The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-25
Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN'S FOES
ANECDOTES OF THE MEN WHO WILL
LEAD THE FIGHT AGAINST HIM.
Bitter Personal Feeling Between
Hfcks-Bench and the Advocate
of N Protection Policy.


Ritchie.
Some facts about the careers and charac-
tiers OF these men will serve to explain their
present position. They are all Tories of the
old-fashioned type. They are all parlia-
mentary veterans. They dislike Mr.. Cham
beriain and all that he typifies. They fight
for free trade because 1t is the established
system in exactly the same conservative
spirit that their fathers fought against
1t when the Corn Laws were in force.
Mr.. Chamberlains sternest, sturdiest,
most dangerous foe in the House of Com
mons Is undoubtedly Sir Michael Hicks
Beach, who resigned the CHARACTERISTIC of
the exchequer In August OF last year be-
cause. as he did not hesitate to tell his
friends, there was too much joe in the
Cabinet
The feud is Of long standing. Even be-
fore the South African war. Lord Salisbury
had to use his utmost personal influence
to maintain semblance OF harmony In the
Cabinet between Sir Michael and Mr.. Cham
berlain. In 1898 and 1899 the relations be-
tween them were so strained that those
who were behind the scenes looked daily
for the resignation of one or the other.
Nobody, save the cabinet Ministers. know
exactly what happens at Cabinet meetings,
but rumors leak out. It is said that at
one meeting, toward the end OF 1898, these
two adversaries, after a bitter duel OF
words. rose excitedly from their seats and
seemed about to fly at each others Threats.
Other members Of the Cabinet hastily drew
them aside and Gained them, but the
meeting broke up In confusion.
Certainly, Sir Michael and Mr.. Chamber
lain were not speaking terms at that
time. or for long afterward. Sir Michael
seemed to take pleasure in cutting" his
colleague in the House.
A prominent Liberal NJ. p, who wanted
some information on question of finance,
went TO Sir Michael for 1t. and remarked
TO him:
Mr.. Chamberlain advised me to come to
YOU
Mr. Chamberlain? 1 don't know him.
Who is hep
How absurd, AS If you don't know.
I mean the secretary of state for the colo
MES"
"Ah. yes. I am officially acquainted with
the secretary OF state for the colonies. But
I don't know Mr.. Chamberlain
Sir Michael is an old man now, and his
1856: but he is great fighter still, and his
personal dislike of Mr.. Chamberlain will
lend zest to his attack upon the latter's
tariff scheme when Parliament meets
Since the death of Mr.. viIIiers he has
been the father of the House of Com.
MONS" which he first entered In 1854
Few men have held so many high govern
ment positions as he. He has been parlia.
under secretary for the Home Office, chief
secretary for the Home ONCE. chief secre-
tary for Ireland three times, secretary OF
state for the colonies. president of the
Board of Trade. chancellor OF the excheque,
twice, and leader Of the House Of Com
mons. Thus he has held the official posi-.
tions of. both Mr.. Chamberlain, as well as
several others.
What Sir Michael does not know of par.
iiamentary warfare is not worth knowing
He will tower head and shoulders above
his comrades in the fight against Mr.. Cham
berIain. Unquestionably. he is the stronges
man among the Tories in the House OF Com
mons
lie is a country squire, like Sir William
Earcourt. 1t IL curious that the tw,
greatest British financial ministers of mod
ern times were brought up on rural estate:
and knew nothing OF high finance unit
they were pitchforked into il by the ext
gencies of politics.
LORD GEORGES GRIEVANCE
The Right Honorable Lord George Franci.
Hamilton has a special personal grievane,
against Mr.. Ralfour. He considers that h,
Was induced 20 resign his Office as secre
tary Of state for India under false pre-
lenses. That is no small matter for Lore
George. He showed considerable mora
courage in resigning for the sake of hi.
principles.
He is very poor man. and his oficia
salary of E5,00o a year was extremely i'm
portant TO him. He will now draw GOO
a year from the British exchequer. Tina
sum is allowed to men who have been Cabi
net ministers so long as they are out O
ONCE, provided they make a declaration
that they need II to maintain the dignity o
statesman. Lord George made that dec
laration many years ago, and has draw
his $1,000 a year whenever the Liberals
have been in power. Since 1874 he has neve
been left out OF a Conservative government
He is the third son of the first duke o
Abercorn. That proud old peer had a larg
family. but very little money. As a conse
Quencc, his sons have to hustle for a Twins
Lord Claud, the second son, is chairma
OF the Great Eastern Railway, and bear
the reputation OF being the best railroa
manager in Great Britain. Lord Frederick
the fourth son, used TO edit William Wal
dorf Astor's Pail Mall Magazine. Lor
Ernest. the sixth son, is glad to turn a
honest penny writing magazine articles an
historical romances.
The handsome Hamiltons," as they ar
called in Scotland, are one of the proudes
families ia the British peerage. and the
have the right kind of pride-"nobless
oblige" None OF them has sought 10 repai
ess. They have all preferred to work an
marry poor girls of aristocratic familie
like their own.
Lord George entered Parliament when h
was twenty-three and has been there eve
since. RE became a member of the govern
ment at twenty-nine, and a Cabinet minis
ter at ffty-eight, which is youthful for
British statesman, so that he may yet hav
a great career before him, although hi
achievements up 10 the present have bee
respectable rather than brilliant He is re
gafied by the Conservatives as a safe
man. who is not likely 70 make mistakes
or anything else, either
NO FALSE PRIDE.
Personally. he is a genial, kindly sou
His family pride Is kept for his own use an
never shown TO other people In politics h