The Irish standard., 1902-08-02
PRIME MINISTER BALFOUR.

Inc change OF one Premier for an
other, especially when the change is
merely from old Obadiah to young
Obadiah, is not Il matter of such su-
preme Importance as most people
seem to imagine, says Reynolds News
paper. Prime Ministers, as a rule, are
very ordinary persons, who owe their
advancement more to the accident of
birth than to power of intellect or
force OF character. Most of them pass
into oblivion OF are remembered only
by the curious student of history. The
man in the street could not tell you
the names of more than half a dozen
OF the Prime Ministers of Great Brit
ain and Ireland since the Revolution
Of 16SS, when the practice of select
ing the sovareign's advisers from
among members Of the successful par
ty at a general election was first
adopted. Even of the great Prime
Ministers, especially of Canning, Dis
raeli and Gladstone, it may be said
that they would probably have made
a greater name for themselves if they
had never gone into politics at all.
Canning was wit; Disraeli wrote at
least one great novel, "Sybil," which
will be remembered long after his
parliamentary speeches are forgotten;
and if Gladstone had gone into the
Church he would probably have be-
come as great an ecclesiastic as Hill
debrand. The fact is the world is not
governed by politicians so much as by
men Of letters, poets, painters, and
men Of science. Some of our greatest
writer's have also been great states
men; but who now cares to remem-
ber that fact? Who but biographical
students ever charge their memories
with the recollection that Geoffrey
Chaucer was Comptroller Of the Gus
toms; that Addison was Secretary of
State; that Sheridan, as NIacaulay
said, was very nearly being made
Chancellor Of the EXchequer, though
he couldn't do long division sum;
that Macaulay himself was Minister
for War; and that Bulwer Lytton was
one Of the most successful of Colonial
Secretaries? Who now reads their
parliamentary speeches? Who does
not read the works wherewith they
have enriched OUR literature? Milton
was an exception. Great as was his
work in literature, we cannot think
Of him exclusively as poet Or forget
that he played a great part in the po-
litical drama of the stormy times in
which he lived.
But we fear that the heroic age of
craftsmanship is dead. The House of
Commons has now become a more at
tractive place for stock exchange gam
blers, company promoters, and sue
cessful hucksters, than for men Of lit
erary genius. You can count on the
fingers of one hand the men now in
parliament who have any claim to be
regarded as being endowed With in
tellectual power. Mr.. Balfour is one
of them. He is, at any rate man
of culture, who has read philosophy
and knows as much as most men
about the unllnowable 1t would have
been q misfortune had his claims to
the Premiership been set aside in IA
vor of those of Mr.. Chamberlain, who
though master of the tricks of de-
bate, has no ideas beyond those of a
smart man of business. Although he
is not to have the assistance of Sir
Michael Hicks-Beach, we have no
doubt that the new Premier will be
able to hold the cabinet together for
some time, at least, for he is undoubt-
etlly popular on both sides of the
House.