The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-26

make it appear. Feeling at times runs
high but outside Of the walls of the COM
mons chamber the Irish members are
treated both officially and socially with the
utmost courtesy. Even in our contests on
the floor we are shown all reasonable con-
sideration. Mr.. Balfour. the government
leader is an open and fair fighter. He is
by far more to1erent towards an antagon-
ist in debate than Joseph Chamberlain who
is easily the first debater in parliament.
Mind when I say debater mean a dis
tinction from an orator which Mr.. Cham
berlain is not. His voice has harsh
steely tone but woe to the member who
isn't equipped at every point and who
challenges him in debate. Mr.. Chamber
lains f1uency is rich and he has Won
derful fund of Information about public
affairs. It is a duel to the death when he
accepts a challenge for a debate. He
shows no mercy to an antagonist.
& "Mr. Chamberlain and myself are bit
ter enemies politically but he has always
treated me elsewhere than in debates with
unvarying kindly feeling. After posi-
lively fierce encounter on the. floor we
have both gone to the smoking room and
chatted and joked. had occasion several
years ago to urge him to grant petition
that an imprisoned African king sent to
me. The king ruled a little domain back
some ways from the sea on the gold coast.
A detachment of English troops marched
to his capitol ostensibly to visit him.
He objected. so they seized his domains
and made him, a prisoner. I asked Mr..
Chamberlain he could not as colonial
secretary see his way clear to either give
him his freedom or ameiiorate his condi-
ton while in prison. Several months later
I received letter from a. missionary on
the gold coast He said that the condition
of my friend the king had been anchor
ated all right The number of his wives
that he was permitted to keep with him
in prison had been increased from two to
six. When I showed the letter to Mr..
Chamberlain he protested that he was not
kings imprisonment made more comfort
able 80, s1>,'E -. -
0*- .-.~.. An Authority on Prisons
"a personal experience of my own shows
how the commons in some cases will rally
to the support Of even an Irish member
Sir Matthew Ridley White as home secre-
tary brought in a bill to reform the prison
system. Now I have myself served nine
and one-half years in English prisons for
doing political acts Ito bring a bout home
rule for my native country and I soon
saw when Sir Matthew began speaking
on his bill that he knew very little about
prisons or the abuses in them. Accordingly
/ prepared good many amendments
and urged them one with my prison ex
perience could do. The house finally see
ing that 1 was about the only authority on
prisons in parliament deserted Sir Mat
thew SO he gave up and turned the bill
over to me- I had it amended in many
particulars so among other things it abol-
ished the tread mill and the dark cell in
prisons and other evils: then it passed and
went on the statute boks. Soon after
wards the Easter adjournment was taken.
Sir Matthew said to me that as 7 seemed
to know more about prison customs and
management than anyone in the govern
ment he would like to have me make an
official tour of the principal prisons during
the recess and report the workings Of the
new law. I did so. One of the prisons
inspected had been my place of confine-
ment while undergoing a sentence. The
governor Of it I remembered as humane
officer and when I appeared as inspector
instead of prisoner he said he had favor
to ask. His berth was a beastly one. so
he explained. and would mind when got
back to London speaking to Sir Matthew
and getting him a transfer to something
more desirable. I promised him I would
do so. and he got the transfer and now
he is most grateful friend of mine.
Gladstone as Great Orator.
'In my rarnblings I have sat and list
ened to the debates in the parliaments of
many; countries. Frequently, I have been
asked who is the greatest orator ever
heard. Emphatically have always said
Mr. Gladstone. Two of his greatest
Sreeches in f}1e last deca dc If hic caraer