New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-14

the pay which they drew from the Nationalist
treasury This has caused their patriotism to be
regarded with misgivngs and with the distrust
which man with great interests at stake will
invariably entertain for the man who has none
ana have often heard it remarked that if the
nationalist party in Parliament had been COM
posed exclusively Of landed proprietors, such as
Charles Stewart Parnell and Sir Thomas Is,
mond; Of successful authors. such as Justin Nc
Carthy; prosperous newspaper owners. such as
the late Mr.. Grey, and even of well to do pie,
merchants. as the late lamented Biggar, there
would have been much less Dissemination on the
part Of Parliament to grant autonomy to Ire
land
If l mention England first It is because her
parliamentary institutions are the Oldest in ,ae
world and have served in n measure as 4 model
for thcre Of other countries. Alone Of all the
other nations possessed Of parliamentary forms
or government she refrains from paying any
stipend to her legislators, and although several
attempts have been made to devise some means
for their remuneration 10y the State yet the pro
poSal has never found favor either with ParIa-
uent itself with the people, who are of the
opinion that by giving no salary to members
Of Parliament, one is able to restrict the
latter largely to who have some in
dependent means OF livelihood. and who are
influence Of corruption and to the temptl-
tons OF office than those who are entirely de-
pendent upon politics, not merely for fortune.
but even for their daily bread. The result IS
that whereas in many other foreign counties
the great merchant. the leading manufacture
the mine owner and the railroad and other cor
porations employ men who are professional
politicians to represent their different inter,-.s
in the legislature. finding difficulty in Oh
tanning the person whom they require for tho
purpose, in England the merchant the manu-
facturcr. the mine owner or the railroad d.rr,-
tor finds it best to enter Parliament himself n
order 20 look after his interests
In France the professional politician is -
regarded with any more respect than In Eng
land. and one OF the sources of the immense in
nucHce which NJ. Waldeck-Rousseau has Weld
ed both in and out OF Office has been the kuDol-
edge that he IS q rich man, aside from the Iar-s
income which he derives as the recognized leader
Of the French bar. lie WAS compelled 10 saCri-
fee the greater portion OF the latter during ~
premiership. Indeed II IS estimated that eae.
year that he Prime Minister cost him in
the neigbborhoOd Of 500 600 WaIdeck-E uuJ-
seau is a cold. unimpassioned sort OF man. pos
sessed OF the very antithesis OF what We are ac-
customed TO look upon French temporal
ment. and with none OF that personal ma gnetlsm
or fascinating elOquenCe OF his former chief.
Gambetta Yet It Is doubtful whether there 10
any statesman in France more trusted by tho
vast mass OF the people than this man. whose
fortune. they know. places him above all con-
siderations or gain. and to whom Cabinet office.
they are aware, entails heavy pecuniary saS-
rldce The great landowner. the mAnufatN-
and merchant the small shOpkeepcr. the farmer.
even the mechanic and the artisan who have
money put away in the savings banks. all favor
u statesman such this. who Is Indifferent in
politics to questions Of personal gain, and
only By what he believes to bs
thu best interests OF the commonwealth to
which they belong. 1t IS unfortunate that thers
are not many more statesmen OF the class Of NJ
yValdeck- Rousseau in the political life OF France
Were Il otherwise, her parliamentary institU-
tons would inspire more confidence abroad and
more respect at home than they do to-day. IN
TACT II Is NJ Waldeck-ROusseau and small
group of men OF the came character who con-
,titu;e the principal safeguard of the present