Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-08
ODD LORD SALISBURY
If
England's Premier Refused
Admission to Monte Carlo.
HIS PECULIAR HABITS
SCoUNDRELS IN EUROPE WHO
LIVE WELL BY THEIR WITS.
Automobiles Had Set Back, but Han
some Are Coming Into Use - Race
for Bennett Cup Creating Interest.
HIS PECULIAR HABITS
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

special Correspondence OF The Evening Star
LONDON. August %. 1903.
. The passing of Lord Salisbury reminds
one of the last hours of his great predeces-
sor, Lord Beaconsfield. In each case for
days the life f1uttered and lickered until
it finally went out. after a prolonged but
painless struggle. Both leaders were at the
famous Berlin congress. and 1t was then
that Bismarck passed his famous criticism
on the younger man, "A lath. painted to
look like IRON The German statesman
lived long enough to revise that saying. and
the German chancellor recognized in Lord
Salisbury the strongest foreign minister of
his day. who. while an advocate Of peace.
was not frightened by the thunders Of war.
With Lord Salisbury's appearance his
photographs have made the world familiar.
There was one physical popularity. how
ever. of which the world knew little. This
was habit of swinging his right leg when
listening to debate in the lords or receiv-
ing deputation. He would sit on the front
bench or chair, his body bent forward in
tently listening to each speaker. with his
eyes cast on the floor. All this time his
right leg would be rocking necessarily, and
so fast that were it not done involuntarily
it would soon become too stiff for further
movement Then he would draw himself
up slowly almost clumsly. and with just
a courteous sentence by way of exordium.
would rapidly plunge into his subject,
speaking in a somewhat low but perfectly
clear tone, and with freshness Of diction
which, Mr.. John Morley and Mr.. Asquith
alone of English statesmen might initiate
but could not equal.
Lord Salisbury's rather reserved nature
did not lend itself to the creation Of anec-
dotes. He made history, not anecdotes. al
though no doubt plenty will be fathered on
him. He had rich sense of the humorous,
and no doubt his family could repeat many
sparkling sayings of his. He was of the
kindest and most considerable disposition.
Once when being driven to Kings Cross to
catch his train to Hatfield his coachman
accidentally ran over child. On hearing
of the accident Lord Salisbury insisted on
being driven to the hospital where the
child was being taken to make personal in
quiry. The coachman respectfully suggest
ed that he would miss his train. 'Never
mind" replied Lord Salisbury, quietly,
there other trains
Although he possessed an individuality of
striking dignity, Lord Salisbury was not
what tailors call a dressy man. His clothes
were cut more with regard to comfort than
fashion. and he availed himself of the right
reserved to a very great man to wear an
old coat Once when he entered a certain
Office the boy. who did not know him. de-
manded his name, and. being told Sails
bury" informed the chief that Mr. Sails
bury wanted to see him. "Who?'' asked
the chief. What is hep" He looks like
a tradesman. SIR replied the boy. and,
looking up he saw that Lord Salisbury had
followed him in andIwa smiling at his UNI
sophisticated description of Britain's pre-
mier. The boy never forgot Lord Sails
bury's face after this. s.
About six years ago he was nearly run
over by the late chief agent of the con-
sentative party. Lord Salisbury, who had
walked from the foreign Office was cross
ing the roadway to the houses of parlia-
ment, unobserved by the police, who, of
course. would have stopped the traffic till
he was safely across At that moment Mr..
Middleton, coming along in a hansom saw
that his horse was almost on Lord Sails
bury. Mr.. Middleton reached forward
made lightning grip at the rens to the
vast establishment of the cabman. and with
a sailors iron grasp jerked the horse on
It's launches. The happy issue of the Incl
dent allowed it to be made joke Of but
there is no doubt that but for Mr. Middle
tons promptitude and presence Of mind the
then premier would have been seriously In
jured.
The following story has also the merit.
which stories often have not. Of being alb
solutely true. When Lord and Lady Sails
bury were at their villa at Beaulieu close
to Monte Carlo. in 1890. 1t occurred to
Lord Salisbury one day that he and his
wife might visit the gambling rooms Now
1t Is notorious that the then premier was
careless OF his dress Upon applying at the
office for ticket Of admission as stran-
gers have to do. Lord Salisbury was asked
the usual questions, and in answer to that
requesting him to state his occupation, he
replied: Prime minister of England"
which he then was Get out, farceur."
said the official I'VE don't admit people like
you here" and no explanations afterward
would satisfy him. SO that the premier and
his wife were compelled to leave the estab-
l1Shment Without obtaining admission
most curious part Of the story remains
to be told. for. when the incident was re-
ported to the casino authorities. they made
but scant apology, and. instead Of send
ing perpetual pass for Lord and Lady
Salisbury. they merely offered them a box
for forthcoming performance at the
theater
The retiring disposition Of Lord Salisbury
IS shown by the fact that there are many
members of parliament of long years
standing with whom in private life he has
never exchanged a sentence. Among them
is Mr.. John Morley, who Is said never to
have been introduced to him. 1t was so in
his early life. His only personal friend at
Oxford was young Merriman, afterward
bishop of GrahamStOwn His family life
was exemplary, and his marriage with the
talented daughter of Baron Anderson was
one Of the happiest unions possible to i'm
agine. His affection for his boys, too was
great. He thoroughly believed in giving
them liberty of choice to their work and
their amusementS. But both work and
amusement were very frequently taken I'M
der the eye Of the father. and even at a
time when he was busy with the work of
the foreign Office, he delighted to have them
seated with him in the same large library
at Hatfield. bent upon their special, but
widely varying. tasks.
Each of these sons Is now a man Of mark.
Lord Cranborne Is under secretary for for
eign affairs. Lord william Cecil Is a clergy
man. the rector Of Hatfield. for whom high
position in the church has been foratOld by
experienced observers; Lord Robert Cecil
Is barrister, kings counsel and an ex-
cellent lawyer. and Lord Hugh Cecil 3 name
Is familiar to every one a politician or
sufficient Independence of character I, DIFF
fer widely from HIS cousin. the prime MIN
lister. and one Of the most indefatigable
champions of the church in parliament.
Lord Edward Cecil, the soldier member Of
the family. was General Baden Powelrs
right-hand man atIMafeking and Is now in
a responsible position in Egypt
Not many people have seen the libracy
at HATH cid. where Lord Salisbury did most
Of his work when resident there. and still
fewer have had the privilege of examining
it's treasures. Among many historical docu-
ments of almost priceless value are the
Forty-two Articles of Edward vi. with the
young kings autograph, instructions which
Cardinal Wolsey wrote out for the ambas-