New-York tribune., 1903-03-11
BRITISH POLITICS.
CHEF Figures ~ PdrLiament-Fore-
caste Of tie Men Of the Futxre.

never ended. new session has opened, with
the NatSonAlsts under fun restraint and not
disposed 70 retaFd the course OF public business.
since the Irish Land bin has been promised on
the lines Of the conference report There are
new rules specially Designed for effecting econ
omies Of time The machinery OF legislation
has been oveEhauied and carefully readjusted
end oiled Much has been done to restrict abuse
Of the privilege Of asking questions and harass-
ing ministers. an6 70 facilitate the dispatch OF
legislative business. The session opens. never
thelass, with licensed obstruction in the form OF
protr3eted debate on the address in reply to
the speech from the throne. Day after
day 10 occupied with general discussion OF
public policies OF the academic lines of
the Oxford Union One question after an
ether Is discussed without practical result:
and fortnight is cut OF from the working time
OF the session. Tradition sanctions this anoma-
loUs procedure Specialists allowed the OPP
portunity tor debating at great length side
issues IN which they are personally interested.
Every member who has q favortte hobby rides
II as long As he likes Any department Of the
administration can be placed its defence
through amendment to the address. The War
once has been under fire from both sides Of the
Commons for two days; and this active skir-
mishinS occurs at the beginning of session in
which no legislation for the army. with the ex-
The administration Of the great public offices is
challenged by a series Of amendments to the ad-
dress, when the same end can be accomplished
in orderly course as the estimates for the
rious branches Of the service considered.
BY common consent time Is wasted In desultory
and barren discussion before the Commons
settle down TO the business of the session.
The debate on the address 10 chiefly interesting
from the byplay and from the side light thrown
men Mr.. Brodrick for example, has been ex-
posed to a furious onslaught upon his Army
Reorganization scheme. Nothing has been
complished. for he has emerged from the two
days debate with the Identical majority which
he secured two years ago when he proposed this
artificial plan for forming six complete army
corpS-three for foreign service in an ener-
Rency and three for home defence. The debate,
however, has been most spirited one and Mr..
Brodrick has been interesting If not i'm
pressIve figure, while fighting with his back to
the wall The son Of Lord Middleton, he was ac-
lively interested in politics even while he at
Eton. and be won his spurs q debater when
he was ct Oxford. where he was president of the
Union. Entering Parliament when he was twen-
ty-four he was Secretary for War at forty-four,
having displayed q marked talent for mastering
details Of complex questions and genuine love
OF public work His characteristic merit is
Flooding habit Of Industry. He is halting
speaker. without sense Of humor and without
the gift Of turning brilliant phrases inventing
unexpected epigr&ms. He Invariably conveyS
the impression of having made a thorough study
OF his subject and he speaks with an air o.
conviction which makes amends for q dull de-
livery and debating powers Of commonplace
order. Mr. Brodxick lacks Mr. Wyndham's talent
for concealing the weak points of q case and
diverting attention from the main question to
side iss1es He ss not q natural orator. nor has
he q brilliant mind. He collects facts for
speech without knowing how to make an ef-
fective use of them; and when he has finished
his argument the verdict Of his audience IL
that he is q Aberious plodder. dull and busi-
neesike he il sincere. Possibly he has made
a better defence Of the six skeleton army corps
than the critics have anticipated but he has not
convinced either the Commons the country
that in increasing the expenditures Of the mill
tary service from E1S.O00.OOO to f3OO00OOO he
has materially strengthened the defensive re-
sources Of the empire.
Mr. Churchill has again delighted the Com
mons with an exhibition of his fathers brilliant
qualities and instructive knowledge of the forces
OF public opinion. He voted against the Army
Reorganization scheme two years ago. when the
government supporters were dazZled by glitter
ing generalities and specious promises He has
strenuously opposed what he described a pa
per dream whenever he has had opportunity
for addressing popular audience; and he has
not shrked the responsibility of challenging Mr..
Brodricks facts and figures, and demonstrating
that only two Of the original promises are likely
10 be fulfilled namely, the reduction Of the VOL
Unteer forces and an enormous increase In ma
tional expenditures. His speech was the most
destructive one Of the debate. since he proved
10y citations from the army HIST and the last off,
cLal return from the War Once that Mr.. Brod-
rick was open TO the charge Of having manipu-
lated figures in presenting his own case; and
twenty Jnionist members followed him into the
lobby paired against the government.
Mr.. Churchiu's debating style has steadily i'm
proved since he entered Parliament. He still
nsps his father Cd before him. and his voice
remains shriI and unpleasantIy nasal; but he
has largely overcome fault in breathing which
used to disturb h-s colleagues in Parliament,
and his auency 10 unchecked by hesitation or re-
construction Of sentences. Youthful audacity is
now tempered with selt-possession and skill In
debate: and there is hne play Of drolIery and
irony which keeps the Commons in good hunor
Mr.. Churchill was merciess in his exposure OF
the hoIlowness and worthlessness Of costly
scheme OF military defence. and he enforced his
argument with sparknng> epigran. boiished
phrase and caustic ridIcale He has been rough
iy described a. the spoiled child OF Unionist poll
tics: and certainly his setf-conadence ts phenom-
email He must be considered. however the
most promising among the new men In Psrlia-
ment. He has his fathers Incompatible gift Of
finding out what people are thinking and saying
In the country: and he speaks With an afr of
authority drawn from public opinion.
One OF the fsxortts reereations 0f the House
OF Commons IL speculation. respecting the men
Of the future II Mr.. BalfouTs health breaks