New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-08
MR.. CHA BERLAIN.

| he coming or VT. iUnlnl"Ilalu 10 lniS 'ouh
try IS by no means n novel incident. lie has
been here before. more than once. and knows
the country well. and is well known personally
to many Americans. and Of course. by high
reputc to all. Nor is the visit marked with
political or diplomatic significance or even
with n promise of important social functions
Mr. Chamberlain comes not as one Of the two
or three most powerful Ministers OF the most
powerful empire in the world. not as one OF
the greatest orators, dcbatcrs. diplomats and
administrators OF his time. but simply as nm
English gentleman intent on quiet holiday
and visit 10 friends and relatives. As such
he is formally To be regarded. But Americans.
while they respect his chosen reserve. Will I'M
fanngy penetrate It and sec him for the man
no IS and in the distinguished conditions which
now environ him.
MacaulAy was once described as "one OF the
"fcw men OF letters who succeed in all they
attempt" Such success Is sometimes the re-
suit not so much of ability to do all things ~
OF discrimination I'm attempting 10 do only these
things which are within the doors ability Ia
perform well. We do not mean thus 10 limit
the praise OF Macaulay. who certainly never
let his discrimination assume n timorous air:
and we assuredly would not think of applying
that qualification TO Mr.. Chamborlaln's sue
coss since he perhaps above all men OF his
time. has let his versatility run on 10 sheer
audacity and yet has at every step and turn
achieved n success surpassed by none OF his
contemporaries. As n popular orator he has
had few Supcrors IN his time. As a keen
dcbater he has had few equals In any age OF
Parliamentary history. In these fields his OK
cellence and his trIumphs have been obvious.
But in the vastly more extended and NOR" I'M
portant fields Of constructive craftsmanship.
administration and diplomacy tho discerning
eve can alrcndy SOC and the history ol this age
will lnfallby record his achievements 10 have
been proportlona;cly greater still
Indeed close In his wake rs hc has come
hlther there follow the reports Of his masterful
doings Has imprac;icabc secession 'or lrc-
land hccn laid aside for the larger freedom md
increasing bcnchccnce OF n Union Tore cnleht-
cned than OF old: It Is he who defeated the
one and brought forward the other. Has Rus
sian aggression in Asia been halted and an
equitable understanding about spheres az IN
huencc been reached? II was his startling Gong
spoon" speech that chiefly cleared the way Is
there an alliance or nm understanding WIN
Germany? That IL the most important move
In recent British diplomacy. and II Is In great
measure 10 be attributed 70 him. Is British
authority assured in the Transvaal md at
DclaCoa Bay? Is the Nigeria dispute with
France eouitably settled? Those are matters
expressly within his special province Is the
Quebec Conference in n fair way 10 dispose
Of the long standing controversies between this
country and the British colonies in North
American He Is thc Colonial Minister. There
can he no lnvldlous reflection upon his col
leagues In pointing ont the great services Of
Mr.. Chamberlain in thcsc and other matters.
| As Admiral Schley said Of the smashing of
| the Spanish fleet at Santiago. one might say
| Of the progress and achievements Of the Brit
| ish Government in recent years: There is dis
tinctlon enough In II for all
Mr. Chamberlain Is. moreover. highly IN
tcrcstlng personality apart from his works.
| lie presents p striking example Of devoted and
| disintercsted public service. And notwlthstand-
Ing the idle chatter 10 the contrary, there Is no
| conspicuous British statesman Of his time
whose career has been more consistent than
| his But II has been the consistency Of cvOlu-
ton. not Of inertia Of the living. growing or
ganism not Of the dead stock or stone And.
| coming hither as warm friend Of this Nation.
| as a promoter ~ increasing friendship between
! It and the great kindred empire, he is thrice
welcome guest.