Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-04-22
BRITAIN MOVRNS
SIR BANN[RMAN
Prime Minister Who Recently
Retired Dead at His London
Residence
WAS LONG IN PUBLIC LIFE
Sir Henry Served in Parliament Almost
Forty Years and Held Many Posts in
the Government service-Friend and
Intimate Of the the King - illness
Forced Retirement April S.

London, April 22-Sir Henry Camp
bell Bannerman, former British pre-
mier, died from heart failure this
morning at his official residence. The
end was peaceful.
The death of Sir Henry after lin
gering illness of more than two months
did not come as a surprise. The pub
lie had been expecting the announce
ment of his end at any hour during
the past fortnight. The ex-premier had
been unconscious most Of the time dur
ing the last two or three days and his
sinking was gradual.
Long in Public Life.
Sir Henry mpbell-Bannerman was
born September. z, 1885, He was the
youngest son of the late Sir James
Campbell, of Stracathro, Forfarshire,
some time lord provost of Glasgow
He assumed the additional name un-
der the will Of his maternal uncle, the
late Henry Bannerman, who be-
QuGdtucu IL ulIlt d ld1 &c SStdSS. LII As"
tended Glasgow university and Trinity
college, Cambridge. In 1860 he mar
ried Charlotte, daughter of Major
General Sir Charles Bruce. She died
n In 1906. From that time Sir Henry's
decline in health may be dated.
For nearly forty years he sat for the
same seat-Stirlingburghs his
record Of office goes back to 1871,
when he was financial secretary to the
war Office, which post he held the sec
ond time from 1880 to 1882. During the
next two years he was secretary to the
admiralty, and in 1884 he succeeded
Sir George Trevelyan as Irish secre-
tary, filing that office ably and un-
obtrusively until the fall of the Glad
stone ministry in 1885, in spite of the
fact that Irishmen described him as
"a Scotch sand bag" In the short gov
ernf,- mt of 1885 he was secretary for
war, md to that was chosen leader to
the liberal opposition in succession of
Sir William Harcourt in February,
1899.
Becomes Premier.
On the resignation of the Balfour
administration in December. 1905, Sir
Henry was summoned by the king
and formed a liberal cabinet, himself
becoming first lord of the treasury and
prime minister. The general election
followed, and Sir Henry entered the
new parliament with the greatest ma
jority ever given a British premier.
From the very beginning of the
present session of parliament, Sir
Henry had been suffering ill-health,
and after the opening day he practi-
cally had not been able to attend the
sessions at all, Chancellor Asquith
acting as premier. On his resignation,
April 5, representatives of all parties
united in paying tribute to his ability
and strong character.
III Since November.
Sir Henry's final Illness dates from
Feb. IL, when he last appeared in the
house of commons and moved the
closure of the Scottish land bills, al
tho he had been ailing since November
last On Nov. IA, after addressing a
political meeting at Bristol, he was
seriously stricken with heart weak
ness, and later influenza was added to
the heart trouble, bringing on his fatal
Illness The ex-premier fully appreci-
ated his condition, and realized that his
recovery was improbable. He offered
to give up office some time before he
formally resigned early this month.
Few invalids have been the object Of
50 much solicitude and attention as
were bestowed upon Sir Henry, there
having been a constant stream of CALL
ers at his residence, including King
Edward, who visited him on two oc-
casions; Queen Alexandra, the dow
ager empress of Russia. the prince
and princess of Wales, and many dip
lomats and men prominent in public
life 1t is known the ex-premier was
opposed to public funeral, and it is
believed he will be buried without os-
tentation beside the body of his wife
ut Meigle, Scotland.