New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-20
LONDON NOTES.
Il Neyo Political SQIop-Lady Henry
Somerset and OppenAeimer System.

night with dinner for over eighty and a recep-
ton Tor over LEO invited guests Lady VIM
uorne is the social leader Of coalition which
promises to supply the country with an alter
native government 10 AIr. Ialfour's ministry Of
mediocrities and head clerks 90 reconcile Jealous
Liberal rivals TO the whig leadership Of the
Duke or Devonshlre. and 10 shelter unfortunate
Free Trade Cnionists crowded out Of the tariff
reform tabernacle. The daughter Of the seventh
Duke Of Marlborough and the wife Of Con-
servative Peer. who is one Of the pillars OF the
Carlton and ST. Stephens clubs. she has sum
. moned to Wimbome House the chief defenders
OF Free Trade in both political parties: end she
has set the ambitious and interchangeable Duchess
. OF Deyonshlre I'm The midst Of them as the ideal
wife Of future Prime Minister. Her sister.
4 Lsdy TweedrnoUth. wife Of one OF the most as
tute and popular whips the Liberal party has
known in recent times. has come from Brook
House 20 assist her 81 her new functions as
peaCemaker and reconciler. and her nephew. Mr.
Winston Churchill. has been master Of cere-
. monies. and even Induced mis- brilliant friend
Lord Hugh Cecil. 20 forget about the donkey
and other little ecclesiastical vasaries and TO
attend the Free Trade reception. The spacious
reception and ban rooms Of Wimborne House
have been filled with many hundreds Of Con-
seIvatves Wings and Liberals. ard the Duke
OF Devonshire has been nominated socially Tor
the succession IN Downing Street and Westmin-
ster whore Mr. Balfour is riding hard and fast
FOR "a fell
A more remarkable political assemblage has
. not been Witnessed in recent times Political
foes Hiet and took wine with one another in a
most amiabie frame Of mind Rivals ~ no have
NOT been speaking terms Tor long period
sat at table together and renewed their inno-
\ ceuCe and youth. Lord Rosebery. who has not
found SIR Henry Campbell Zimmerman q ser
ylcea nle political ally. nor Sir William Harcourt
. congeuial friend. met them at Wimborue
House and possibly received their congratula-
lions upon the effectiveness Of his recent Free
TRADE speeches. The Duke OF Deyonshire, Lord
James Of Hereford and "a few other Liberal
Unionist leaders grasped Nr. John Morley
heartily by The hand as ia the old days before
Mr.. Gladstone raised the Home Rule question
and divided the Liberal party; and Lord Goschen
would have been in the group II he had not been
kept away Icy illness. Sir Michael Hicks Beach
was not present. owing 10 q family bereavement.
but Air RitChie was in close consultation with
Lord T0eedmouth. Lord Darlington. Sir Edward
Grey. Mr. AsqUth Mr.. Haldane. Mr. Herbert
Gladstone and other Liberals There were
twenty OK more Tory Free Traders. whose seats
"a the Commons have been imperillei boy their
devotion 20 their principles; and there were
many Titled and fashionable people following the
hostess ana the Duchess Of Devonshire as the
Among them were Lord Brassey. Lord Lytton.
! Lord Beauchamp. Consuelo Duchess OF Man
chester, the Countess Of Chesterfield, Mrs. Corn
wallis West LADY Helen Vincent. Lady Frances
Balfour. LADY Dickson Poynder. Mr and Mrs.
+ Willie James and many more. The Wimborne
House reception seems destined to be remem-
bered as a political salon where future Prime
Minister received In advance his Cabinet as
sociates, Wing supporters and social patrons.
o. r4t-- h.. f.-r
cety journals is that the assemblage at VIM
borne House indicates a redistribution OF wealth,
! prestige and fashion between the two rival par
1 ties. Since the cleavage on the Liberal side
caused by the Home Rule movement, the wealth
I OF the country and The influence Of the titled
class and smart society have been 20 a large ex-
tent the Tory side. The classes have been
arrayed against the masses. and this lack q
balance in moneyed and social interests has been
detrimental TO the welfare Of the country. This
. is what the moralists saying. and there is
something in their generalization that a restora-
ton Of the balance Of social power will tend to
make the Tories less exclusive and intolerant,
and the Liberals more moderate and conserva-
tive. The Free Traders have history on their
side when they assert that the Liberal party in
! the past has done its best work under Wing
leadership, with the left centre the pivot upon
which reform movements have turred slow
L -
4 restraint and forced TO respect social order.
! They assume. with GOOD reason. that the redis-
4 tribution Of resources will strengthen the in
nuence o. the House Of Lords. which for a long
period has been a Tory stronghold with a beg
carly muster OF Liberal peers; and that the risks
4 OF class feeling win be largely minimized when
/ the power Of wealth and the prestige Of fashion
/ are more equally divided than at present. These
/ considerations do not. however. have much
I weight with progressive Radicals They con-
J sider a Wing as a Tory IN disguise. and are not
1 enthusiastic when the prospects Of a coalition
/ between the Duke Of Devonshre and Lord Rose
berry discussed.
one of the interesting questions connected
with this whig coalition is the fate OF the in
dependeut Tories. who have declined 10 follow
/ Mr. Chamberlain and Mr.. Balfour on the fiscal
/ question The Duke Of Devoushire. II he can
! make stipulations respecting the suspension OF
/ the Home Rule agitation and the acceptance Of
the Education acts, may resume his relations
! with the Liberal party a Free Trade Prime
! Minister. but Il viii be extremely difficult for
! tvpical Tory squire like Sir Michael Hicks-Beach
! or old fashioned Conservatives like Lord George
! Hamilton Lord Balfour OF Burleigh and M
! Richie to masquerade as Liberals. Mir. VIM
ston Churchill may change parties without
qualms % political conscience almost as easily
as Lord Wimborne's son. the Hon. Ivor Guest:
4 rms ord Hurh CeciTs Toryism is too ingrained
% be veneered with Liberalism. Some Of the
brightest men on the Tory benches have been
4 s.roorl- Influenced by Lord Hugh Cecil and Mr..
. Winston Churchill and have formed an indie
= ,e,dent and at times most aUdacioUs group;
but they are likely TO ind themselves ON opposite
sides Of The House when a new Parliament IS
/ eiaofed Those who 60 10 the Liberal side