The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-18
"RED EARL +" MAY
BE BRITISH PREMIER
Great Stunt Probably Awaits
Earl Spencer if the Liberals
Return to Power.
Special Foreign Service.

Special Foreign Service. :. >,
LONDON, Oct. 17-According to all
accounts, it is now practically settled
that, should the Liberal party return to
power as the result of the present
political crisis in Great Britain, the
premiership will be handed over to the
Earl of Spencer. Lord Spencer, who
for years has been a Liberal of i'm
mense influence, is, perhaps, best
known throughout the country for the
vigorous policy pursued by him as
viceroy of Ireland. but he also was a
prominent member of two Gladstone
cabinets, originally as first lord of the
admiralty, and afterward as president
of the council.
1t cannot be said that the RED Earl
as Lord Spencer is called, is the equal
to Lord Rosebery, or Mr.. Asquith as a
statesman, but he is regarded as the
only Liberal leader of the first rank
under whom the various disagreeing
factions of the party of Gladstone could
work in harmony at the present time.
1t is practically certain that neither
Lord Rosebery, nor Sir Henry Camp
bell-Bannerman, the present Liberal
leader, would care to hold Office under
the premiership of the other, but
pretty well authenticated report has it
that both would be willing to hold port
folios in a cabinet presided over by
Lord Spencer. In such a case Lord
Rosebery probably would become sec
rotary of state for foreign affairs, while
it is thought that Sir Henry would be
f1a ~
the upper house, Mr.. Asquith becom-
ing leader of the house of commons,
with the ticklish job on his hands of
circumventing the assaults of Mr..
Chamberlain, who would almost Ger
tainly be the leader of the opposition.
1t is rather doubtful if the extremely
radical wing of the Liberal party would
take kindly to the Earl of Spencer as
premier, but on the other hand he
would be especially acceptable to the
Irish members. BY Mr.. Labouchere.
Lloyd George and the younger spirits
of the Liberal party, Lord Spencer is
regarded as INCLINED toward vacillation.
1t is not forgotten that in 1886, on the
question of home rule, he fell under
the influence of Mr.. Chamberlain and
ICLI NIL "A lew
weeks afterwards, however, he relent-
ed and returned to his old leader and
from then until now he has given ev-
cry indication that he is a convinced
home ruler ae I.fea
Like many another Englishman, Ire
land made him an active politician. In
1869 and again from 1882 to 1885 he
was Irish viceroy and no man admins
tered the coercive measures of the gov
eminent more relentlessly. There were
more Irishmen in prison under his re-
gime than in any period in the history
of the country. He drew down upon
himself more abuse and vituperation
from the Irish members of parliament
than any man since the days of Lord
Castlereagh., Tim Healy, NJ. p, chris
tened him "Foxey Jack" a sobriquet
that is likely to stick to him while he
lives. However, the tenacity with
which he stuck to Mr.. Gladstone's
views regarding ireland, during the
later years of the great statesman's
life, helped to remove much of the Bit
terness his Viceroyalty produced and
the Irish members would welcome him
at the head of Liberal administration.
1t has never been said of the Red
Earl that he has had1any great ambi-
ton for the! premiership and, although
he has held various offices in parlia-
ment and at court, he is much attached
to the life of a country gentleman. He
owns $4,000 acres in Northamptonshir
and his half brother is his heir