New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-09
II.

TUE SESSION IN THE HOUSE OF COM
MONs-sIR WILLIAM HARCOURT-MR.
JOHN MORLEY-MR AsQUITH-OTHER
CABINET MINISTER'S. INCLUDING
MR. ACLAND-THE YOUNGER
LIBERALS WHO HAVE COME
ON-THE PRIVATE
MEMBER.
Lcndon August q.
n leaving the Prime Minister to sum up WITH
ue ,urn at once from Lords to Commons, the sub
stantal figure OF Sir William Harcourt stands on
the threshold He must be disposed OF hrst II
only n get mas, him TO men whose physical bulk
is less Besides. he Is Leader Of the House OF the
whole House In theory and oftcn In fact. ana the
frat question is: How has he led It? a plaus-
bic answer Nigh. be given by pointing 10 ms
collision At the very end Of the session with his
Irish allies. 1t Is not. however. the real answer
II the Irish Nationalist chose TO take the line
they did n collision was inevitable. No leader
who had apv respec, for himself or his colleagues.
or for the interests Of the party as whole. could
have Welded 10 the Irish demand 10 refuse the
salaries Of the clerks and other officials OF the
House OF Lords Mr. John Morley himself. who
on most points Is rather more irish thah the
Irish themselves. against them on this.
Mr.. Healy and Mr.. Sexton and Mr.. Dillon
whose relations internal party matters are
seldom harmonious. seem 10 have agreed on THIS
raid as likely to be serviceable 10 tEem In Ire
land They probably had no serious intention
Of auarrellng with the Government. They
wished 10 remind Sir William that he and they
were with reference TO their Irish allies. Leader
and Cabinet on sufferance: as they are. they
showed their teeth. IL does not follow that they
meant to bite They had their way up to GER
tain point. They forced the Leader Of the House
TO give way after sitting which lasted ui'
in the morning and report progress without get
ting the votes he wanted in Supply. They pro-
longel the session for a whole day. They ob1gei
Sir William to miss his appointment with his
German ocullst In Wicsbaden. which the English
oculists probably regard n judgment upon him
for preferring In medicine that very foreigner
whom in finance he tramples on They wrung
from him words Of humbleness; and pitiful plea
that he had never meant 10 be unconca tory.
To that extent the Irish triumphet and they may
be trusted 70 make the most ~ II In Ireland.
Threats are heard that they will resume these
tactics next session. and force the hand Of the
Government on the House Of Lords That be
longs Ia next session. and we are. for the mo-
ment. concerned with the last only. And II IL 10
be said that unless Sir william Harcourt was
10 surrender the leadership to Mr. JUS
tin Mccarthy II Is difficult to how he could
have acted otherwise than he did
H. In truth. there be a general criticism 70
make on Sir William Harcourts leadership II Is
not tina, ne has been too self wiel or dctaiorial
but too yielding and too prone 10 compromise
not with the Irish only or mainly bu, with the
Opposition. His one idea has been 10 get the
business Of the House done 10 get his own bills
passed. There is much e. be said for that theory
Of leadership The fatal argument against IT is tina,
Il takes the heart out o. his own followers How
are the fanatics and cranks nnl the advanced
Radicals TO maintain the fervency Of their faith
In their own fads ~ they their Leader for
ever bargaining behind the Speakers chair with
Mr.. Balfour? Your true Radical. like his ad-
lnrers In America. wants to treat the Tory n
public enemy or rather az an outlaw. u whom
no quarter IL 10 be given. with whom no terms
are 10 be kept
1t Is theory difficult II act on In politics: Il
becomes impossible II you always sending
and receiving flags Of truce. Sir William. 10
whom politics are az all times n game In which
each side makes many tricks as he can. tried
his best 10 play according TO the rules HIS
Radical supporters, when they saw things going
against them. often wanted TO upset the table
with a kick. Napoleon d1. That answers II
you are Napoleon: not otherwise on the Bud
get Sir William seemed to the looker-on stun
enough yet even on the Budget the inpatient
Radical thought his leader too slow. lie even
accused him Of being willing 10 make II n Budget
session,-his own session. therefore. not only as
leader. but as author OF the ono great measure OF
the session. This impatient person takes little
account Of political possibilities or Of Parliament
iry procedure. or Of human nature. He seeped
10 think II quite practicable 10 revolutionze "A
system Of finance In five minutes. to introduce
A revolutionary Budget as II II were an Expiring
Laws Continuance bill. and rush II through by
gag and guillotine. Sir William knew better lie
gave large facilities FOR discussion Mr. Glad
stone said some time ago that n rearrangement
II the Death Duties could only be undertaken
when a session could be devoted to that single
subject. That is Sir Williams justification.
BE the criticisms what they may. he IL a greater
figure at the end Of the session than ne was at
he beginning His fame a hnancier dates
rom this Budget. | think It a sinister renown
likely to land him and his party In disaster by
,nd-by. 1t Is a brisands Budget BE that az It
nay. II attains It's immediate object II Is brig
,ndage on large scale, by master hand
who has mastered the business OF brigandage
md shown himself expert in those very matters
If financial detail where It was thought he would
De most deficient The same thing Is true OF his
leadership a whole. He has agreeaby disap-
pointed expectation. He has abandoned his old
manner. He has seldom resorted 10 autocratic
,r arbitrary methods He has led the House
gently. He has shown himself adroit. acute. ap-
orecative. diplomatic. Yet apprehend his repu-
alton remains chiefly n House OF Commons repu- |