Arizona republican., 1903-08-26
PHOENIX, ARIZONA, AUG. 26, 1sO
The rlarquis of Salisbury.

Robert Cecil, Marquis of Salisbury, will not live in history as one of Eng land S greatest men. Indeed, he is al ready overshadowed by some of his contemporaries. He will be remembered chiefly because fer fifteen years he Nas practically the official head of the British empire. The next generation. probably, will find itself impressed not at all by his career, although there will be distinct recollection of Glad stone, Disraeli, John Bright, and even Chamberlain. And yet, substantially arbitrary power in the matter of Eng lands foreign relations was wielded h:T Lord Salisbury for a period SC long as, to mark his career as unique. And in the official life of his country he had taken part from the early days of Vic toria's reign. It happened that his death occurred on the very fiftieth an niversary of his first appearance as member of parliament.
 Although unquestionably a man of great talents-the Cecil blood in his veins being quite masterful as at any time in the three hundred years in which that house has been prominent factor in Englard's affairs-Lord Sails bury owed to luck some of the reasons for his leadership. Having a turn for politics. the immense wealth and pres tige of the marquisate of Salisbury feii to him through the unexpected death of an elder brother just at the proper time to give him prominence. both as q tory and as a member of the govern ment. Moreover, leadership in the tory party was-and still is-easily achieved when sought by wealth and a great name It has been the misfortune of the tories in England to find a dis couraging preponderance of brains in the liberal party. When. therefore. lord possesses not only a title which is looked upon with awe by his coun- trymen, but in addition thereto has the astonishing gift of intellect. he has only to manifest an inclination fo,' politics to be loaded with official hon CTS. When the cratic and brilliant
  been in d bad way for a leader had mo- the Marquis of Salisbury been at hand to take the reins of power.
 Most lucky Of all, however, was Sails bury in finding the political situation usually fashioned to his own wishes by the opposition. The great liberal party was dashed on the rocks by Glad stones determination to give home rule to Ireland. The Irish question gave the tories an issue which they found ali the advantage in appealing to that conservative spirit which dominates the average Englishman. Salisbury merely had to say No" to Gladstones pro- posals and the fortune Of the tories was made. The secession of Chamberlain and d large section of the liberal party enabled the conservatives to form coalition government and defy the op- position year after year. until it ap- peared that the party which Bright and Gladstone had made all powerful was actually to disappear from politics. for the Beer war fortuitously occurred in time to break again the opposition into impotent fra gments. Thus, through out the period in which he was Eng lands premier, Salisbury found the reins of government laid in his hands without an effort of his own.
 The mistakes in his foreign policy would have driven less worshipful following to desertion. Americans are most familiar with his errors of judg ment in dealing with the United States. It was his habit to declare brusquely that he would not consent to what America asked, and-then consent. The Alaskan seal question and the Venezuelan boundary question will be readily recalled as cases in point. In the Venezuelan matter he met Presi- dent Cleveland's demand for arbitra- ton with such curt refusal that war between Great Britain and the United States would have been regarded as inevita ble had the impression not pre- vailed on both sides of the water that in the end the British government would back down and agree to the American demands. It has been GUS tomary with Englishmen for genera tion to point to the Marquis of Sails bury as the embodiment of wisdom and firmress in foreign affairs-in their eyes all of his shortcomings as a do- mestic statesman were balanced by his genius for dealing with other nations but there was an uncomfortable lot oe truth in Bi5marcks assertion that Salisbury is a lath painted to look like iron
 Carnegie in New Role.