New-York tribune., 1906-07-23
POLITICS AS A Scion
Mr.. Chamber!ain's Tribute 70
Patriotism.
Tnrann

called with hippant humor. had recou. M
periai missioner In his -sege~ty-Ars,
oldtine quips recurred % him vvaa, - al
eeiving a non-paFtisan welcome az B,--u.-
and he answered them SERIOUSLY d, .s
tribute Of hearty appreciation ana .s"s
20 the despised local politicians w,o 21s
ing unstinted. unselfsh service IA y.,-s- 81
moral obligations to their town. ana - '--'
ing TO leave the world little better fsa, ''''
found IL. There are times" said M 80
lain. when people are inclined 70 r,u,a-s-
the dignity and Importance OF loear -
there Is no work 20 which men Of esuea.,,
ability can devote themselves with gr-,..- :
faction to themselves or with greater aa~ao.'
20 others" Thirty years ago he was es.T.
OF the municipal movement IN England. a,s
conspicuous was his power as an orzs~1,s.
he was laughed az as a prophet og Bu,,o,.s.
when he entered Parliament az an aa~,.-
Radical committed to progressive r1sas,,-s.
local reform. Yet as he looked back On IA.
entieth birthday he was proud of TIE aIr..
tiOn which he had once won as tha r5cz-
getic and farslghted Mayor IN the pro7-,~
and he was also conscious Of the asrsoc.
the art OF local government since those p,or..
ing days OF municipal reform When he t.os,.
OF the constant and successful struzzIa -
disease and the provision made for ru6lc -
cation. recreation and for everything tha.
helped 70 raise the standard Of life ard "a
crease the happiness Of the masses he vas.
most inclined 70 doubt whether this sIIsrs.
unhonOred display OF local patriotism haa !,
done more for the country than the Iaso-,
the House OF Commons There could hs,a,
have been a more generous tribute % local
ticlans in charge OF municipal adrnlnls:-ss-
than Mr. Chamberlain's impressive words I,
the birmingham luncheon. when he zas !,
pected 70 plead elOquently for imperia. seass-.
tion as the greatest and most necessary ~.
for British statesmanshiD-
NIr. Chamberlain's own work as a ruuzse.
administrator had been strenuous and t-'1.,
at a time when there was little public sp!-.
local affairs He had gone TO Birminghzn :,
London before the COS and joined his crz
Mr Joseph Nettlefold, IN the developusr.
patents for making pointed screws. Hs es..s
Iished large business. which required ar 4, |
time and energy. and consequently Il was
personal sacrifice when he consented IN lSS
become alderman for his ward. He took hsz-
Interest at once In three schemes. for the i-gr,-
ment OF the water supply. the munici1all,as
in the heart OF the town The members q Il
Council frankly acknowledged his Leadership q
Insisted upon electing him Mayor for three s..
cesstve terms In order that these policies nj.
be carried into successful operation Rrs.isa r
inequalities have been borrowing money o- i
large scale for similar undertakings and n e.
gument Is now required for 1ustifyins actin
colIectivist lines; but Mr. Chamberlans WORK "a
done when there were few precedents for q
tivities OF this sort. Birmingham led the wa
municipal ownership Of gas and water. and
Improvement schemes involving large izEsss
ments Of public money; and Glasgow. Malc-s
ter. Liverpool. Leeds and other cities a11gs
the new policies. Corporation street ous-.
have been named Chamberlain street n raD:
milton OF his services In planning and ea--yi-
out a public work Of Immense diffcul.y &
high cost: and so sound were the princiF.zs
which lt was financed that Il viii ulti~a.s
become a most remunerative undertaking q
the relief OF taxpayers. 0Ir Chambsraln =
signed the Office OF Mayor in order to s,az1 q
Parliament, but he continued 70 take ar se.~
share in the local administration until 1s>l WI
he ceased 20 represent his ward IN the Co-2s
Subsequently ne brought about the estz5-sa
nent Of the University Of Birmingham ara z
freedom Of the city was conferred upon e.-
recognition OF his services
1t must be added that while Mr.. Cha-sss
lain was a pioneer in the municipal moTs-s-
which has multiplied the activities and respc
sibilities OF the councils he has not ksg. ah--az
with IL during recent years. On several oc-s
sions he has expressed serious missiyilss :
specting the miscaIcUIatiOns and excessive ze
49, Fc.E
lis too big and unmanageable TO be governed
a single council He has not been precise II
calculations. but he has expressed more =
once the opinion that there are natural ilrl!;s
tions 70 the functions OF local adHinis--a;'
and that. while municipal council may s-7s'
wise successfully the local affairs Of q corlr--'
less than 100000 in population, Is e.scs'7
Will be exhausted when there are 6oo'e"
100000. as there are IN London. MI caa-'
berlain won his spurs as municipal res'F1s
In the 7Os. but he has not continued 70 =
them IN mounting hobbies as a faddisr- o-s-s
recent years he has not been IN the sac1-e' =
has been trudgins along on foot. snaaHs :
head ominously as he has watched the oo-1 :
frequently reckless passage OF municipal -
ticians whose pace was too fast Tor n'' :
whose style Of riding he disliked.
Mr.. Chamberlain entered public NE taro.5-
the municipal council chamber. and ~
wide as his. reputation has become as tae =.
siOner OF empire and the opponent OF Co0's''- =
he is not ashamed Of his early schooling - p
tics. It was in local administration thar - -
displayed energy and enthusiasm IN adsoea.-s a.-'
and carrying out large policies. It was as 49, -
man and Mayor that he learned the resources : j,
organization and tact IN the manHser'e1.
public interests and the leadership OF Ien- >. :,
viewing seventy years Of strenuous serslcS :
regards with peculiar satisfaction MS =
as municipal refOrnsr. NA''s
was good preparatory school for his ca1fse'
a national legislator and a minister o. ths C'',.
local administration was OF itself unseliisH w.
undertaken by him from high motives ana =.
formed az personal sacrifice. because ~
swayed by a sense OF moral responsibility % I, :,