New-York tribune., 1905-08-25
FATHER OF THE HOUSE"
Cir Michael Hicks-Beach, Senior
fo,nIer of Commons, Due To-day.

-. ns,,hsel Eicks- Beach. who is due here I'm New
-, th,s evening tomorrow from England, is
= retbe- of the House OF Commons and one OF
- e,.s, srs-vvals Of the English statesman OF the
s .,nooi lie entered Parliament considerably
.. forty years ago. when most OF the members
=, ava presert administration were stin boys at
Ao.l end some Of them indeed. like the present
~..,osllo- of the Exchequer, still in frocks
= ,t,afores In the nursery, ard is popularly IN
s.-.tood TO have been indebted for his early ap-
-,,,xnent TO Once TO the fact that his extraord-
- reticenoe and cold reserved and aloof manner
-+raoted the attention OF Lord Beaconsheld at n
r,-,.- ana created an impression upon the famous
so-v leader. Very tall and spare. Sir Michael
-.r,s.ns in spite OF his eeht-and-si years. as
,-sieht SIS a poplar. He has thin. refined face.
,s,h high. delicate forehead. which the hair
Us slightly. The nose IS straight and the mouth
-o.bs- hard. with the expression OF man accus-
,oned 10 bitter thoughts. His once dark beard has
,,w turned very gray, and in Parliament he will
"A nv the hour stroling his beard or peeling at 1t
.1,b his long nervous fingers. without exchanging
VOID with his colleagues or neighbors.
s,r Michael has had two devoted friends in the
cause one OF them the late Sir William Vernon
Esrcourt . political adversary. while the other.
,bs late Lord Randolph Churchill, although occupy
,ns seat on the same side OF the House, often
made him the object OF vigorous political attacks.
Yet Sir NichaeIs intimacy with them never Wa
,e-ed and Il was this account that he chosen
few
Lord Ran6oph's memory. The particular object Of
s,- Michaers detestation IN Parliament IS Joseph
chamberlain, and indeed II was on account Of his
inability 20 get acng with the ex-Colonal Secretary
that he resigned his seat in the Unionist Cabinet.
Sir Nichaels association with the late Lord Sails
hr-,- wss very natural one. for three hundred
wears ago or more his ancestor Sir Michael Hicks.
son Of q good Gloucestershre family. was the Sec
-.tsrv Of that niustrious Cecil who was Secretary
NJ state end Prime Minister 10 Queen Edizabeth
sn6 nom whom, indeed. both the late Marquis and
,ba rresent Lord Salisbury are descended in a
direct line Il is on record that this Elzabethan
Sir Michael Hicks was a very rich and generous
man and that he not only lent Sir Francis Bacon
-,onev hut likewise showed himself 20 be a very
friendly and indulgent creditor.
The present Sir Michael. who came by the ad-
sitionsl name Of Beach through a maternal grand
,stber who had Sydney Smith for his tutor. IS. in
srite Of his reticence ar times. intensely hot
tempered man. and in his encounters with Joseph
Chamberlain gave vent thereto in the form OF mos
corterptuous and soornful sarcasms. But II II
only in society and in Parliament that he is thus
unfriendly reserved and aloof. With the tenants
e,d farmers Of the district in which his ancestra
home is situated he IS geniality itself the type
the old fashioned country squire. straight TIDE
% hounds q splendid shot and kindly landlord
Ee IS IN every sense OF the word a Tory OF the oil
school an ra-conservative in his notions. Thu
ne has no use for the women's emancipation move
men, and insists that the best work OF woman
ufe IS 10 help a worthy husband and 10 be tn
mistress Of a happy home. adding that cooking an
needlework must not be omitted and declaring Wit
a touch OF pride that his wife, Lady Lucy, daugh
ter Of Earl Fortescue. could Go anything with IN
needle. and that his daughters were accomplishe
cooks Sir Michael is on his way 10 Singapore {
act as arbitrator in a dispute which has broke
ont