New-York tribune., 1901-10-24
A GLADSTONE STATUE.
UNVEILED AT MANCHESTER WITH
MUCH ENTHUSIASM-JOHN NOR
LEYS ADDRESS.
Copyright; 1901: Be The New-Y0k Tribune)
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Manchester. Oct. 23.-Manchester is fortunate
in obtaining without public subscription or pro-
longed effort a spirited and characteristic statue
OF Gladstone. A Welshman named William Rob-
erts, whose life had passed without observation
surprised Manchester by leaving bequest OF
more than four thousand pounds for statue of
the Liberal statesman. The executors were
mainly Influenced by Mr. Gladstones rahlly IN
the selection Of a sculptor.
When Gladstone introduced the Home Rule
bill in the House OF Commons Mario Raggi an
Italian sculptor. among the spectators. and
sketched the orator during the delivery OF his
speech. Clay models were based on this draw
ing. and the bronze figure. now splendldly placed
in Albert Square. has the pose of body, express
sion OF face and vigorous but natural action or
the Gran1 OLD Man I'm his most earnest mood
The statue is ten feet high. and stands on a
simple pedestal One arm is outstretched IN
masterful gesture the sculptor having repro
duced with striking effect the orators atnor-
mally long forefnger. The other hand clasps
with strong grip roll Of manuscript The hg-
ure is finely posed. one foot being slightly raised
and the weight being carried by the other leg
Above the high collar and familiar crumpled
cravat rises the massive and majestic head in
epical dignity. It is a stronger work than
Raggis statue of Beaconsheld in Parliament
Square. Westminster. and one of the best ex-
amples of sculpture in England.
Manchester has been equally fortunate in hav-
ing the statue unveiled to-day by statesman
who loved and reverenced Gladstone and under
stood him better than anybody else. The cere-
monies simple and unpretentious. Mr.
John Morley was quietly entertained at lunch
by the civic authorities and unveiled the
statue with few words of eulogy in presence
OF large open air audience. He delivered sub
sequently in the great room OF the Town Hall,
where he could be heard eloquent and
scholarly tribute to the greatest of English Lib
erals. There was a tremendous outburst of ap-
plause from the vast audience when he was in
troduced with a brief sentence by the Lord
Mayor Speaking without notes and with occa-
sional signs of hesitation he gave the impress
sion Of thinking aloud out of a full mind on the
one subject which he considered of supreme
importance the history Of the times. His
gestures were frequent; there were passages of
quiet irony. and there was a deep undertone OF
earnestness Dsclaming any intention of max
ing partisan of the occasion, he invited
his audience to enjoy something of the peace
and perspective of history in rejecting on the
career and character of great man who had
swept like planet in the SKY 10 fasci-
nate and absorb the attention Of the age. Mr..
Morley contended that detraction from Glad
stones work could be nothing less than sur
upon the English people lie dissented strongly,
however. from Mr. Huntley's bitter remark:
Here is a man with the greatest intellect in
Europe, and he debases il by following majoT-
ties and crowds" Mr. Morley asserted that the
exact opposite was the truth, and that the flow-
ing tide was often against Gladstone and that
he struggled against it. He gave several Illus
uations from his financial legislation and his
legislation Irish land tenure, of Gadstone's
power Of creating, transforming and directing
public opinion. and finally referred amid tre-
mendous applause. TO the Geneva arbitration as
noble reparation for misreading the Civil War
in America. Gladstone erred in judgment in
common with nearly all great Englishmen of his
time, but atoned for the injustice by quenching
the fires of i'll will and animosity between ma
tions and inaugurating the first precedent for
establishing reason in place Of force and deadly
if not always necessary, war. If Gladstone had
accomplished nothing else than the Geneva
arbitration he would have deserved a statue Of
marble or bronze or even of pure gold This pas
sage was received with rounds of cheersA and the
entire address was followed with enthusiasm
Mr. Morley described Gladstone as the greatest
orator in Parliamentary history, and. above all
things, moral teacher who lived and wrought
so as TO keep soul alive in England. INF.