New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-19
MR.. FRANK LOCKWOOD. O q.
HIS RELATIONS TO THE EIGHTY CLUB.
TO THE BAR, TO POLITICS. AND TO
SOCIETY, AND HIS LIKENESS TO
AN EMINENT AMERICAN

o.
Mr. Lockwood Of whom wish TO say a word
IN a moment has brought to light the most solid
argument or solid fact yet adduced in favor Of
an immediate dissolution In speech to the
Eighty Club at Cambridge on Saturday he re-
lated how he met a man in the Temple the other
day, and the said to him:
81 am afraid we are not going to remain In
long
"Why?"
"WelI. was walking down Middle Temple
Lane and, passing the door Of the Solicitor-Gen.
eral, noticed that his name, painted afresh.
had heen done In only one coat OF paint"
Mr.. Lockwood tried TO console this distressed
Liberal by pointing out that the SolIcitorGen-
eral Mr.. r. T. Reid, came Of frugal race, and
like q true Scot thought to make coat do
whera others would have squandered money on
thrae Whether the man was treasured he did
not cav but the audience was, II not treasured,
amused which is form Of relief, since Mr. Reid
the new Solicitor General, was at that moment
I'm the chair. Mr. Lockwood at any rate, Is not
the man TO be cast down by triles. He even
turned upon his friend Mr.. Haldane, who said
a week or two since that dissolution was a
hand. He lkened Mr.. Haldane 10 one OF ths
weird sisters preaching on some blasted Scottish
heath But Mr.. Haldane also is a Scot, and
canny one and what he said was that dssolu-
ton "a inevitable which Is a trusm. IL he had
said imminent it might have meant something
since he Is supposed 10 be as deep in Lord Rose
bery's confidence az anybody which perhaps Is
not very deep. You have been entertained, no
doubt. with this and many other rumors ana
omens Of dissolution. But you are aware THAI
Parliament IS still sitting and though 1t VIII not
SIT forever I know Of no particular reason, bar
accidents why It should not complete the pres
ent session: still less Of any particular reason
why the Government. with Parliament oncs
safely out Of the way. should care 10 appeal TO
constituencies which thus far have shown q
marked dissemination to undergo that process OF
conversion to which Lord Rosebery. at the very
beginning Of his Ministry. invited them.
II you know anything about Mr.. lockwood.
which hope you do, you know that he Is, among
other things humorist He has wit also. and
the very rare art OF telling an old story with
new point to e. or In new form, which makes
Il seem less old. AprOpos OF dissolution. he re-
peated the mouldy fable OF the prophet In the
north Of England who weekly foretold the end
Of the world and the coal merchant who declared
that in consequence Of these sinister predictions
his customers would only buy coal By the sack.
Then came Mr.. LockwOods new gloss:
Il was not so much that they expected the
world would come to an end but IL II dd' y
would not be pleasant 70 be- left with STOCK OK
coal on hand. II might be used against them.
This Eighty Club dinner was given in honor Of
Mr.. lockwood There IS a certain piquancy IN
the circumstances and in the Craftsmanship Of
Mr. Reid since Mr. Lockwood was thought likely
% have been made Soncitor-Genera instead OF
Mr. Reid but was not Both good lawyers
and most amiable and agreeable men. II may
be that Mr. Lockwood was thought too brilliant
or too various His successful rival described
him as a humorist Of delightful fancy. But hu-
NOR and delightful fancy not precisely the
qualities which are thought most Indispensable Ia
the Solicitor ieneralship. Mr.. Reid more hand
somely and aptiy spoke Of Mr.. Lockwood as
''snce the withdrawal OF Sir Charles Russell To
a more serene atmosphere. the most brilliant adj
vocate at the English bar"
That is a compliment OF very high kind. OF
co,irs. Il does not mean that Mr.. lockwood Is
tho eoual Of Sir Charles Russell who had no
equal Nor does II mean that he Is the greatest
LAWYER al the bar Sir Henry James, Sir Richard
Webster. Sir John Rigby. would perhaps bs
nausd by the profession as the three greatest
lawyers now practising. But the tribute paid
to Mr. Lockwood by the profession and BY the
public is indicated truthtuly by Mt Reid Briil'
liant he undoubtedly IS. and successful Tor winch
last quality. or qualification. the client cares
more than for the first. lie has succeeded 10
portion Of the great professional inheritance
which Sir Charles Russell left behind MN when
ne became Lord Russsll-a life peerage only-and
retired to that serener atmosphere OF which Mt.
Reid told
Indeed a great part OF the inheritance fell IN
when Sir Charles became Attorney-General a
f,rh . hon
renquish all but certain specified branches OF his
practice. This was an effort toward economy by
Mr.. Gladstone, who IS supposed to understand
not only finance but economy as we'll as any
man living or better But the lay mind is rare
" seen 70 advantage when pltted against the
professional on a professional matter. There
was no doubt much criticism and some come
plaint al the time. from lawyers. 1t was said
that the Prime Minister. out Of a mere econom-
teal frenzy and In the spirit OF the Treasury,
which IS a spirit OF penuriousness, had reduced
his Attorney -Ge GENERALS income by a third. But
since the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ceased 10 be Attor-
ney- General. and became a law Lord. II has been
openly said that hts fees under the new arrange
ment were larger than under the old. His IN
come put at about $4,000 True. of TINS
large sum- $1,000 came from the Behring Sea ar
bitration. The British Government paid each OK
its two leading counsel. Sir Richard Webster De-
ing the other. seven thousand guneas. Inc
United States Government being poor. and the
representative OF a poor country. paid its Lead
ing counsel the magnificent sum Of $lOOOO-less
than one-third the amount which Great Britain
thought none too great a reward for advocates
eminent. no doubt but not more eminent or
more able than ours.
II is a testimony to Mr.. Lockwoods position al
the bar that he succeeds not only 10 some part
Of Sir Charles Russell's general practice but 10
some Of that very particular part OF 1t WHICH
came from Sir George Lewis. II there be So
licltor in London, or anywhere In the world VINO
has a reputation for winning causes, II Is Dir
George Lewis AS he is not allowed by the Gus
ION, % this cur,oua country 10 try them hrnseu