Evening journal., 1898-05-19
GLADSTONE IS DEAD.
England's Great Statesman
Passed Away This Morning.
SKETCH OF THE EX-PREMlER'S LIFE.
tIIs Rise In English Politics aud His
Place In the Worlds History-For
Months He Had Been Patient
ly Waiting For Death.

Gladstone died at 3 o'clock this morn |
ing.
Death came very peacefully. All the
members Of his immediate family We're |
at the bedside.
Mr.. Gladstone was very weak all day |
yesterday, and much Of the time ne was |
in comatose state. but his eNtraor-
dinary constitution made his physicians |
hesitate 60 fix the time when he would |
finally suecumb. One of them, Or. |
Dobie, said last evening:
"Mr. Gladstone may expire at any
moment, though he may live another
"a hours Any attempts to administer
food seem 10 bore him. His attendants
keep his lips moist with spirits and wa
ter at intervals He VIII probably die
peacefully during slumber
Mr.. Gladstone's strength has been
sustained In great measure by his
extraordinary constitution. Most Of his
internal organs are perfectly healthy"
1t was said at midnight that Mr..
Gladstone had been mach the same all
day, though with some nuctuation. Up
on the whole, he was weaker than he
was yesterday morning. The doctors at
that hour said they did not think
he could outlast the night. but they
lying, which had more than once al
ready surprised them, would make the
hour of his decease most uncertain.
Last night a weary vigil was main
tanned. The whole family was in and
out of the sicSroom. Mrs. Gladstone
remained throughout the night at the
bedside Of her dying husband. She
could not Dee induced to Ieave him to
take refreshments.
The late Right Hon. William Ewart
Gladstone. NJ. f., T. c., was the fourth
son Of the late Sir John Gladstone.
Bart, of Fasque. County Kinuardine,
~ b., a well known merchant of Liv-
erpool, and was born there Dec. %,
1909 He was educated at Eton and
Christ Church, oxford. of which he was
nominated a student IN 1929. and grad
uated, taking a double first class, In
I Michaelmas term, 1881. Having spent
some time in a continental tour he was
returned at the general election In De-
| cember, 1882. in the Conservative Inter
! est. for Newark, and entered parliament
| just as the struggle of parties was at
| its height on Jan. 25. 1888, he entered
| Eincolns Inn. and when he had been
a member for six years and three
months pettioned TO have his name re-
| moved from the books of the society
on the ground of his having given up
| Bis intention Of being called to the bar
| I'm the house OF commons his mercan-
tile origin, the success Of his univer-
/ sity career, his habits Of business and
| his high character recommended him 20
| the notice OF Sir Robert Peel, who, In
! December, 1884 appointed him 20 "a
Junior lordahip OF the treasury. and in
! February, 1885. under secretary for colo
4 NAL affairs Mr.. Gladstone retired from
bfIce with his ministerial leader IN
tEeBrh. and remained in Opposition until
Str Robert Peel's return to power in
September. 1S4l. on accepting office
under Sir Robert Peel I'm 1S4l. as vico
tNrcsident Of the board OF trade and mas
ter Of the mint, Mr. Gladstone was
l sworn a member of the privy council.
! In his new position he had 70 explain
I and defend IN the lower house of parlla-
| ment the commercial policy OF the gov
L ernment and in the discharge of this
duty he had whatever advantage his
mercantile origin and connection could
give him. The revision of the tariff in
1872 was almost entirely the result Of
his energy and industry. When this la
borious work was brought before the
house Of commons. It was found TO be
as admirably executed IN It's details as
it was complete In its mastery of gem
eral principles. and II received the sane
ton Of both houses with scarcely an
alteration.
In lSi3 Mr.. Gladstone succeeded the
Earl of Ripon as president OF the board
of trade. but resigned that office carly
in 1915. In January. 1896 Sir Robert
, Peel announced his intention of pro-
posing a modification of the corn laws
Mr. Gladstone, who had succeeded Lord
Stanley (the late Earl Of Derby in the
post of secretary OF state for the colo
nies, adhered to the leader under whom
3 he had entered upon ministerial life
but possibly unwilling to remain un-
der obligations To the late Duke OF
. Newcastle, who sympathized strongly
with the OppoTition party. resigned his
seat for Newark and remained for some
time out of parliament. AT the general
election I'm August, 1917. he was, with
3 the late SIR Robert Harry Ingls, elect
! ed for the University OF oxford. In the
Z parliament of 1852 the questions of
y university reform and the removal OF
1 Jewish disabilities were frequently and
, earnestly agltated I'm the lower house
; Though Mr. Gladstones early sympa-
. ] lilltE no NOuWA NNuIl Alllll EiiNlEAN At
b | the high church and Tory party yet h,
felt that on both these points the eX
| igencies of the times required that som,
concessions should be made. He con
sequenty found himself frequently op
7 posed 10 his former friends and eventu
i / ally separated himself from tho grea
body OF the Conservative party In Feb
ruary 1851 At the general election IL
Jnly following Mr.. Gladstone was re-
{ elected for the University Of Oxford. bu
! | not without a severe contest. on tn
Z ! formation of what Is generally know
2 as the coalition" ministry. under tn
Earl Of Aberdeen, in December, 1852
MIR. Gladstone was appointed to- III
G chancellorshlp Of the eXchequer, 81
E | which Office the thorough knowledge o
G ! finance which he had acquired and ha
tested by practical experience at IN
l. board Of trade proved of the creates
r. | assistance to the ministry
ii The history of the various ministrie
z which We're formed by Mr. Cladston
f. after he succeeded Lord Beaconsneld "a
/. prime minister, his struggles, defeat
e and victories. is the history of the Brit