New-York tribune., 1900-12-30
PART II.
TWELVE PAGES.
FAMILY AFFAIRS.
LORD SALISBURY ATTACKED FROM HIS
OWN SIDE FOR NEPoTIsM-THE
CHAAIBERLAIN INTERESTS IN
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.
London. Decemher IS.


fire from the Opposition lines on account of his
own interests and those of members of his
family In a series Of Government contracts. He
replied at the outset with a general denial that
he had any investments of this kind: but his
enemies succeeded in providing details of at
least four business connections in which mem
bers Of his family We're concerned. Lord Sails
bury, after reorganizing the Government was
sharply censured for favoring his relatives un-
duly. The Cabinet was described as the Hotel
Cecil, Unlimited" Lord Salisbury was Prime
Minister and Lord Privy Seal Mr.. Arthur Bal
four, his nephew, was First Lord of the Treas
ury and leader Of the House Of Commons; Lord
Selborne, his son-in-law, was First Lord OF the
Admiralty; Mr.. Gerald Balfour his nephew, was
president OF the Board Of Trade, and Lord Gran
borne. his son. was Under Secretary for For
egn Affairs. This was a large family group
drawing from $4,000 to f1sOO0 in salaries from
the Treasury. These things have been threshed
out in q most interesting debate.
Lord Rosebery had introduced the subject in
the Lords by a facetious reference to the Cab
met as a family party, which might be gathered
around the Christmas table at Hatfield; but it
was reserved for MI Bartley, a sturdy Tory. to
make a serious attack upon the Government IN
the Commons. Mr.. BARLEY. in enacting the
familiar part Of the candid friend disclained
any affectation Of hypocrisy. He had had ambi-
tons OF his own. and felt that he had been
sighted when others had been singled out for
promotion and his own services to the party
had been passed over. His speech in moving
an amendment 20 the address was exceedingly
blunt He condemned the predominance Of one
family in the Government. He asked, If one
fifth Of the Cabinet was to be made up of Cecils,
why not one-half, OF the whole? He suggested
that there were rising men IN the family,
who could aspire to the positions Of Lord Chan
oeIlor and Commander-in-Chief. He referred to
the success OF one Of Lord Salisbury's sons in
obtaining at twenty-five a fat living in the
Church with fl,500 year, with curates under
him. and intimated that he mad every chance
Of becoming Archbishop of Canterbury. All
these fings and gibes excited the laughter Of
the House. but Mr.. BARLEY, a square set SOL
emn visaged. keen eyed member. persevered in
his work, and commanded the applause Of the
Opposition benches when he asked with great
force what the Tories themselves would have
said II Mr. Gladstone had taken for members
Of his family five six Of the highest Govern
ment appointments. That effective
thrust. Every one in the House remembered
the criticisms when Mr. Gladstone took two
Offices for himself, and could imagine what a
disturbance would have been caused If fifth
OF his Cabinet had been recruited from the fam
fly circle.
Lord Salisbury was fortunate in having de-
fender in the House. who. while one Of his reIa-
f4ves IN Office. entirely free from the re-
proach Of having distinction otherwise than
by his own merits Mr.. Arthur Balfour had be-
come leader Of the Commons without reference
to his relationship with the Prime Minister. His
own gifts as a debater and accomplishments as
a man had carried him to the top, and no carp
ing critic on either side Of the Commons could
challenge his right to be where he was. No bet
ter proof Of his fitness for his position could
have been offered than his skilful reply to Mr.
Bartley's attack. If he were embarrassed by
personal structures upon the Cecil family he
concealed it, and with quiet dignity defended
the Prime Minister for carrying out in isolated
responsibility the most thankless and heart
breaking task-that Of reorganizing the Govern
rnent-which could be imposed upon any subject
Of the Queen. He caught Mr.. BARLEY tripping
in the assumption that the Secretary for War
was within the charmed circle Of nepotism
and made a clever counter thrust by taunting
the Radicals with beginning with complaints
that Mr. Chamberlain's influence was predom-
inant in the Cabinet and ending with poor jests
about a Cecil kitchen Cabinet and family party
He also made a fair hit in intimating that rel
afives disagreed oftener than they agreed, and
proved his point by referring TO the personal
quarrels Of the Pitts. the Walpoles and the
Crenvilles, Of Lord North and Lord Temple.
He contended that the accident Of birth should
a
relationships Of members Of the Government
were not a subject for legitimate criticism. In
his own case that was true and unanswerable.
The position Of British Prime Minister is
probably the most anomalous Office in the
world II has never been created by statute,
has no legal status whatsoever, has no salary
attached to it and is entirely dependent upon
precedent. Lord Salisbury, Prime Minister,
has no official rank other than that Of Privy
Councillor, which he shares with several hun
dreds OF the Queens Right Honorable subjects.
Precedence is everything in England, and at
least eight members Of the Cabinet have OFF,
cial priority IN this respect. In order 70 obtain
a salary for his services 10 the State he was
forced 10 take the Privy Seal when he retired
from the Foreign Office, and a special vote will
be required in the Commons before he secures
ii He has no direct power over his colleagues
IN the control OF the business OF their offices,
and al a Cabinet meeting his vote counts as
one Of theirs The Prime Minister'S rights and
privileges are not defined by any act Of Par
lament. The leadership Of the Ministry has
come about historically by a process Of evolu-
ton after the Offices Of the Crown were put in
commission, and the Prime Minister'S su-
prenacy is based upon the fact that Ministers
are appointed and dismissed solely upon his
recommendation. Precedent has made the Of
fee OF Prime Minister what II is-the greatest
position in the Empire. Precedent can also
diminish its authority and cloud its distinction.
For this reason the criticisms Of the candid
friend, Mr BARLEY. with his private
causes OF discomfort, deserved something more
than the superficial, If brilliant, treatment re-
ceived from the leader OF the Commons.