Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-09-09

Sir Wilfred Laurier.
The earl, VINO succeeded his uncle in
the title, is grandson to the famous
Wing premier who induced King Will
liam to consent that the House of Lords
should be swamped by an extensive
creation of new peers in case the then
existing body should persist in onnosi-
ton to the reform bill of 1912. That
was in Grey's old age. What he was
in his youth may be best understood
by the famous passage in Macaulay's
Warren Hastings descriptive of tho
accusers. After naming Fox, Burke.
Sheridan and Windham the ESSAY nro-
ceeds: Nor, though surrounded by
such men, dld the youngest manager
pass unnotlced. AT an age when most
of those who distinguish themselves in
life are still cOntending for prizes and
fellowships at college, he had won for
himself a conspicuous place in Parlia-
ment No advantage of fortune or con-
nection was wanting that could set off
to the height his splendid talents and
his unhlemished honor At twenty
three he had been thought worthy to be
ranked with the veteran statesmen who
appeared as the delegates of the British
Commons at the bar of the British
nobility. All who stood at that bar,
save himself alone, are gone culprit,
advocates, accuSerS. To the generation
which is now in the vigor of life he is
the sole representative Of a great age
which mas passed away. But those
who, within the last ten years, have
listened with delight, till the morning
sun shone on the tapestries of the
House of Lords, to the lofty and
animated eluquence of Charles Earl
Grey. are able to form some estimate
of the powers Of Il race of men among
whom he was not the foremost" He
WAS then, however, an ariStocrat of
aristocrats, and once declared that he
would stand by his order were it really
attacked. Analogously. the new COVER
nor general will doubtless stand by the
empire. He is hailed as an out-and-out
imperialist by the jingoes here, but his
descent and training forbid the opinion
that he will prove to be anything but
sane one of Sir Wilfrid Laurier's
kidney.
Lord Mimic, with all his fine personal
qualities, is essentially a Tory. He
naturally suspects Liberals. The Tory
mind tends to favor Capitalization of
authority, the liberal mind to repose in
the people of every district all the
power and freedom they can be induced
to assume. Though appointed by a
Tory Government, praised as an I'm
perialist even by the London Times.
and absurdly credited by the English
press in general with receiving an Of
flee that will enable him to direct
Canadian affairs, it is cheerfully as
sumed by all Canadian Liberals. in
Guiding the French. that the earl's
regime will De marked by more than
the recent degree of harmony with
responsible advisers.
1t appears that Lord Grey did not
wish to take the place. which involves
a sort Of Punishment that cannot he
wholly agreeable to great noble, of
large estates. ample revenues. and not
able cultivation. Frequently the
governor has been a poor man. to whom
Rideau Hall was as good as or better
than his custom-State, and who saved
money from his salary. 1t amounts to
s4S. 666 66 of 10000 per year. and the
public maintenance of Rideau Hall, his
official home This has cost Canada
SOI!le HlOSpy eApolueu Ill
alterations and annual repairs of the
ramshackle. comfortable old place. 1t
is situated near the south bank Of the
Ottawa River. a couple of miles from
the Parliament buildings. Repairs cost
usually about $4,000 year. The COVER
nor is allowed a secretary at $1,000, two
aides at $4,000 for both. The secretary's
Office has four clerks and an orderly,
whose joint pay is about $1,000 year.
Because of his opposition 10 trusts Earl
Grey is not unlikely to have the expert
ence. rare for a governor. of being pccu-
liarly acceptable to the mechanic labor
ing and smal-trading masses. As one
who has striven to lessen intoXication in
England he is approved by the temperance
people. who are almost as strong in
Canada as those who admire him on the
ground that his peculiar promotion of
puhlic-houses tends to moderate drinking.
Altogether. the promise that he will be
very popular governor is lair. 1t Is sure
to be made good if he confines himself to
his proper function of registering the de-
crecS OF his Commons and his ministry, |
opening hospitals and fairs impressively. |
making the usual tours with cheerful
homie and ssauaosy at
from trying to NEEDLE with adrninistra |
ton.
Of course much depends on the count |
css. The governors wife has no sort of
official rank or title, as is apparently COM |
monly assumed by American Journalists.
She is not "vicereine,. she is her ex-
cellency by courtesy only. But, like the
usual clergyman's wife. she has much on
her shoulders the credit and popularity Of |
smiler at receptions. she the patron and |
often the fri ors g ,ndss of enar ties
dena rtment Lady Aberdeen. who preceded |
the Countess Mimic. was more Ia active i've han
of the gaiety of nations 1t is rather |
pity that the Duchess OF Mariboroush did
not get a chance to try her hand at it. |
How Instructive it would ,, have e. i ,een to
witness the naughty Canadian LADIES dis
criminate between the warmth due to her |
grace as duchess and the GOODNESS due to
her as that American woman But
even a proud nation of six millions
must try to be content with the passing |
show. ard certainly 1t can never be truly !
did that there is nothing funny in the |
min mimic court Of Ottawa.-Boston Tran
script.