The sun., 1899-02-04
The New Leader of the British Liberals

It is settled that Sir H. CAMPBELL-BAN-
HERMAN is to he the leader of the British
Liberals in the House Of Commons the su-
preme headship of the party being left in
allegiance, so long as it remains in opposi-
tion. As. after the announcement made by
Sir WILLIAM NERNoNHARCoURT and Mr..
JOHN MORLEY that they should henceforth
occupy an independent position, the Liberal
members had to choose between Mr. HER
BERT AsoUITH and Sir H. CAMPBELL-BAN-
HERMAN, it was natural that, in the interest
of harmony, they should prefer the latter.
He certainly has not been the alter ego Of
Lord ROSEBERY. He has offended nobody
unless 1t be 1.-THE Duke of CAMBRIDGE and
the Duke of CoNNAUGHT who could hardly
be expected to approve of his making Gen.
Lord WoLsELEY Commander-in-Chief. His
official experience moreover, has been
longer and wider than Mr.. AsoUITH's, for
he was Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieu
tenant of Ireland as long ago as 1884 and
he has been twice Secretary of State for
War. He If any ono, should be able to rec
oncile the Radicals with those Liberals of
more old-fashioned type who make the Re-
form Club their headquarters.
How the new British leader will be re-
garded by the Irish Natonalists is n differ
ent question. 1t may bc remembered that
Mr.. r. BARRY O'BRIEN, in an interview
with Mr.. PARNELL, not long before the lat
\ ter's death, referred to several conspicuous
headers, and eventually said There is
CHMPBELL-BANNERMAN | hear that he's
vcSy good fellow, and he made about as
good an Irish Secretary as any of them"
"Yea" replied Mr. PARNELL, 81 dare say
he's very good fellow, and, as an Irish
Secretary, he left things alone; a SEN
sible thing for an Irish Secretary to
do. II they do not know anything they
had better do nothing" Presently he
added Do you think that CAMPBELI-BAN-
NERMAN has any influence? He is not going
to lead the Liberal party. I think he has
no influence" What Mr.. PARNELL said
was true enough when it was uttered. He
could not foresee that the quarrel between
Lord RosEBERY and Sir W HARCouRT. in
volving, as it would, Mr.. AsQuIrH on the one
side and Mr. JOHN MORLEY on the other,
must, by process of elimination bring
CAMPBELLBANNERMAN to the front. It is
worth noting that CAMPBELL BANNERMAN
and JOHN MORLEY were the only eminent
Liberals about whom Mr.. PARNELL re-
Trained from saying that they cared moth
ing about home rule" 1t is improbable, in
deed, that Mr.. JOHN f. REDMOND and his
ten Parnelite colleagues would give steady
support to the new Liberal leader, even
We're they convinced of his good will toward
Ireland, for they are opposed to systematic
cooperation with any British political party.
The anti-ParnclIites, however, who include
by far the largest number of the National
list members 0l), may, probably, be relied
upon to follow CAMPBELL BANNERMAN
1t some thing to agree upon leader and
anotner lnlng To agree upon programme.
When the Liberals attempt to construct
platform upon which they can cope success
fully with the Conservatives at the next gen
eral election they will find themselves all at
sea. They cannot expect to win votes by
putting forward projects of Socialistc
tenor, because, as Sir WILLIAM HARCoURT
has publicly said I'VE are all Socialists
now and Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN is willing and
able to outbid his political antagonists for
Socialistic support. They cannot preach
economy in the navy or in the army
or revive tho anti-expansionist ideas
that used to be popular in the days
of Little Englandism," for the drift Of
public opinion is now toward imperialism.
As for local option. their disastrous expert