New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-05

The ricrures Of notable men Of Parliament
which are given in Justin McCarthy's British
Foolirical Portraits CThe Outlook Company
could hardly fail 10 be interesting. The author
recalls his own impressions Of the thirteen men
Of whom he writes or, at times, when ne was
not on the scene. cites judgments and comment
OF persons with whom he rem aimed in contact
His experience IN Parliament covers the years
from 1856 TO 1900, and Il is to this period that
he devotes himself. Not that every sketch Is
brought down 10 date however: that OF Joseph
Chamberlain. for instance goes no further tnan
his conversion in 1856 from flaming Demo
crat and Radical" TO flaming Tory and anti
Radical" Mr. Mccarthy finds himself unable
70 answer the question why a Radical Of such
extreme views as was Mr.. Chamberlain before
1856 should become an advocate Of Toryism
all along the line simply because he had
changed his views on the question Of home rule
for Ireland. The conversion of Constantine the
Great and Ignatius Loyola here recalled
with the playful remark that, somehow, Mr..
Chamberlain does not seem TO have impressed
his contemporaries with the idea THAI he was
cast exactly IN the mould Of Constantine or an
Ignatius.
4 well put comparison Of the comparative at
tentiveness Of the House Of Lords and the Com
mons may BE- found in the papers Lord
admiration goes freely 10 Lord Rosebery for the
persistence with which he chung 10 his qualities
and habits as speaker. when removed out Of
the more active chamber. Nothing" he says.
but the Unborn consciousness Of a genius for
political debate can stimulate man TO great
effort in the House Of Lords"
Nothing turns upon debate in that house
If a majority in the House Of Lords were 10 pass
a vote Of oensure three times week upon the
existing government, that government would
continue 10 exist just as II nothing had hap
pened, and the public in general would hardly
know that the Lords had been expressing any
opinion on the subject An ordinary sitting Of
more than hour OF so, and the whole
sembly often consists of Some half dozen peers.
Now and again, during the course Of a session.
there is got up what may be called a full
dress debate. when some great question Is dis
turbing the country. and the peers think that
they ought 20 put on the appearance Of being
deeply concerned about il, and some noble lord
who has 4 TepuUe for wisdom or for eloQuence
gives notice OF q formal motion, and then there
IS a heightened discussion, and perhaps. on some
extraordinary occasion. the peers may sit to q
late hour and even take division
In the house where business is fuller the
author finds II possible TO sum up character
istics in briefer analysis:
Il man is really a good speaker. the House
IS always ready TO listen 70 him. no matter how
often he may speak. for the plain reason that
debate mas TO go on for certain number Of
hours each day. and T. is more pleasant 70 listen
"a member who talks well than one who talks
badly
The hight and humorous touch in these two
whimsical giiTnpses Of session life is charac-
teristic OF the book throughout which is never
heavy with any awe OF its subject By the same
token, X need hardly be said that IL is not
rnarred by nippancy q false sense Of pro-
portion II is Informed by the direct and prac-
teal spirit Of e who knows his subject
from within and expresses himself about fannfl-
lar matters with ease and independence Por-
traits gre reproduced with the articles which
include besides those mentioned Mr. Ralfour
Lord Salisbury, Mr.. Labouchere, Lord Aber-
dszer Mr. John Burns Sir Michael Hicks Beach