New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-05

and Secretaries OF state But when In opposi-
ton they receive no remuneration whatsoever.
and the only advantage which ti.cy derive from
their membership OF the Privy Council Is the
Tight 10 prefix the words Right Honorable" 70
their names and to receive invitations 10 all State
and Court functions. save when. a. In the case
Of Sir Charles Dixie they have fpr some special
reason incurred the displcasurc OF the sovereign
The only assistance Of q monetary character
that the nation tenders 10 men who have held
Cabinet oflcc In the past IL in the shape az
eight so-called political and Ministerial Pen
sions" Four Of thes, amount - $4,000 year
each and are restricted TO statesmen who have
"for four years not necessarily continuous In
period held political Office OF the FIRST class -
that Is TO say. the principal Sccrctaryships Of
State the Chanccllorship Of the EXchequer ana
the First Lordships Of the Admiralty and OF the
Treasury all OF them offices which carry win
them salaries OF So 900 a year each Four other
pcnsLors OF So 900 a year each are allotted TO
Statesmen who have for six years held Cabinet
Offices Of the second class that is 70 say. the
presidcncies OF the Privy Council. OF the Board
OF Trade and OF the Local Government Board.
the Irish and Scotch Sccrcaryships, the Post
master Gcneralship and the Chanccllorship OF
the Duchy OF Lancaster. offices carrying with
them salaries OF $1,000 year.
These pensions must be applied for. ana an
assurance given that the private means OF the
candidate are inadequate for his station In life
Their payment Is suspended when the holder OF
the pension In In Office. but IL restored az soon
as ever his official salary ceases. Thus. FOR IN
stance the Duke Of Abercorn's brother L"rd
George Hamilton. now Secretary OF state TOT
India as well Vscount Cross, Lord frlVy
Seal. hold pensions of $4,000 each. the pay
nent OF which Is stopped for the time that they
are in office. and another hrst-class pension o.
the same amount has just come to close
through the death last week Of the Rlsht Hon
Spencer Walpoe. who was Secretary OF state
for the Home Department more than thirty
wears ago and enjoyed the pension ever since
That IL to say, he received from the Treasury
bv way OF pension for his services as Cabinet
Minister an amount OF public money exceeding
500 600 The late Mr.. Walpoie. by the bye. Is
well known to have been the original OF Mt
Aubrey" In Dr. Samuel Warrcn's popular novel
."ren Thousand n Year" Lord Beaconsieid
WAS drawing at the time Of his demise one or
these first class pensions. OF $4,000 per an
nurn. I'm spite OF which he died heavily In debt
But Mr. Gladstone, although clearly quaiihcd
for a ministerial pension never applied Tor one
and the money which he received from 'he HI
ton was restricted exclusively 10 the SALARY
Maid to him while in office as Minister OF the
Crown.
ONLY FOR THOSE WITH PRIVATE MEANS
The fact Is that political life Is practically
c,o.ed in England to ell those who have not
nrvate means Of their own and Lord Beacons-
n.,d vas never tired Of relating that had 1t not
49,, n, Mrs. Wyndham Lewis. who conferred
MN him her hand and her fortune. at IMAM