New-York tribune., 1896-10-19
ROSERERY'S EXIT.
.,xc FOR A FALL. WITH A GLAD
sToNIAN FENCE HARDLY HIGH
ENOUGH FOR THE PURPOSE.
London. October

.fr
.rh,smen in the service of Punch" may have
a-- ,ss,onsible for Lord Roseberys abrupt all
Oes' .,a, II was on Wednesday that one of the
"' eSective of recent cartoons appeared and
h'.s Midnight the titular leader of the Liberal
vas again a free man and in position
pa esk his mind without reference to party"
1,r,v II Lord ROsebery were sill in doubt
'e'', ''.,,rc tho urgent necessity for withdrawal
a, jntolerable position. the satire Of the
''0"' which represented him as loungins in his
- 80. with book of Burnss poetry and COM
of the weather. while his rival. Sir Will
r uarcourt equipped like breezy squire Tor
'a" nosa was returning from days sport over
-" .rn,snian covers. would have sharpened the
-. ., his impulse to retire. His decision was
s,,.d impetuOusly. almost in nj or pique'
ca ,,are was no consultation with any of his
associaies: nor does his speech, delivered
pa'r a,.,,rhrrgh last night. contain any adequate
..,a,a,on Of his sudden evacuation OF ofhciai
',.,or Lord Rosebery. being humorist hi'n-
| e keenly sensitive t. ridicule. Possibly MT
80 samhourne with accurate aim causht hiih
o. recent Radical intrigues against hol"
.a,srv directed by Sir Charles DIXIE anu "'
.,cbsre. had missed fire. Sir Wliham mar
-, Mr. Morley. MI Asqui'h' ."
- - Mr. Bryce. Sir Edward "re! az"
.r, campbell Zimmerman had ho'
ouesiance 10 him. There were ''e
"'' ,.oss and distrust of his leadership '".
~ ,o open revolt. and the parry VI :,
W. CENTRALIZED by him. There was "'
was e'''' -, ooinion between him and his COL
e,os - on the Armenian question l"ne '''e"' ="
RAsu .,er feeling than that OF abhorrehce
- -. Sultan who had beeh "is""'9
-. conspiraces against HE III Inv '1
.r.. ,narn Also he did rot cohsiuei :"
IKE '"'.", ,n., England should intervene SIN
=. ,.naed in Turkish anaIrs anu ia''N 7.
o., q general massacre OF III So -
'n.o, ard possibly for the ou'pie"N - 49,,
They occupied common sro"'''
o,,ss,ion of modern diplomac! anu ''''''n
.ra were equally reluctant 10 'o'''" '
~ hot-headed zealots ana u I"""
....,.an use OF popular asta''o" !" o.,
TVS, the Sultan. LORD hoseo@'' mas
rs-o,,r Secretary. and consequent! "e - "'0
,,,o-oa,ic and cautious in MS u''ei ""N
-. colleagues have been ana he - A
..,,alis, Of the Chamberlain type anu y '''' o''S
'.noh,s Of taking broader views 'hah ''e' - ''-
....,,v ~ the Empire. but mas alSo 'eSs
-,,, tho narrowness OF the Ltt!e r-he
~ho c,auor for the evacuation or ts!P' anu '''
,.a rssu,nption of the old-time poh'E oi "0"-
,..oor,ion in Continental affairs oui 'heSe o'i'
"',...,iors do not serve to explain his resleha-
uoh ovERAWED BY Mr.. GLADSTONE
,a poseherv complains that he has re-
o.vea explicit support scarcely from any uu"i
,s- he admits that the situation eAcep' "s
cards Mr.. Gladstone, is not aItoee'"ei "o"
fanf
less he was looking for convenient pie'eN' .N'
retiring from position which hau
.o,erably distasteful to him. the eienien' "i'''
has controlled his action in this Crisis oi Aoe'"'
fortunes has been conflict OF OPINION with MI
Gladstone otherwise his resignation J. ul'n-
,euigble and inexplicaole, either rom H''
many letter or from his Ednourgh speech II
he had been able to agree with MI "lauS'o"'
,a,os, u,,arancss respecting Englands duty in
the East. he would have remained the honilii"'
Id ., the Liberal party; but since a conflict
of ouinjon had arisen he was conscious OF The .
matchless authority exercised by the veteran in
retirement and laid down the burdens or po-
uijcal responsibility. This explanation serves 70
reveal the inherent weakness of a leader who
has been overwhelmed for two years with the
sense Of the delicacy and difficulty OF his po-
sition as Mr.. Gladstone's successor. As Prime
pied an Office Of the highest dignity and responsi-
hity. and he might have yentured 70 exercise
his own Judgment and TO direct the lines OF
party policy without reference TO the advice and
moral support Of the great statesman Of Ha-
warden; but he has been constantly overawed
and sometimes almost demoralized by conscious
ness Of the personality Of Mr Gladstone as the
greatest single force on the Liberal side for a
and ~ n IN
him with potency and authority.
Mr. Gladst0nes successor could not have hoped
at any time to rival him in personal influence
the electorate and in the Incompatible gift
Of exciting enthusiasm among followers. Nobody
expected him 10 do TINS What was considered
probable was that. with his resources OF humor
and tact. his talent for public speaking and his
fexbility Of mind. he would be an exceptionally
adrot and practical political leader. lie has dis
appointed the expectations OF his friends and al
mirers from the outset The Liberal party has
seemed TO be adrift without policy or leadership
and with a nerveess timOrous hand on the tiller
The election last year marked a popular reaction
against a party which had been promising many
reforms without accomplishing anything, and
which. by the confession Of the leader, could 90
nothing in future unless the Lords were upset
In opposition Lord Rosebery has been amiable
and versatile but ne has lacked the courage and
force required fo- Dr0claiming new policies and
concentrating the energies Of defeated party
The commonest excuses offered for his failures
are that he has never had a fair chance that he
has not been Loyalty supported and that nobody
could have held the party together after Mr.
Gladstone retirement: but these are speclous
methods of begging the question. 4 real leader
would have commanded the support OF his FOL
lowers and would not have frittered away the
resources of his party while il in power;
and in opposition he would have shown himself
Z good fighter Lord Rosebery is a man OF many
graces and accomplishments. but ne Is not a
statesman OF genuine force Of character
HARCOURTS LEADERSHIP.
Lord Rosebery was unfortunate in being ex-