EARLIEST possible moment Lord Roseberys atu-
fude on the question is equally well known to
no ono Of far more deiberative character, ana
with Mr. Iabouchere in the Cabinet the materials
for embittcrcd controversy were ready 10 mana.
Mr. Chamberlans opportunity had come at last'
and he used il with consummate skill. Not only
had he. in sentence that evidently convinced inc
listening House, shown as In hash oil hght inc
danger of including Mr.. Labouchere in the Minis
try but having affected to believe his inclusion
settled, and having hailed him in advance as
ariuht honorable" lie had, snpposing his old
friend were finally overlooked the satisfaction
of making his failure more CONSPICUOUS and some
what ludicrous
There are some of Mr.. Gladstones colleagues
who whiIa admitting the difficulty of incud-
ing this reckless free lance in the CABINET thinK
Mr. Gladstone has made serious mistake in
i'm II ia unite
certain the member for Northampton would have
been ssfer inclosed in the decorous folds OF the
Ministry than left free TO roam at his own sweet
will in the pastures below the gangway. The
Liberal party in the House Of Commons is al
WAYS seethng with revolt. Since the days OF
Apamemnon Lowe, and before him, it's ene-
mics have ever been those OF its own house
hold When it has been beaten, it has fallen
from .tabs in the back rather than from blows
dealt in the front. For the fussy, disappointed
and possibly honest sections of malcontents be-
low the gangway Mr. Laboucherc Is Heaven
born leader He likes conspiracy above all human
delights, and is never so happy as when in some
back room he is circumventing The Times" or
plotting against the Ministry of the day.
1t il significant that when Sir Charles Dixie
returned to the House of Commons he should
have made his way to the corner seat below
the gangway where Mr.. Laboucherc Sits. This
new member for the Forest of Dean has no
particular cause for friendship 10 the men with
whom he once sat in Cabinet Council. and
who now, when he passes them in public
places, draw in their skirts les, they should be.
not polluted, but compromised. by his touch.
Mr.. Labouchere and Sir Charles Dixie. acting
together, untrammelled by responsibility, form
rare combination of Parliamentary force. They
ara both past masters in the campaigning. which
Ii carried on, not on the floor of the House, but
in the smoiUng-ro the tea-room, the Terrace and
OF cosey dinner parties. They cannot hope TO
defeat the Government the Egyptian
question. They are not even united on
f. Sir Charles Dixie being nearer in
o-d ,io.x hon ,uifh