New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-23


oeliverance from fatterers among his friends.
He is. perhaps the most brilliant "youngster"
In the Commons and has forced himself by au-
dacity and talents into position of real If
UNOFFICIAL and unrecognized leadership the
Opposition side; but he ought to be his
guard against the vagaries Of partisans who
are constantly heralding him a man Of un-
precedented genius for politics-'inevitably
Prime Minister OF the future" His fatterers
make him object Of ridicule, whereas his
enemies help to advertise his growing power and
influence and his most useful allies. Mr..
Wanklyn. who takes the byplay OF politics
gravely and without the saving grace OF hurnor,
has been portraying Mr.. Churchill an arch
conspirator, intriguing against two Ministries
the Unionist government in power and the
Radical government destined to succeed it-and
soliciting support for an organized movement
for turning out all the old men and putting
promising young men in their places Not only
did Mr.. Wanklyn decline to condone mon
strous a political felony, but he also engaged,
according to his own account, in a prolonged
struggle with Mr.. Churchill for the dehverance
Of Lord Hugh Cecil. astute leader OF a group
of independent Free Traders. from nefarious
plot against the peace of both parties. If Mr..
Wanklyn had only stopped to reflect on the ten
denotes of human nature he might have con-
WINGED himself that young men are always in
hot haste to get rid of the Recommendations in
politics. art, science. literature or business In
English public life there have been in the course
Of a century only two old men in a hurry-AAr
Gladstone and Mr.. Chamberiain-end their I'M
patience has been due to intense interest in the
policies advocated by them and TO their con-
lest the sands should run out Of the glass
before they could finish their work Yet decade
after decade, now and always the youngsters"
how olI1 tl,air varH or
striving to thrust aside the rusty veterans, who
have been prominent too long and need to be
reminded that the art Of growing old gracefully
lies in stepping down and out when there are
better men behind them. Mr.. Churchill, having
a good deal OF human nature in him as well as
being Lord Randolph ChurchiIs son, has not
lacked this spirit of Impotence. He has been,
indeed, in hot haste to get ahead over the bodies
of leaders and hacks In both parties; but there is
nothing surprising IN his ambition and ZEAL
and certainly nothing IN these platform dis
closures will injure him. Mr.. Churchill treats
the charges with good natured contempt and
thereby shows proper appreciation of the uses
OF political defamation by an indiscreet enemy.
What he needs to do Is to be equally sasacious
in suppressing the outbreaks Of some of his
foolish friends.
Mr.. BaIfour has taken the trouble to go to
Cambridge to vote against compulsory Greek,
and he has found himself in the minority OF
two-ffths that controversial question, with
the clergy and conservative Of letters IN the
majority Of three-hfths. He was Influenced IN
casting his vote by his experience as g. member
OF government which has been striving to re-
organize the secondary schools under the Edu-
cation act and to bring them into line with the
two great universities. While Latin has been
retained in the majority of the secondary
baS fal in O
and would not be retained if there were not
requirement that candidates for degrees at Ok
ford and Cambridge must have at least the
minimum Of it-what be cralnned in the
course of six months study for the little 60
examination. The Greeks. however, have again
won the battle at Cambridge, as they have re-
Gently done at Oxford, and dectsively that
The matter is not likely 10 be revived for another
decade. Greek will be retained in the regula-
tons for pass examinations at both universities
until there is something like cooperation be-
tween the two centres Of learning in sys-
tematic effort to adapt entrance examinations to
specific courses of study and degrees. The Ger
man and American universities already do this
and in the course of time Oxford and Cambridge
will Join hands unless all signs fail. in establish
ing in science and other branches Of learning
and professional labor degrees which Will be
equal in dignity to those in arts. When this Is
done examinations will naturally be adjusted to
the degrees, and compulsory Greek viii be
dropped without any fears on the part Of coun-
try parsons that the bottom has fallen out Of
literary and humanistic studies. A reorganiza-
ton OF the faculties at the universities so that
there may be more fexibility in the courses for
degrees is more important than the regulation or
pass examinations and the conversion OF Greek
into any optional preparatory study. This must
be the ultimate result when the modern spirit
renuires specialization of studies before uni
yersities are entered, and when the world moves
even at oxford and Cambridge. 1. n. +.
OBITUARY.