New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-20

which may be drawn up viii represent nothing
except concordat between carefully selected
interests respecting the share of plumber which
they will severaIly receive. but the business
classes are impressed with the weight and IN
fuence Of Mr. Chamberlains tariff commits
sion. No royal commission could have been
equally representative Of industrial and COM
mercial England. Mr.. Chamberlain has adopt
ed Cobden's expedient OF pushing the manuract-
urers and merchants TO the front and arrayihs
them against taIkative lawyers like Mr.. AS
quith and cautious and timorous statesmen ike
the Duke OF Devonshre The parallel ends
here. Sir Robert Peel was converted to Cob
den's ideas. but carried them out in measures
OF his own with dignity.
Prime Minister Balfour has ceased to be
respecting Prime Minister, and allows an If
responsible agitator to create a commission and
dictate the issue on which the Unionist party
win appeal TO the electorate at the next general
elections. Mr.. Chamberlain's speech at Leeds was
conspicuous for fits self-restraint. A weaker
statesman would have been exalted over the tri-
umphs OF the tariff cause in the south of Lon
don and the discontinue OF the Duke of Dew
onshire who had issued futile proclamation
TO Unionist voters TO desert the Protectlonlst
candidates. The old superstition that whenever
Devonshire nodded sagely. Englishmen of sound
judgment would nod also. and fall asleep with
him no longer a political FETCH The city
clerks living in Lewisham and Dulwich disre-
garded the oracle and voted for Mr.. Cham
berIain's men. These elections are not decisive.
since public opinion in the industrial North has
not yet been adequately tested. but the tariff
cause has received great impetus from them.
Mr. Chamberlain made q great impression at
Leeds by quoting from the letters from Charles
Booth and Minister Fielding. and by offering
to go as ambassador to the colonies. He has
acted as a conQueror, in assuming that the
necessity for a tariff has been proved. and that
the commission is convinced that the Protec-
tionists must have a good working scheme in
readiness for the general elections. Never has
his audacity been carried to greater lengths in
British politics II is magnificent. and 1t is also
a war on free trade of the deadliest character.
with the masses fascinated by the brilliance of
leadership which is taking over the RESPONSE
bilities of Parliament and the minister of the
crown.
The King has been shooting at Windsor and
holding an investiture at Buckingham Palace.
and VIII spend Christmas at Sandringham.
where the Princess Alice, the next royal bride.
VIII be a conspicuous figure.
The engagement Of Lord Herries's daughter,
Miss Gwendoline Maxwell, to the Duke of Nor
folk, menaces another Scotch peerage with
tnction. She is heiress to her fathers title Of
baron in the peerage of Scotland. and it will
be merged with the Dukedom of Norfolk.
There have been several interesting weddings.
notably those of Miss Stephanie Cooper and
Arthur Levita, and Miss Stella Faudel Phil
lips and Charles Trefton; and there will be
many more in January.
The sale Of Apthorpe Lord westmoreland's
Northamptonshire estate 10 Leonard Brassey.
has interested the smart sets.
The presentation Of the American testimonial
10 Sir Thomas Upton has involved a big din
ner and a notably good speech by the chair
man. Consul General Evans. one of the most
popular men in London.
Concerts are slowing up for the holidays and
theatres preparing pantomInes and Christ
mas novelties. Mostyn Pigott's "An FTeteher's
Fault" at the Avenue Theatre, is the solitary
dramatic event Of the week.
Charcoal drawings by the American artist,
Frank Mura. have been exhibition during
the week at the Warwick House, but there has
been no other art novelty,
Most interesting has the sale at Christies
been Of rare silver plate tankards Of the time
Charles II, porringers Of Queen Anne's time.
and several sets Of Apostle spoons Of the sew
enteenth century, for which high prices were
obtained. The sale of the Sneyd library at
Sotheby's has been more important. and
Quaritich and other dealers have secured many
treasures in illuminated manuscripts. early
printed books and Italian canonicL It is
collection which has been stored for half
century at Keele. One-hah almost as
precious the Cicognara library in the
Vatican. A fine volume written one thousand
years ago by Augustinian monks at Canterbury.
and containing the Apocalypse and several OF
Paurs Epistes, was sold for a song; but the
competition much keener for a fine
''Hore Anglo of French workmanship of the
fifteenth century and for a tenth century
Gregorius Megnus in velIum. I. N. r.