New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-04
5: THE NEWS OF EUROPE.
MR.. GLA ADSTONE'S HEALTH.
SOME OF HIS FACULTIES ARE IMPAIRED,
BUT NOT HIS INDOMITABLE WILL.

BUI NOI HIS INDOMlIABLE WILL.
A NOTEWORTHY INTERVIEW WITH AN ocULIsrL
HOW THE RUMoR OF HIS RETIREMENT 10
RECEVED-THE KHEDIvE AND HIS vAGA.
RIEs-BRAzILIAN AFFAIRs-THE FRENCH
NAvY-MR. DEPEw's REVIEW ARrI-
cLE-DRAMArrc NOVELTIES.
Br CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE,
Copyright 1894: By ae Tribune .r..oeiatfon.
London. Feb. st Is not known what au-
thor:ty The Pail Mall Gazette let fly the
NOR of Mr. GadstOne's resignation. nor does it
much matter. Indeed. it would not matter at all
had Mr.. Gladstones telegraphed denial from BIZ
arritZ stopped short at the word untrue" What
follows does in lend plausbility to .
story which probably based on nothing but
the known and admitted fact that Mr.
Gladstones physical condition is not quite what
it was.
The story, though dscredited and disbelieved
spread a panic among his followers. What then
must be their feelings hearing from their
leader himself that he has been considering the
probable necessity Of resignng that his age and
the condition of his sight and hearing have for
months past been sucn as to make relief from
public cares desirable? They have beguiled
ances Of his unimpared health and vgor. No
doubt his vigor and general physical condition.
and above all. his nervous energy, are marvel
ous for man of eighty-four Sir Andrew
Clark's testimony now first published is the
medical confirmation of a truth obvious to the
non-medcal mind.
Mr.. Gladstone's general health and his vitality
are little short Of miraculous. Still, for tho
leadership Of the House Of Commons and es-
pecially for purposes OF debate, good hear
ing is desirable and his hearing is no longer
good He does 7Ot always collect with entire
accuracy what is said and herefore does not
always meet the points raised. There is a graver
matter. and that is the condition OF his eyesight.
His own reference 20 it. which might well have
been omitted, has called out a great deal Of COM
ment hitherto suppressed-not unkndly. but still
unpleasant. The real facts are known to few.
Just after he left London for Biarritz heard
not directly. but from 4 source l think trust
worthy--what took place. Mr. Gladstone. or per-
haps one Of the family. sent for DR.. Granger. Of
Chester, a physician who is also oculist. II
was DR.. Granger who attended him al the time
when the gngerbread-nut thrown at him
and struck and slightly injured eye. Now
that Sir Andrew Clark is gone. DR.. Granger
probably knows more Of Mr.. Gladstone's cons,i-
tutional peculiarties than anybody else. He saw
him at his house in Downing-st. the day before
he started. He told Mr. Gladstone. not. I sup
pose for the first time. that cataract had en-
trey obliterated the sight of one eye, and that
another cataract had begun TO form the other
eye. This last statement perhaps new to
the Prime Minister He reflected moment. and
said:
Il wish you 10 remove the cataract at once"
Or. Granger told him it was not yet far enough
advanced for an operation
you do not understand me-" replied his Illus
trious patient; 1T is the old cataract wish
moved II that out Of the way shall still
have one good eye when the new cataract i'm
pairs the sight Of the other
Dr. Granger hestated. Mr. Gladstone con-
tinuel
You still seem not to understand me. want
you to perform the operation. here and now.
while am sitting in tbs chair"
Dr. Granger still objected. 1T might not be
successful" said he.
That is a risk accept retorted the gallant
old man.
In The end Or. Granger saying that the re-
sponsibility must be his as medical man. de-
clincd giving such reasons as he could. The true
reason probably was that such an operation on
a patient ~ Mr.. Gladstone age was too dan
gerous Il was not performed bu; what could
tion he showed?
Unfoundel though The Pail Mall Gazette",
story be. the political effec; OF il is considerable.
This paper is Conservative. and is edited by .
Conservative Member OF Parliament. II II have
any wish on the subject II must Rave been father
10 the thought OF immediate or early resignation.
But the publication of the rumor Will retari. not
hasten Mr.. Gladstones decision. Supposng it
10 have any effect at all. its effect on the Glad
stonian party is not uniform The Anti-Parne-
ite Irish wing received H. though ncredulously.
as a message fraught with sorrow. apprehension
and msgiving These IT. P.s" words. The
rank and file heard II with horror. since ii would
precipitate a dissolution and general elec-
ton The Radicals bore up better than anybody
else Mr. Gladstone to them Is obstacle.
They recognize his usefulness in holding the
party together but are perfectly aware that their
aims and his. their views and his. have little in
common. Nevertheless. they would regret to
see him disappear at a moment when a general
election. without him as leader and without
his name 10 work miracles with in the cons,tu-
encies. would probably mean disaster Bu; all
these sections of the party are for the first time
brought face To face with this possibility. and
they all recoil from the prospect
The Conservative comment the news NAV
he summed up in the sentence Too good 10 be
true" Nevertheless, the same consider ations
which have brought dsmay TO the good Glad
stonlan have brought comfort to the Conserva.
tive He may not put faith in the original state-
ment He does put faith in Mr.. Gladstone's ex-
press declaration that he may resign "at any
moment" He asks himself why unless there
be some near prospect Of resignation. Mr.. Glad
stone should have entered into this .ously
minute account of his infrmties. That is
the answer TO which requires Q
deeper research into the mysterious recesscs Of
this mysterious and mystery-loving mind than
any body il competent 10 make.
What is obvious TO the impartial observer Is
that the moment is -chosen for the launching
Of this rumor For Mr.. ella istone to resign
would be a confession of defeat. and would to .
hostile eye look like shrinking from the struggle