Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1908-06-09
hC-B" AS A LEADER,
Personal Notes Of CampbeIl-Ban-
herman, 7Ex-Premier.
sLAND IN MANNER, BUT FIRM


tured Men Who Ever Served Their
Country In High Places.
BY HENRY W. LUCY (ToBY NJ. P).
1t is a slight incident, attesting the
personal popularity of Sir Henry
Campbell -Bannerman, the British ex-
nrime minister. who died recently in
Yondon that he was familiarly known
nv n diminutive name. To friends and
foes alike he was ever "C-B." Famil-
farity in the designation of public men
d not so common in England as it is
ID a country where the speaker of the
house of representatives is commonly
known as Uncle joe"
Since Palmerstons time there has
been no prime minister personally so
6opular as "C-B" came to be in the
hrief course of his incumbency Of the
ONCE. The condition of things was the
more strongly marked by comparison
with earlier stages. 1t would be i'm
possible to exaggerate the difference
Between his position In the house of
commons while he sat on the left
hand of the speaker and that almost
Immediately conceded to him when he
crossed over to the treasury bench. To
those who knew him from early years
and had enjoyed full opportunity of
estimating his sterling worth there
was something painful in the treat
rnent he received while leader of the
opposition If demonstrations of dis
regard and something approaching per-
Ronal dislikes had been confined to the
political party opposite there would
have been no ground for complaint.
The leader of the opposition, however
small may be his following is entitled
to be treated with respect and cour-
tesy If failure is made in this respect.
the responsibility and the discredit lie
with the offending party.
. The bitter pill "C-B" had to swallow
almost nightly during the last parlia-
ment was administered by the hands
Of Liberals. He was habitually wound
cd in the house of friend. A delight
full conversationalist an admirable
speaker in sharp debate, he on field
nights, probably oppressed by a sense
of responsibility, formed a habit of
writing out his speeches and In def
ance of parliamentary etiquette read
ing them at the table. Mr. Balfour or
Mr.. Chamberlain following in debate
rarely refrained from q sneer at this
certainly unfortunate and, as was fire.
Quently proved, unnecessary custom.
Had a taunt animated by q similar
spirit been flung at either of these
right honorable gentlemen there would
have followed instant angry shouts of
resentment from their partisans. 'C-B"
received no such qualification. On the
contrary, when he appeared at the Ia
BILE with his bundle of manuscript the
benches behind him and below the
gangway began to empty. This state
of things was made more painful to
sensitive nature by the fact that when
Mr.. Asquith was put up to speak the
opposition mustered IN full number,
cheer after cheer driving home his
salient points
This was with slight variation the
chronic condition of affairs under
"C-B's" leadership of the opposition. a
trial borne with marvellous patience
and no sign of resentment Within
four months of his accepting the thank
less post of leader of the opposition
things in the house of commons had
reached condition unbearabe by any
other man. A fussy group of Radicals
below the gangway were In open re-
volt They daily fiouted the authority
of their leader and occasionally went
out to the division lobby against him.
In signed article appearing under q
familiar title in a Sunday newspaper ]
commented sharply upon this proce-
dure. "C-B" wrote to me: IL do not
foam and fret about it as much as you
do, though ! vince internally. | do not
blame the active parties when self
conceit leads them into these unruly
courses, because they are acting only
after their kind. blame rather the
decent quiet. well disposed rank and
file, who do not see the harm they are
doing in following them" When six
years later "C-B" as the result of a
general election found himself master
OF legions. dispenser Of places and IT,
Ties, the member to whom yelled allu-
sion is made In this passage humbly
approached him with a petition for Of
hce In the new ministry. Had he been
man Of the stamp from which minis
ters are made no personal memory Of
earlier days would have unfavorably
Influenced "C-B." AS he was not. office
was withheld. but "C-B" benignly be-
slowed upon him a knighthood
When In 1906 the Unionists were
routed at the polls and the Liberals in
stalled In power by an overwhelming
majority, II was by no means certain
that Sir Henry Campbei- -Bannerman
would be prime minister The prize
was his by right and custom. But the
group Of ex-ministers long seated on
the front opposition bench were noto.
riously divided 1t was the provincial