New-York tribune., 1893-12-10
NOTES FROM LONDON.
THE RADICALS AND THE PRIME MINISTER
- MR. CECIL RHODES AND NIX
IABOUCHERE SIR RICHARD
TTMPLE-NISS CORELL1.

TEMPLE-MISS CORElILI.
London, November %.
The end Of the Herschell incident is not yet
That portentous Radical resolution. Oh cehsuie
,,vo, tho Lord Chancellor was duly sent to Mr.
Gladstone, and Mr.. Gladstone has now Hiaue an
swer. He is. 1t must be confessed IN an a"h-
ward position. He cannot sacrifice MS horu
chancellor He cannot say to his Raoicai sup
porters In so many words that they are Heouiiis
with matters which do not concern theih' anu
doiny their best to debase politics and the coun-
tv napistracy together. To sacrifice his Lord
chancellor would be departure from every non
,.h,e tradition of public life and of Mr.. Glad
.tone,s own lfe To use the language OF Truth
ri, James TO Mr. Storey and Mr.. HALEY stewart
,ynu,d ne to provoke fresh discomfort among
those who are sufficiently discontented already.
Those gentlemen are so little governed by reason
and so much by passion that none can say at
what point discomfort might flame out into open
mutiny.
The more difficult the dilemma, however the
more conspicuous is Mr.. Gladstones adroi'ness
IN what one Of his Radical supporters ruue!
calls egy-dances His letter to the repeihous
Radicals is in its own kind masterpiece ne
avoids taking issue with them on any vital
pofnt He sympathizes with their anxious oe-
sire TO liberalize the county bench, II not TO rao
calize IT, He regrets the delay in giving erect
IN the resolution Of the House of Commons but
he pleads for indulgence to Lord Herschel on
the score of the mutifarious duties he has to
perform. He promises that no absolute de1er-
ence" shall be paid to the recommendations of
the Lord Lieutenants-a very safe promise. The
sentence in which this pledge is embodied de-
serves quoting as a specimen of Mr.. Gladstone's
,nequalled power of seeming to say something
.yhen in fact he says nothing and promises
nothing of the least practical value:
eff as is plain, no absolute Difference can be
properly paid by the Lord Chancellor to the Lord
Lieutenant, there is no other individual in the
several places to whom such Difference can be
paid and some Of those who have presumptively
a good title to recommend might perhaps be sur
prised at the new view taken of their recon-
,nendations in some instances by others also
vested with a presumptive title to speak
Finally. he hopes his observations will be re-
ceived with Indulgence"
They were not. They were received by the
General Purposes Committee of the Radical
party in a spirit of austere dissatisfaction
They were resented, very much as Lord Her
schelps plain statement-very much palmer than
Mr. Gladstone's-was resented. reply was re-
solved on and a committee appointed to draft 1t;
of which not only Mr.. Storey and other Radical
respectabties were members, but Sir Charles
Dixie. He 1t is who now appears as an ADVISER
in matters relating to the administration OF
Justice. He IT is who. conjointy with his fellow
Radicals. lectures Mr.. Gladstone-therc is no
other word for it-on the proper composition OF
the county magistracy The tone of the letter
Is peremptory, impatient, dictatorial I'VE are
of opinion" I'VE say" 1--WE put on record the foi-
lowing statement" such are the terms in which
obscure or discredited items Of the extreme left
Mr.
Gladstone.
They take no notice of his plea of want OF
time. They warn him that Lord Lieutenants
must no longer or seldom be consulted. They
lay down seven rules to govern his future
action in the appointment of county magls-
trates and Lord Herschelrs future action
need not trouble you with the seven rules Ihey
may be wise unwise, reasonable or unreason-
able framed for the general interest or framed
to suit Radical views What is significant Is
that gentlemen of this party and of this stamp
should conceive themselves in a position to lay
down the law to their leader. If you read be-
tween the lines of this amazing letter IL amounts
TO a declaration that on these conditions the
Radicals will continue to support Mr.. Gladstone;
otherwise they will withdraw their support. 1t
is a menace. The tone is that of men who know
their power to ruin If not to rule. don't believe
they will carry their menace into effect but that
they should venture to use it at all is a sign OF
what is coming.
Mr. Cecil Rhodes adds to his other qualifica-
tions for public life a sense Of humor He has
Just been explaining to delighted South African
audience the secret Of his success in life, or, at
least. Of his worldwide renown. The secret is
Mr. Labouchere. But for Mr.. Labouchere. Mr.
Rhodes might have remained unknown. 1t was
70 ha Of
to organize a province or two of the En-
pire, little to open up a country. to fight
successful campaign to overthrow the last great
barbarous potentate in that part Of the world:
little to win the confidence OF the City of London
and the joint eulogy Of Mr. Gladstone and Mr..
Balfour The true success of Mr.. Rhodess life
was attained when he attracted the attention
Of eAfr. Iabouchere and became n topic in the
columns of the weekly society journal which
Mr. Labouchcre. in his moments Of leisure from
legislation. edits.
Mr. Rhodes does not seem to understand why
Mr. Labouchere. whom he declares he never
saw. should attack him. That only proves that
a man may be capable of governing South
Africa but not of fathoming the intellectual
idiosyncrasy of the Member from Northamp-
ton and editor of society journal. Or. posi-
bly, Mr. Bhodes's ignorance is fegned for rhe
to.ical purposes He may, in spite of his dis
clairer, be aware that Mr.. Labouchere is an
eminent practitioner Of that school who hold
that the public is the natural prey of the
Journalist. Mr.. Labouchere, like Death, loves
a shining mark. He loves also to mix politics
with finance and finance with politics, and Mr..
Rhsdes's cfninence in both made him an ire
slstible temptation. and target. The answer
which Mr. Rhodes now addresses to Mr.. La
boucnere is as good answer as need be. 1t
comes at a moment when the financial iniquites
Of which he is accused have just been approved
by the shareholders who were represented as
Mr.E Rhodeys Victims; when his political Of
fercak haxA been applarded by the two most