The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-15
Quality and Work of
Joseph Chamberlain.
Something Concerning the Personality of
the British Colonial Secretary.


The eyes OF the worlds diplomats
are entered upon the Right Honorable
Joseph Chamberlain, leader of the lib
eral-unionist party of England in the
house of commons. Back of Mr. Cham
berlain are the cannon of England
and Vienna, Berlin, Rome and st.
Petersburg are not certain at what
moment they may with emphasis in
dorse his declaration:
THE time has arrived when Great
Britain may be confronted by a COM
bination of powers and our first duty,
therefore, is to draw all parts of the
empire into close unity, and our next,
to maintain the bonds of permanent
unity with our kinsmen across the At
lantic."
Gentlemen of continental Europe,
grouped about the traditional green
table, have no reason to wish for a
uni5n, offensive and defensive, between
Great Britain and the United States.
They know that Mr.. Chamberlain more
than any man in England represents
today the sentiments of the middle and
common classes of the empire. They
appreciate that he spoke as he did
after consideration and not from the
inspiration of the banquet cup. His
personality is known from Irkutzk to
Washington. The coldbloodedness of
his nature gives authority to the
statement that his speech of week
ago was a direct warning to continent
tai Europe that in time of need the
Anglo-SaXon would be a unit against
the Latin and the Slav. Mr.. Cham
berlain is just that much different
from Arthur Balfour that he is rarely
thought to be in jest, while the latter
is assumed to be never iN earnest.
Balfour may yet be premier,
but If all tokens be not false,
Chamberlain but seven days ago spoke
for an hour when he will be master and
his viii direct an alliance with us if
we wish it.
Everyday people always enjoy the
story of the life of Chamberlain. His
beginning was not along the smooth
path opened for Balfour. His father
was London shoemaker who made
some money off of soles and uppers.
he made good shoes and the boy was
designed to succeed him at the altar
OF Crispin He showed no unwilling
ness to do so until fate led him at Is to
to Birmingham and placed him with d
firm of wood screwmakers,. in which
he was eventually to become the prin-
cipal factor
He came out of the University Col
leSe school in 1874 to make his home in
birmingham, and in the letter of in
PRODUCTION which he carried with him
there to friends was the sentence:
Please be Kind and see as much as
you can Of poor Joe, for he knows no
body in Birmingham"
Time was not required for his mas
ters to know him though. He was taci-
turn hut brutally IN earnest. He went
at the business Of making screws just
as he has undertaken everything else
in his long career. His first dive into the
world Of trade was III an effort -
make screws chearcr and better than
anyone else on the market did. H.
succeeded. Literally he reorganized the
worlds market for wood screws. Where
there had been cut prices, trade dcpres
sion, no Profits, he created unity, pro-
htable sales, active demand. He con-
Cerned himself with the minutae of
his shops, studied the conditions sur
rounding his men, uncovered coal mines
Ter his own supply, became the owner
of the raw material he needed, entered
into partnership with his employers
rose to the head of an establishment
employing 1000 men, and found a
wealth producing an income of $3.50, ,O0C
annually at his disposal.
All this he did in twenty years. for ii
was in 1874 when he first really entered
the political field of the British empire
Understanding this much of the man
1t is not difficult TO appreciate why. as
statesman, his utterances are taken
to represent the sentiments of CONNER
cial England and the foundation of thc
throne Of England is not to be found il
war ships, but her commerce
Mr.. Chamberlain was not content
while tradesman, to be merely that
lie could not make a public speech. SO
he taught himself oratory He Joined
birmingham debating societies and
spoke until freedom of manner came
TO him which was attractive. He kept
himself loaded with facts. Possibly
realizing that his voice and his nerson.
ality might always be against him as
popular orator he built his strength
as speaker upon his knowledge cr the
the sun. Your EnClishman likes solid
facts more than oratorical fourshc.
in a speech. He took to Chamberlain.
mastery of facts. upheld as they were
by invectiVe, irony, satire and ridicule
with huge delight In time he, called
Chamberlain The Peoples Joseph"
Once speaker with a reputation Mr.
Chamberlain launched into the field O.
municipal reform. lie found Pirming,
ham squalid, dirty, unhealthy city
He was elected mayor over ana owe,
again. He rebuilt the streets. tore
down the roCkeries, severed the baC
places, fought for municipal OWNERSHIP
of tramways and light What wa.
healthful, wholesome, best for the Deo
pie cf city he not only advocated. bu
got. He entered on his first canvas,
for seat in parliament in 1874 Z
rounded man, having the confidence O
those who knew him. He was defeat
ed but stood again and was returned
in 1876.
since then his career has been steadi
-