Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-08-25
Lord Salisbury.

England has lost one of its masterful
men in the death of Lord Salisbury. He
! was by inclination and temperament
student rather than statesman, ana
he lacked the ability to win the per-
sonal affection of the masses. But for
years, he served the Empire as prime
minister, and his name is closely as
sociated with most of the great things
England has done in the past genera
ton.
He was a Conservative of Con-
servatiyes who exemplified the traits
of the old-fashioned Tory, and was al
ways consistent in his party relations
The doctrines to which he steadfastly
held he inherited from long line OF
noble ancestors, from the time OF queen
Elizabeth prominent in the affairs of
church and state. Being the younger
son. he felt that he had to carve his
own way, and embarked early on
career of politics; and, as long ago as
1s53 when only "a years of age, he took
q seat in the House of Commons, and
until he resigned the premiership on
July 10, 1902, almost full half century,
his life was given TO the public service.
In later years, the extraordinary labors
which he performed, and the extra
ordinary responsibilities which he bore,
made him rank as one of the statesmen
of the Victorian era whose fame is Sc
cure.
He was man of great breadth and
attachments, and his political activities
did not prevent him from being
scholar with scientific and literary
avocations to the end. During his four
terms as premier, and when in the dis
charge of foreign affairs, he was emf
nently successful in an administrative
sense, however opinions may have diff
fered as to his policies. He was never
q spectacular statesman, and IN
diplomacy was secrecy itself. He
seemed to have little regard for popular
appreciation, and, if reports can be
trusted, he hardly bothered to be
agreeable to his official associates.
The attractive side of his life appears
in his devotion to his wife whom he
married in defiance to the wishes of his
family. and at the expense of being cut
off from a fortune. Since her death
few years ago, ne has been a broken
man, only waiting for the end.
In all his political life he was a per-
sistent opponent of Gladstone in all his
great measures, and succeeded him to
| the premiership after each of Glad
stones defeats. In his scholarly lr:-
clinations, and in his home life he was
not unlike Gladstone; but in public life,
| two men could not we'll be more diff
| ferent He was not so great states
| man as Gladstone nor so great as Bea-
consfield, whom he succeeded as the
| Conservative leader, but they passed
on before him and left him the greatest
| IInglishman of his time. mis- country
has no reason to think of Lord Sails
bury otherwise than kindly, as in his
dealings with the United States he was
disposed to be conciliatory and to
avoid complications. Thus in the
Cleveland administration he yielded to
the demand for the submission of the
dispute with Venezuela to arbitration.
and in a public speech he practically
admitted that he regretted the position
he ,had taken in that matter and said
that England never meant to attack
the Monroe doctrine, which he accept
ed as q matter of policy.