Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-03
PRAISES BANNERMAN
London Correspondent Pays
Tribute to Late Premier.
PARTY MAN AT ALL TIMES
Lord Knollys an Invaluable Aid to
the King.
HIS REMARKABLE MEMORY
vanderbilt's Coach-and-Four Service
to Brighton a Sensation.
American Plays.
PARTY MAN At ALL TIMES
HIS REMARKABLE MEMORY
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

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Special Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON. April %, LOS.
Two honest men have gone recently, for
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman stood as
much for honesty within his party as the
Duke of Devonshire did within the whole
political world. Sir Henry. as distinct
from the duke. was party man above
everything. and, distinct from the
duke. was not above straining point
when it told against his opponents. even
if the facts also somewhat suffered in the
process. But, this apart, the ex-prime
minister's was one of the most Iovable ma
lures possible. and by his death the house
of commons has lost one of its two most
notable figures.
None but a sweet-souled man could
have borne the taunts and insults of those
weary years of opposition after Lord
Roseberry deserted the liberal ship, and
then made so little vengeful use of his
might when the day of power came. Only
once did he make slip, but otherwise his
attitude toward his erstwhile detractors
will be to his everlasting credit. He was
not brilliant, he had many limitations and
somewhat circumScribed intellect, but
he was sincere. he had doggedness. he had
Eeniality, and the three qualities made
an ordinary man a most popular leader in
an extraordinary house of commons.
That Sir Henry Campbell Zimmerman
was falling became evident in the au-
tumn session after the death of his wife.
Formerly he was a hale man in advanced
middle age, certain in motion. alert in
look. Then he appeared an old man. with
shaky hand, bent shoulders, uncertain
step and listless look. His partner had
been invalid fop yof Sb ia
was his mainstay and his encourag ement
his sole incentive to ambition. With her
went his vitality, leaving him a prey to
the disease that had been logging his
physique.
The future historian Of the British con-
stitution will in all probability date the
rise of a new line of prime ministers from
the premiership of Sir Henry Campbell
Bannerman. He made the first real break
in the long tradition which identified the
Office of prime minister with what have
hitherto been called. in a very distinctive
sense. the governing classes. The old
unvarying rule was that the first minister
OF the crown must be an aristOcrat, or at
least thoroughly representative Of the
territorial aristocracy. In some degree,
no doubt. Peel and Gladstone were depar-
lures from this tradition; but though both
came of middle-class stock their whole
nurture and training made them members
of the aristocratic caste.
OF Another Race.
&C. B." was of another race. He went,
Of course. to the university: he was rich
and q landowner. But neither by birth
nor by temperament was he an aristocrat.
The wealth of his family came from
Glasgow warehouse, with which he him
self, in early manhood, had a direct per-
sonal connection. He belonged, there
fore. to the commercial class, not to the
governing class, and for this reason he
understood the democracy better than any
of his predecessors. To the last he re-
manned a radical. and history will say OF
him that he was the first genuinely demo-
cratic prime minister of England. =
I think the secret of his success lay in
the fact that Sir Henry possessed quail
ties that were more valuable in the man
agement of human affairs than either
genius or great ability. The house of
commons demands from its leader that
he should. above all. understand the art
of governing men: that he should under
stand the relations of the house of com
mons to the outside world. Now. Sir
Henry. while maintaining an answering
loyalty to principle. possessed in SUI
preme degree this knowledge. He was
man of the world in the best sense of the
word, who understood both the strength
and the weakness of human nature-a
man who was able to surround his acts
with a certain atmosphere of gracious
ness.
1t IS commonly SAID tndt the success
which crowned his career was simply the
triumph Of character and consistency
This is true. but it is not by any means
the whole truth. No one would deny that
honesty and grit rather than intellectual
eminence carried him to the goal, ana
every one is prepared to admit that the
British people are ready to give full con,
fdence to a statesman whose virtues ana
habit of mind 1t can appreciate without
effort. while cherishing profound dis
trust Of imaginative vision or metaphysi-
cal subtlety &c. BIS" endowments. how
ever. were not restricted to his gifts OF
SIMPLICITY sincerity. kindness and humor.
He had political principles to which he
was unwaveringly faithful; he had sure
eye in weighing a fellow-politician. and an
almost infallible sense of the movement OF
popular opinion and feeling.
These were the qualities that came to be
the making of him as liberal lead-r. He
was often deplorably unlucky In opposi-
ton He habitually said the wrong thing.
When he had to make a set speech he
fumbled helplessly with his manuscript.
Mr.. Balfour found it hard to be respect
full: the young tories were openly and tr-
repressibly contemptuous They could
not bring themselves to believe that this
poor old dodderer would ever command
the suffrage of the country When vic
tory came to him. however. they realized
their mistake, and they admitted it hand
somely by their altered attitude toward
him as leader Of the house. But it was
not his opponents who had changed; the
possession Of power made new man of
Campbell Bannerman. The parliament OF
1905 was his house, and in it he welded
q personal ascendency which has had no
parallel in our time.
Faculty for Reading People.
His capacity for estimating individuals
was supplemented by a rare faculty Of un-
Outstanding and sympathizing with the
various sections Of the British democracy.
There was nothing surprising in his pop
ularity with the rank and file of the min
isterial majority. for it represented his
own class. and was mostly of his political
color. But what other liberal prime min
lister could have held together in apparent
harmony the vast heterogeneous host
which owed him allegiance or professed
a qualified adhesion to his standard? I'm
der his beneficent sway the once acute
differences between imperialiSt and little
Englander tended to disappear. He held
the Irish in the hollow of his hand, and
was never required to explain why they
could not hope for home rule from him.
self and his colleagues. The labor men
though led by an implacable chief. loved
him. and almost persuaded themselves
that they worshiped in his tabernacle
He could not. perhaps. have achieved 50
much IL he had not OOSSeSSed a Qatura