The morning call., 1893-03-27
TIE ENGLISH ASTOR.

The announcement that William Waldorf
Astor proposes to establish an Anglo
American magazine in London, to be run in
conjunction with his Pail Mall Budget and
Pail Mall Gazette, revives the rumor that
Mr.. Astor has severed the tie which binds
him to the land of his birth. and proposes
to become British subject. and to take part
in British politics. There is no reason why
he should not if be is so inclined. All
civilized nations recognize the right of ex-
patriatiOn and an American. on becoming
an Englishman, has at least the advantage
that he viii not have to learn the language
The late Sir John Rose, who was the part
ner ofeX-Vice-P President Morton, performed
the somersault twice. He was born a
British subject In Canada. When he en-
tered the banking house OF Morton, Bliss &
Co. he became an American citizen. When
he established the London branch of the
house he fell back on his original nation.
aity, and died in the odor u sanctlty, full
fiedged Englishman.
Or course, no man can have two nation
aities. He must belong TO one country or
The other. During the confusion of the
French Revolution such foreigners as
Thomas Paine and Anacharsis Clootz did
assume the duplicate quality Of Frenchmen
and aliens. But at a later period. when
Lord Brougham applied to the provisional
Government in 1919 for the privilege of
registering as a French citizen, lie was told
by NJ Cremieux that he could not be ad-
mitted to the suffrage till he had renounced
his allegiance to the Queen Of England. At
the present Gay every nation claims the un-
divided allegiance of its members. human
soul Is like cherry; you cannot make two
bites at it.
If, therefore. as the newspapers assure
rs, Mr.. Astor proposes to follow up
his literary enteIprise in England
by rendering to some constituency his
services as their representative in Parlia-
ment, be must begin by renouncing this
quality of an American citizen. 1t is not
| necessary that he should acquire the art OF
dropping his h's, but he must publicly re-
cant his faith in that provision of the con-
stitution which declares that in respect to
civil and political rights all men are born
free and equal. This formaIity achieved,
there a pears TO be no reason why he
| should not cut figure in British politics.
| He aspired to a seat in Congress IN this
| country. and represented the United States
at Rome, where he was persona grata; he
| has written three or four novels, one Of
novel of the day; ne is a gentleman Of
learning. taste and fine manners. He would
| certainly tower above the level of the great
| bulk of the six hundred and odd public men
who make laws for Great Britain at West
| minister.
His disappointment would probably come
| after be had got into Parliament and after
his newspapers had gone briskly into the
| work of moldng British opinion He
would fnd it impossible to become power
! in the country. If he showed an aptitude
| for work he would be assigned position on
comm ttee which would keep him busy
| II he showed a gift of oratory he would
have chances of displaying it, at the risk OF
eInptying the house. II he wanted office
| he wauld obtain an under-secretaryship, or
something of the kind. But it would take
him couple of decades Of solid hard intel
| ligent work to reach point here lie could
make himself felt.
Tie British empire is governed by two
sets of trained administrators. who alter.
nate In office. Their mem bers are edu.
Gated TO the business of government Each
set eagerly accepts the services of promis.
| ing recruits, and promotes them as theiI
| ability warrants. But they must go through
q egular term of service In many grades
| before they are permitted to have opinion,
Of their own. Men of commanding genius
! sometimes force themselves TO the from
without apprenticeship. Pitt and Glad
stone took command almost on their en-.
trance into public life. But such men are
rare; if Astor had been one of them We
would have found it OUT here. When a
| bright man objects to 60 through the regu.
| lar course OF training lie joins the opposi.
| tion, becomes a loose fish, and in nine cases
| out of ten he is of no more account than Sir
| Charles Dixie or Lord Randolph Churchill
| Such leaders as Gladstone or Salisbury are
like Agamemnon; they demand of theil
| followers less valor and more obedience.
As 10 newspaper backing, it rarely hap
pens that that helps a statesman in Eng
land or in this country. A man is benefited
by the praise of newspapers written BY
persons he does not know. He is no
| helped in the least by the applause ot
sheets which he owns, CT subsidies, oil
controls by the dictates of friendship If
as is stated. Mr.. Astor proposes to start Z
magazine in England which shall riva
HdTperS or the Century. it may be hoped
that he Will succeed. Up to date. the Brit
ish magazine has been a marvel of dullness.
| But the attempt TO rival the two great New
York nthlies has not been so successful
in this country that high hopes are war.
ranted of its appnmniis hmaut ahroad