The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-25

she was going.
ITO Sir Montague Nelson's house. sir.
she replied.
Some men would have dropped the bundle
under the circumstances. Not so the duke 5
son. He carried it TO the house, and de-
liyered it to the well-trained butler. who re-
ceived IL calmly. as If Cabinet ministers
brought home the laundry every day. Then
he went in and enjoyed his dinner.
Lord George is never so happy as when
he can get away from politics and watch
a football game or sing a good song at a
smoking concert at Ealing. He is fine
sportsman. and especially fond OF golf,
cricket. shooting and cycling. He was the
first prominent British statesman to ride
a bicycle. and he was also the first Cabinet
minister to give out a newspaper interview
on politics.
Although he has sat in the House OF
Commons for thirty-fve years, he always
seems very nervous there. He is usually
fdgeting, and when he is going TO make a
big speech he has curious trick OF tearing
scores Of sheets OF foolscap paper into tiny
fragments and throwing them in the air
around his seat.
On busy nights in the press gallery, the
remark is often heard. Thank goodness,
we'll soon get n rest. George Hamilton
has started his snow storm" The reporters
never trouble to take notes OF his remarks.
He has a wretchedly bad delivery, and
unlike most of his kind, is aware of the
fact. He, therefore, sends typewriter
copies of his speeches up to the press gall
lery.
THE CANNY Mr.. RITCHIE.
The Right Honorable Charles Thompson
Richie, who has resigned the office of
chancellor of the exchequer. is Scot, like
Lord George Hamilton. and no cannier Scot
than he could be found from John O.
Greats to the Border.
Richie has never been famous as silver
tongued orator; he has never swayed the
passions OF the mob or tickled the ears of
the groundlings; and the public has known
little about him and cared less. But since
he first entered Parliament in 1874, his fell
low members have recognized him as one
OF the best of business statesmen. He let
other people make the eloquent useless
speeches while he mastered the facts of
the case and did the useful work in commit
tee or in private conference.
Thus he became a power, and since 1856
no Conservative Cabinet has been complete
tuition" Mr.. Chamberlain is said to have re-
marked sarcastically. HE is as much a
part of the furniture of the cabinet cham
Der as the table ITSELF
Be this as it may, Richie has had a
steadily successful career as secretary OF
the Admiralty, president of the Local Gov
eminent Board, president of the Board OF
Trade and chancellor of the exchequer. The
solid business men who form the back.
| bone of the Unionist party in England trust
| him as they trust no other statesman OF
| their party. They regard him as the beat
| ideal OF a good Conservative.
| He has no surface brillance. but he
possesses that infinite capacity for taking
| pains which is said to be the attribute oil
genius. He is extremely conscientious. too
| When he was president of the Board Of
| Trade he was responsible, among a hos
of other things, for the welfare of the
| British merchant sailor. He had to ad
minister the merchant shipping act. and de-
wise rules and regulations for the proper
treatment of poor Jack ashore and af1oat
An ordinary departmental head would have
been content to receive reports from hi:
inspectors. Not Richie. He would leav,
| the gilded splendor OF the Carlton Club anC
| go down TO Mapping. Deptford, Rother
| hithe, and other resorts of sailors. There hi
would disguise himself in tarry breeche:
and an old monkey jacket. spend evening.
| in the crimp shops, opium dens and tavern:
where seafaring men congregated. In tina
| way he found out some startling truth!
about coffin ships. shanghaied sailors. ant
| Board of Trade inspectors who never in
i spected anything except the champagne il
the shippers cabin.
MADE 1T UNPLEASANT.
The subordinate officials of the depart
| ment used to have bad time of it whei
| Richie returned from these expeditions Fl
would take up a report. beautifully writer
and neatly tied with red tape. which statet
| with pleasure that the administration of TIL
merchant shipping act was now a complete
| success in Mapping. He would smile an,
ring for the writer.
| "Ah, Jenkins" he would say, "this re
port is delightful Things seem to be goin,
beautifully. don't they? No drinking, N
swindIng OF underwriters. no murders, n
overloaded ships. Wrapping is becoming
quite a Sunday-school.''
I'm glad TO think. SIR" the gratife,
official would reply, that our efforts hav
borne good fruits.
II suppose so. Jenkins. have you ever il
your travels around Mapping. made tn
acquaintance of a gentleman called One
Eyed Pete?'
NO sir"
That's a pity. He is worth knowing
Last week he shanghaied three boys am
put them aboard a tramp bound for Yoke
hama. He runs an opium den where TIL
customers are apt to disappear once In
| while. Lascar Jem is, perhaps, superio
practitioner; but he's in the hospital jus
| now with a knife thrust. He made the mis-
take OF trying TO get Dago's purse befo-
the Dago was thoroughly drunk. However
you could go down and introduce yourself t
Pete. He might give you some valuabl
material for your next report"
Mr.. Richie has never come into violeu
conflict with MIR. Chamberlain, as 81
Michael Hicks-Beach has done; but ther
has not been much love lost between ther
at any time. In the Cabinet Mr.. Richie
WISE sober-minded counsel was always lis
tened 10 with deep respect. and it was ger
orally given against Mr.. Chamberlain
schemes 1t is believed in well-informe
British political circles that he strongl
opposed the provocative policy which led I
the South African war.
Although a Tory of the old-fashione
school. Mr. Ritchie has initiated and carrie
through Parliament more social legislatio
for the benefit of the laboring classes tina
any other British statesman. He mad