New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-22
MR.. JOHN BURNS.
HOW HE WOULD END THE LORDS. HOW
HE WOULD RECONSTRUCT SOCIETY.
AND WHAT HIS QUAL1FlCA-
TIONS ARE FOR THESE
CONSIDERABLE TASKS.

called each separately though don't remember
10 have seen them bracketed together with this
adtective-of the Liberal party are Mr.. Jonn
Morley and Mr. John Burns. They are In almost
every particular except honesty and the identi-
cal Christian names unlike. Mr.. John Morley
ls a man OF books. Mr.. John Burns Is a man OF
the people, and IL. or was. a worker with MS
hands. which Is perhaps better preparation
for affairs than mere reading. The contrast be-
tween them might be- pursued into details. not
Enthusiastically But I wish at present only to
remark that they are the two Liberals and. so
far as know the only two-who agree upon a
method Of dealing with the House Of Lords.
II Is not forgotten that Mr. Morley last autumn
advocated abolishing that House by force Mr..
Burns, at Battersea, only last week. translated
Mr. Morleys generality into what may be called
a specific proposal In his opinion. twelve stall
wart policemen could clear the "gildcd chamber
of its occupants This is the man whom the
Labor organ which is also tho Soc!alistic organ.
calls Labor statesman. He may. for aught l
know be the Labor statesman the best they
have got 1t is. however. noticeable that the
journal which assigns him this rank omits from
It's report Of his speech this sentence about the
Twelve stalwart policemen | do not why.
II Is quite as statesmanlike the deliveranccs of
the organ itself on this subject. But have re-
marked before that this Labor organ and 10
some extent Burns organ. has way Of sup
pressing his most racy and characteristic say
ings II does. however represent him. no doubt
truly as declaring that the only way 10 deal
effectively with the Second Chamber IS 10 abolish
II absolutely To talk about restricting the
right Of veto Is. in Mr.. Burns's opinion absurd
Yet this is equivalent 70 saying that the action
OF the Leeds Conference was absurd; in which
II Is a pleasure 10 be able 10 agree with Nr.
Burns.
But instead Of the twelve stalwart policemen,
stronger forces seem 10 him. ut some moments.
likely to he set in motion. His remedy may. he
thinks cause a great political crisis 1t might In
vove even n coup d'ftat: but whether II does or
not he IS certain that the danger must be bold
faced. do not know which is the legs creditable
10 Mr. John Rurns's craftsmanship: The abo-
lition OF a Legislative chamber 10y the police or
by coup d'ftat. In either case he con'cmplaies
the use Of force lie may or may no. hav" re-
Elected that the use Of force me side IL likely
to- be met by the use Of force on the other. In
short he breaches revolution. That IS a word
which probably has no great terrori Tor thu
statesman" in whose eyes the history Of Eng
land began with the Dock Strike.
To those who DO not limit The 'cachlngs ~ the
past 10 the day before yesterday. sdoh events
as revolutions and coups d'etat sem More for
mldabie As IA remedy for political evils reyolu-
ton comes last OF all. wise leader VIII try
everything before he even suggests civil war.
But Mr. Burns has one 81 those tempcram"nis
to which middle courses or moderation IN ooun'
gel seem much the same thing ~ timldIty. lie
did not shrink from proposing a universal labor
strike az a means Of compelling IN" Directors
81 certain Docks in the East End ~ London to
pay their laborers sixp"nce an hour. when he
uses the phrase coup d'f'at. he mayor may not
have In mind the last great occasion - which II
applies when Napoleon Third betrayed the Sec
ond French Republic and by series ~ c1nsplr-
acies and Infamous crimes. and hy savage vio-
lence. overthrow the Republic and set up his
Bonapar,ist throne on tir ruins ~ II. l. that
performance which Mr.. Burns would applaud or
emulate? ! presume not. but why ih"n does he
use Language which evokes these memories ana
seems to appeal 10 them as precedent? Per
haps because the Use II language IL a thing he
understands very impcrfectly He has neither
intellectual training nor intellectual patience. II
is not a rcproach 80 him or to any man whose
NE or the greater part ~ Il. has been spent In
hard manual labor II only becomes rcproach
when he presents himself a leader and adj
wiser in matters which Do beyond question DO
sor, OF knowledge which the conditions II MIR.
Burns's existence have forbidden him - Guilt
vate.
You may naturally think that n man 50 ig-
norant and reckless deserves no attention. but he
does He is IL force. He has considerable pO-
sition in the House Of Commons. considerable
personal influence there and an immcns" fol-
lowing among wordngmen. for the most par,
more reckless than himself and perfectly selfish.
as a class in their aims;-I mean selfish I'm the
sense OF striving solely for the benefit OF their
class and not OF the nation AT large. At one
time he seemed to be losing his grip on the labor
masses Now he seerns TO have recovered It and
TO be stronger than ever. Gle Is consulted by the
leaders OF the party The Prime Minister Is said.
| believe truly 10 have offered him Office: twice
over: once on the formation OF the present Min
istry and once on the retirement Of Mr.. Mum
della. He IL n favortc moderator; the idol OF
HYDE Park, and no strike IL complete without
him His hold on Battersea Is not likely to be
shaken: Il IL a constituency he will represent "a
long as he cares to. He IL n London County
Councillor. A member Of the present Cabinet
has used the word about him which the Social
istic labor organ used and 10 call him states
man.
Az he IL known 10 be n man whom the labor
Democracy delighteth 10 honor. and 10 carry
thousands Of votes In his pocket. his place In the
party councils Is likely 10 be higher before II In
lower lie has TO be reckoned with. and there
fore what he says no matter how wild 1t may be.
has TO be considered In making an estimate Of
what is called public opinion. Nay. the wilder It
IL, the more likely It IL In present circumstances
to have influence. and TO sway the feelings and
votes Of those with whom he acts and for
whom ne speaks. 1t is too soon to say
that violence Is In the air. but violent coun-
sells are heard on every side, and from every
side are heard appeals and offers to those who
have votes. which are better than brides.
Never was the English Dcmagogue so powerful.
do not take Mr.. Burns az type Of the English
Dsmagogue: he Is too sincere. too convinced. too