New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-28

bic disgrace stamped that Ministry and its
leader. You may agree or condemn-that Is not
the point-but Of Gordon's sincerity OF resentment
and of Lord Randophs sincerity of purpose
there can be no doubt. Thus IT was that he led
up to the overstrung climax Of the Mooch Of Mid
lothian. That of course. gave offence. did
Disraelfs Bath letter with its ''pundering and
laundering indictment of Mr.. Gladstone To the
Gladstone Worship per even civil dissent is an Of
fenco. Yet they are plain-spoken people. these
English. with nevertheless a general moderation
az phrase quite as remarkable their overflow If
rhetoric when passion sets in And which do
you think. the wholr mos, abstcmious IN
print: the English or ourselves? Tho English
press or the American? Let not pursue thai
inquiry too far
lord Randolph spen; long apprenticeship.
When he came to 'hc front. he came decisvely.
II" took the lead Of his party and Of All the Con
scrvative forces of The country. Strictly speak
ing. Of course. he never leader Of his party.
Lord Salisbury was leader. Bui there more
kinds of leadership than ono. and Lord Ran
dolph's was The leadership Of ideas. ! have writ
ten so much about him of late years that it is
difficult not 20 repeat what has been said at vari-
Gus times as he stood on the summit Of political
life But IL is safe 10 assume that what is said
in q newspa per Is forgotten before the next num-
Der appears and | must once moro give Lord
Randolph his due az the man. the one man next
after Dsraeli-who set the Conservatives on the
right path Under Disraei took place the trans
formation from Tories to Conservatives. Under
Lord Randolph the Conservatives became for the
first time In a measure Democratic. II he had
had his way the measure would have been full
and perhaps Conservatism have given way far
more completely to Democracy.
The new departure dates from the hartford
speech It was followed by many other speeches
similar in tone and insaim. In the true meaning
Of the phrase ne was n great moral force in poll
tics. He had something moro than political in
sight and courage. He took large and broad
views. He saw that the commanding authority
had passed once for all In 1884 with the new
franchise to the Democracy. The upper and
middle classes had become minority. They
could no longer control the masses. but the!
could still lead them. He set himself 10 lead
them: TO ally mis- party with them; to bring them
into the party ranks; to use his own party In
their interests The Conservative party, IN his
Judgment had no future unless broad based upon
the peoples will
Amid all his vac!llations and Inconsistencies
to this he adhered. I don't think passage
could be quoted later than 1854 In when ne ever
swerved from this fundamental conviction. Loru
salisbury never had II. Mr.. Balfour did not
come in time to announce it even If he had ac-
cepted IT, To Lord Randolph belongs. and VIII
forever belong the imperishable renown OF DO
mocrat.zing the party which some OF you SKI.
think Of as the party Of reaction in England.
There is no reaction no party OF reaction no
Tory and even Lord Salisbury is perforce the
pupil and in no slight degree the disciple Of the
Young lieutenant whom ne drove from public
life.
There is no recent instance Of political in
gratitude comparable to that which sent Lord
Randolph at thirty-seven into private life. ban
ished him from the councils ~ his party. ruined
his career in more senses than one. ana gave lh'"
other hands the inheritance riThtfully his. Inc
Conservatives have cast lots for his ranent. or
II that must not be app,i n. 70; rs borrow a more
modern vet still celebrated Image. and say thai
they have stolen his clothes while he was ha'h-
ing-out of his depth II RAY he. "a; VINO
pushed him ino No such Wow is likely IN ~
depressed In England by his old associates Th'y
are NOT likely to choose this occasion 10 confess
their sins or to sit on the stool or repentance
Why should they? DO We expect generosity In
nolitics? Do we expec, Justice? Are We Just t.
him even here? Yet between Lord Randolph
and America there are ties There are close
nersonal ties but Of these 7 do not speak II
rtannot be needfu. to remind anybody that Ma
American wife has long been one % the most
brilliant figures in the social life Of England. or
to dwell on her devotion to him during all this
last Illness and the Journey which certainly
fastened the end. I speak OF political ties There
was not at one time any Englishman whose po-
Utical ideas were closely akin AZ his TO those
ideas which are essentially and vitality Amer
lean Let us at least keep that In mind Whlle
we undertake to pass judgment. g. w >.
New-York. January 25