The Irish standard., 1906-01-13

Dish politics which is a loyal and
trustworthy ally Of the Irish Home
Rulers is now publicly known, and
that element is the labor party of
Great Britain. The following clever
sketch Of the leader Of that element
John Burns, is by 7. P. o'Connor IN
n. A. P.
The appointment Of Jorn Burns to
cabinet office would have excited even
more interest if it had not been known
for some months that he was destined
to that high place. Mr.. John Morley
in a speech some time ago clearly indi-
Gated that this revolution in British
politics was in contemplation. Aor
revolution it is. 1t is true that there
have been labor men before in minis
tries. Mr.. Thomas Burt was once
minister, so was Mr.. Broadhurst; but
.tbev held only subordinate offices.
Mr.. Burns is now in the center OF
the great ruling body of the empire
and this is a tremendous departure
even in our democratic times. There
will not be a member Of any party OF
the House of Commons who will at
tempt to deny that Mr.. Burns has
earned his place. He is a singular
combination of the strenuousness and
the moderation of the practical race
from which he comes. His theories
are advanced, even extreme, but MS
practice is entirely controlled by the
spirit of compromise, Of taking what
you can get, of being satisfied with the
,installment of today.
It is a singular and interesting MIS-
tory that has ended in such high sue
cess. No man in the House has known
more of the darker and more laborious
side Of life.
Once as walked with him through
one Of the streets Of the great London
of which he is so essential a part. we
saw little lad passing, standing be-
hind a high mail cart, "that kind of
lad who is called tiger" and with
curious mixture Of a smile and look
of sadness, John Burns told me that
It was thus he had to begin life. He
was earning his living when 80 out OF
every 100 Of those around him in the
Commons were still in the fashionable
boarding school.
The other day I heard Sir Alfred
Jones, the great shipowner Of Liver
pool, describe what an excellent serv-
ant his company had found Mr.. Burns
when he was employed by them on
some expedition on the West Coast OF
Africa.
1t was probably soon after his re-
turn from these outlandish parts that
John Burns seriously took to politics.
He was drawn to that career irresisti-
bly, by his natural aptitude for it.
There are many politicians in the
House of Commons, but there is not
one Of them more to the manner born
than John Burns. It is his life, his
pleasure, his sole, absorbing thought
This is an enormous advantage, both
to Mr.. Burns and to politics. 1t is toe
much the fashion for men to regard
politics as a pastime, as something
to which they give the dregs of their
lives, and the scraps of their time and
attention. We are cursed in British
politics by the amateur. If we are
lever ruined as nation, it will be by
the fact that the government Of oul
affairs is left in the hands Of amateurt
We had bad specimens of what mere
..amateurism can do in the South Afri-
can war. It is time that we should
prepare ourselves against such mis-
haps in the future
You have only to take walk with
John Burns, especially through Bat
tersea Park, or in any other place thai
is close to his own constituency, tt
understand how politics absorb his be-
-fng. He stops his bicycle to show yo'
something that the County Council