New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-23
LORD SALISBURY.

The death Of Lord Salisbury occurs at
dramatic juncture Of exceptional fitness such
Ae himself would have rejoiced to mark.
II was IN an acute and omnous Eastern
crisis that he assumed his first leadership
upon the stage OF European politics and dipl0-
macy. II is in the midst OF another acute and
oIninOus Eastern crisis that he has made his
exit from the stage OF human life. In the
twenty-five years between the two dates there
were few years in which the great Cecil and
Burghey was not easily among the three or
four most prominent and most. powerful direc
1ors Of coutemnoraneous history. Indeed, for
many years before lie SO masterfully stepped
in where the son OF the Rupert of debate" was
afraid 10 tread. as Lord Robert Cecil, as Wis
count CranborDe and as Marquis of Salisbury
he had been an important figure. variOuSy
feared. admired and followed. But it was with
his entry into Disraelis Cabinet Foreign
Minister that his real career began. His first
great work was the Treaty of Berlin and the
peace with honor" OF which he was more the
author than was his titular chief. There have
been few conventions IN our day that have
more nightly Influenced the destinies of Europe
than shat.
The next great epoch III his career began in
1856, when there arose the issue Of British union
against Irish secession AS leader of the Con-
cement that Unionist coalition which has since
grown into a compact constitutional party and
which has most OF the time dominated the
policy Of The kingdom. There then followed
series OF Parliamentary acts, dealing with edu-
cation. local government land purchase, rail-
road extension, naval progress, factory regula-
ton and workingmens compensation, amply
demonstrating the ability of the Salisbury gov
ernment for constructive legislation More than
eleven years ago. too, he sounded with author-
tGtive voice the keynote OF the campaign in
which his successors are now so strenuously en-
gagged. Speaking of ''the war Of tariffs he
said: Great Britain has deliberately stripped
herself of the armor and weapons with which
the battle has 10 be fought. That may be
noble, but if is not business" Two years later
he brought into prominence another phase of mis-
extraordinary character, when. as president Of
the British Association. he delivered an address
which instantly was assigned place among the
classics Of scientific and phiIosophic thought.
It WIS however, as Foreign Minister that his
first great prominence was attained and that
much perhaps most, Of his best work was done.
II fell 10 his lot 10 deal more than once with the
complicated Chinese question with French
rivalries in various parts CT Africa and in Asia.
with German antaeonisms in Africa and in the
islands of the sea, with Venezuela and the
United States championship Of that turbulent
State. and, indeed, with foreign relationships
involving the issues of peace and war in almost
every part of the globe touched by the globe
encircling British Empire Whatever may be
thought or said OF his diplomacy in detail OF its
general aim and general result there can be 10
question. They were well expressed in the his
toric phrase identified with his earliest dplo-