The sun., 1907-11-20

Of his party In the House OF Commons.
In the latter capacity Sir HENRY CAMP
BELL,-BANSNERAIAN has had for his prin-
cipal cOadjutOrs Mr.. H. H. AsQUITH,
Chancellor Of the Exchequer; Sir EDWARD
GREY, Secretary for Foreign Affairs;
Mr.. R. H. HALDANE, Secretary for War;
Mr.. JOHN MORLEY, Secretary for India;
Mr.. AUGUSTINE BIRRELI., now Secretary
for Ireland; Mr.. LLOYD GEORGE, President
OF the Board Of Trade. and Mr.. WINSTON
CHURCHILL, Parliamentary Secretary for
the Colonial Office. Ofthese Mr.. ASoUTTH
as a devoted friend Of Lord ROsEBERY
would exasperate the Irish NatiOnalists.
Mr.. HALDANE is a great metaphysician,
but in the discussion OF general topics he
has not the gift of striking a popular
chord, and his plan Of military reform,
while meeting with approval in some
quarters, has provoked vehement criti-
cism In others. Mr.. MORLEY is too deeply
committed to Home Rule to please large
fraction Of his party. Mr.. BIRREI.L n
an epigrammatist, but scarcely reCog-
nized as Of the calibre whereof Prime
Ministers are made. Mr.. LLOYD GEORGE
is one Of the ablest members Of the Cabi-
net, and il the LabOrites should treble
their strength in the next Parliament
he might be accepted as the chief Of a
Liberal-LabOrite coalition, but his hour
has not yet arrived. As for Mr.. CHURCH
ILL, he has advanced rapidly in public
esteem, but his independent spirit has
given his colleagues some uneasiness.
and in these days he would be regarded
as too young, although some nine years
older than was the younger PITT when
he was first made Premier. Besides, we
cannot recall one precedent for the abrupt
elevation of an Assistant Secretary Of
State to the headship of a Ministry.
By q process. then, Of elimination, We
reach the conclusion that Sir EDWARD
GREY is most likely to become Premier
and leader Of the Liberals in the House
of Commons should Sir HENRY CAMP
BELL-BANNERMAN resign. Whether he
would also retain his present Office Of
Foreign Secretary is uncertain, for there
must be limit to his capacity for work.
Americans would have reason TO be
pleased at his appointment. for by con-
Cluding an agreement with Russia nc
has done his best to render superfluous
the AnRlo-Japanese treaty, which ne
would doubtless allow to lapse in August,
1915.
II has been suggested that the present
Premier, even should he feel incapaci-
tated to go on performing the dual func-
tiOn which he has hitherto discharged,
might relieve his followers from the
unwelCome necessity of choosing a sue
Cessor by taking a seat in the House Of
Lords, where, emancipated from the toll
Of leading the Liberals in the House Of
Commons, he could still retain the direc-
tion OF the Government. That was the
course which Lord BEACONsFIELD pur-
sued under somewhat similar Circum-
stances, but the precedent is not happy
one, for the so-called Fourth Party or
ganized an insurrection against Sir STAT
FORD NoRTHCOTE, his lieutenant in the
Commons. Sir STAFFORD. however. was
an easygoing man, handicapped by the
suspicion Of feeling too much Difference
for Mr.. GLADSTONE, to whom he had
once occupied the position Of private
secretary. No such objection could be
made to Mr.. AsoUITH, who il a man of
sturdy fibre. and doubtless the Home
Rule Liberals would tolerate him so long
as he should not be invested with the
authority of a Premier. Whether with
any show Of consistency Sir HENRY
CAMPBELL -BANNERMAN can accept a
seat in the House of Lords after pro-
claiming a campaign against that body
is a question open to dispute. In some
quarters such a step on his pert might
expose him to the charge Of insincerity,
but il may be said. on the other hand,
that he could render his party and the
British nation great service in the upper
house by setting forth there the argyll
ments for limitation of its authority He
has never advocated the abolition of
that chamber, but has demanded such an
emendation Of it as would make it duly
subordinate to the definitely pronounced
will of the electorate.