New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-11
THE NEWS OF LONDON.
ROSEBERY'S CABINET-MAKING
GENEROUS CONDUCT OF SIR WILLIAM
HARCOURT.

MR.. MORLEY TO REMAIN IN DCBlIN-MH MA1e
JoRrBANKss DESERVED DHoNoRs-IMPERIALIsx
AND LITTLE ENGLAND PoLIcIEs-socIAL
REFORMS - THE OPPOSITION Mr.
LABoUCHERE-THE IRISH AND
THE MINISTRY.
tnY CABLE TO THE rRIBuSsJ
tcopyrfght, 1884, BY The Tribune A"ociatfon)
London. March 10.-It was just week ago To-
day that Mr. Gladstone resigned that the Queen
offered Lord Rosebery the post of Prime Minister.
and that Lord Rosebery accepted the post and
undertook the reconstruction of the Cabinet To-
day his task is complete. The changes In the
Ministry are few The Cabinet remains as nearly
as possible what it was under Mr.. Gladstone.
But the fewness Of the changes Is no measure or
the difficulties Of the operation. Cabinet-making
is a delicate business in the best OF times II 10
most delicate of all when upon the composition
of a Ministry depends the consolidation OF
loosely organized party, and when the retirlns
Prime Minister has left behind him legacy Oh
incomplete legislation, a chaos or connictihs
policies an unstable and narrow majority In the
House of Commons and a general BELIEF that the
majority In the House is not supported by ma
jority in the country.
Such was the situation which Lord Rosebery
had to face. He had to face other embarrass-
ments of PERSONAL kind. He was met
on the threshold with the menace OF capai
among his colleagues and with open mutiny
among one section of the Radicals. Sir William
Harcourt has behaved 50 honorably and with
such generous loyalty that 1t is only fair to sup
pose that the use which the dlscontented made
Of his name was unauthorized. He had how
ever undoubted claims upon the party and ne
had the support of the extremists. who pro-
claimed from the housetops that they would
never be led nor suffer the party TO be led py q
peer This of itself was fatal to Sir Williams
chances No party would stand the dictauon OK
an insignificant minority. There renamed the
question whether he would sink personal feelings
and serve under Lord Rosebery. The two men
are personal friends, but they were rivals ana
their political views very far apart. They
represent two hostile and irreconcilabe. and con-
tinually conflicting. conceptions Of government.
Lord Rosebery is at the head Of the Imper1alists
Sir William Harcourt is at the head OF the Little
Englanders, one of the few surviving Cobdenites.
whose policy would ultimately reduce England to
a commercial expression
Both found II possible to serve under Mr.. Glad
stone. They now find it possible to unite again
in a common task for common purposes. Sir :
William remains Chancellor Of the Exches,ier
and becomes Leader Of the House of Commons.
He is a capable Minister Of Ffnance and
consummate parliamentary chief they aro
great posts even II not commensurate xtth en
ambition justified by long and distinguishes ser.
vice. Moreover. ne will, as Leader OF the COM
mons have a free hand in many critical emer-
gencies, and necessarily at all times a great de-
gree Of independence. The House Of Commons
cannot be led from outside Sir william may
think the Queen ought to have sent for him, but
he has a mind open to the value Of facts. ard
he reflected that she did in fact send for Lord
Rosebery, that he had accepted her commission.
that the country had approved her choice. and
that II grave responsibility to prevent the
forming Of an administration under leader to
whom the Liberal party had joyfully intrusted
its fortunes. He accepted the position.
When that was settled the worst over.
Lord Roseberys Cabnet-making. nevertheless.
lasted seven full days 1t began the Saturday.
continued on Sunday, fact on which remarks
might be made in Scotland. and consumed the
remainder of the week. The important changes
are those which his own promotion made neces-
sary. lie reinquishes the Foreign Office to Lord
Kimberley, undoubtedly with regret The For-
eign Office work Is dear to Lord Rosebery and
he is dear to the Foreign Office Lord kimber-
ley has little experience of diplomacy, but hexi-
bic mind and a power of mastering new duties.
Lord Rosebery retains general supervision over
Foreign Affairs.
Lord Kimberley is replaced at the India Office
by Mr.. Fowler, OF Wolverhampton. whose knowl-
edge Of India is perhaps considerably less than
Lord Kimberey's of the Foreign Office. but he is
a hard-working Minister, with some of that IA
miliarity with finance which is much wanted at
the moment in an Indian Secretary of State.
He had learned the work Of the Local Govern
ment Board which is complicated, and had pilot
ed the Parish Councils bill through the House OF
Commons with as much success perhaps
possible in the circumstances. To him succeeds
Mr.. Shaw-Lefevre in the Presidency of that
Board another painstaking man, with less force
of character and less aptitude for House Of Com
mons work than Mr. Fowler. albeit Mr. Glad
stone once pronounced him an enlightened mem-
ber OF Parliament. Mr.. Herbert Gladstone
becomes First Commissioner of Works, instead
Of Mr. Shaw-Lefevre, but without a seat in the
Cabinet. He has the primary advantage os be.
ing his fathers son. has done well in the ad-
ministrative part of his work as Under Secretary
at the Home Office has more talent than sound.
ness OF Judgment political sagacity. and will
occupy an office where he cannot possibly do
much harm.
Two other changes are 10 be mentioned. Lord
Roseberv becomes not only First Lord Of the
Treasury, but Lord President OF the Council. a
place of precedence which Lord Kimberley has
TO renounce 1t is useful to the Prime Minister.
who as Prime Minister has no social precedence
whatever Mr. Gladstone contented himself with
the office of Lord Privy Seal which has value
similar to that of Lord President. but less ex-
alted. and he could not we'll hold this last be-
cause by custom it Is conferred on a peer.
The new Lord Prvy Seal Is Lord Tweedmouth.
better known as Mr.. Edward Marjoribanks. CHIEF
Liberal whip and probably the best executive
officer any party ever had. To him more than to
any other man belongs the credit OF keeping the
party together during all that long and difficult
session which came to an end last Monday
To him belongs the credit OF the discipline that
was maintained, and of the majorities. which
but for him would certainly on several critical