New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-04
man.
BRITIIN'S NEW RULER.
ARCHIBALD PHILIP PRIMROSE. FIFTH
EARL OF ROSEBERY.
MR. GIADSTONE'S PROPHETIC WORDS THE
YOUNG sTATEsMAN's CAREER -TORDGN
MINISTER AND COUNTY COrN-
CIILOR-THE HUSBAND OF
ROTIISCIIIID


THE man of the future" were the words used
by Mr. Gladstone eight years ago in introducing
tho then youngest member Of his Cabinet - the
Liberal party. The occasion was a mass-meeting
at Manchester. on June 25. 1856 The Home Rule
bill had Just been defeated. and general cleo
ton was at hand Lord Rosebery had for brief
time been Foreign Secretary. and had acquitted
himself brilliantly in that important Office. He
had also filled various other places Of public
trust But ne still young something less
than forty. and while his ability was well
known. ne was not generally looked upon "a
destined TO be Mr. Gladstone's successor until
Mr. Gladstone himself uttered those prophetic
words. Since then the great mass of the Liberal
party has regarded him the chosen one upon
whom the mantle Of the Grand Old Man" was
TO fall.
Tha family OF Lord Rosebery Is an ancient
Scottish house. which takes its name from the
estates Of Primrose in FIfeshlre. In 1851 1t was
elevated to a baroneicy. The fourth son OF the
first baronet played i leading part in establish
ing the union Of England and Scotland. and was
made Baron Primrose and Dameny. in the
Scottish peerage In 1900 and three years later
Viscount Inverkelthing and Earl Of Rosebery
HIS SON the second Earl. married a sister Of the
Duke Of Argyll: and his son. the third Earl
married as his second wife a daughter Of Sir
Francis Vincent through which connection a
collateral relationship exists between the present
Lord Rosebery AMI the American family Of
Sherman represented by The Hon. william VI.
Evarts The fourth Earl was I'm 1925 created
Baron Rosebery IN the peerage of the United
Kingdom. His eldest son, Archibald, Lord Dal-
meny NJ r. married Lady Catherine Lucy stan
hope. daughter Of the fourth earl of stan
hope. and t. them was born, in London, on May
T. 1Si7 the subiec; Of this sketch.
Archibald Philip Primrose was educated AT
Eton and AT Christ Church. oxford. at both Of
which institutions he ranked well student.
though no extraordinary achievements are re-
corded Ct him While he was still under
graduate he formed the acquaintance Of Dlsraeli
and Mr. Gladstone ana was regarded by both a
a youth Of the highest promise He was marked
for political career. and 1t was expected that.
while his father was Earl, he would spend some
years in the House OF Commons. But this valu-
able experience was denied him His father
never became Earl but died in 1sol, many years
before the fourth Earl The young man had Just
attained his majority, in 1865, and was about to
seek seat in the Commons. when his grand
father died. and he thus became a member OF IN"
House Of Lords. lie at once Identified himself
with the Liberal party which was In minority
in that Chamber. and showed determination 10
be a law,naker I'm earnest and not merely In
name. As early as 1871 he was selected by Mr..
Gladstone to make the speech seconding the ad-
dress in reply to the Speech from the Throne.
This Is not an important function TO discharge.
But in this. his first speech, Lord Rosebery
showed himself an earnest and eloquent speaker
and was thenceforth reckoned among the leaders
Of the upper house
lie was more than thai. lie was astute enough
to see that a National Liberal leader for Scotland
was needed. and that in filling that place man
would win high rank among the statesmen OF
the Empire. Why should he not be that leader?
lie had the qualifications. He was an aristo-
crat by BIRTH yet democratic In principle. He
was "A shrewd politician and an able orator lie
was a philosopher and he had Burns Scott and
Adam Smith at the tip Of his tongue. Moreover
there was just enough OF a shade of doubt Of his
orthodoxy to invest him with piquant attraction
10 even the sturdiest upholders Of the Kirk. So
In he went for the leadership and won 1t. When
the Government Education bill for Scotland came
ND he took the lead in attacking the Shorter
Catechism as q school textbook. lie spoke In
the same session on The Alabama claims: and
was appointed a commissioner to inquire into
Eudowments in Scotland. For a man OF twenty
four years he decidedly getting on.
In the session Of 1873 he came forward as the
natron and champion Of the British horse. lie
made a brilliant speech on the degeneracy Of that
noble animal, and got commission appointed.
81 which he was the head 10 examine into the
snbicct and devise ways and means OF improving
the breed. one Of the results Of that commits
slons work the remission of the tax ON
horses Then he was made chairman Of a Com
mittec on Scotch and Irish Representative Peer
ages. In 1874 he was president Of the Social
Science Congress Glasgow In November
1875 ne was elected Lord Rector OF the University
of Aberdeen, succeeding William F. Forster and
two wears later he elected Lord Rector OF the
University OF Edinburgh.
Lord Rosebery was the companion Of Mr.. Glad
stone I'm the famous Midlothian campaign of
1880 and IL expected that his services would
cau4inued On Eaurth PnRc.