New-York tribune., 1908-01-27
A PROSAIC PARLIAMENT
Without Afny Striking Personalities
to Talk about.
London. January Is.

,r,,os are dull when there is everything vse
,.o,,od,, 10 talk about What Is generally ac-
o,tea as the last session of the Liberal ParIia-
,,,ant is openinx with legislative programme
Of co,nDrehensive scope and exceptional i'm
portance. yet the Kings speech IS awaited with
Ifs.toesness and apathy. Seldom has there been
-, much tn think about in current politics for
II is the most democratic Parliament ever known
IN the kingdom. and the disruption OF the Liberal
party may be brought about BY the adoption os
-,~ogrssstva poIjcies and through the socialists
trend Of trade unionism- Yet there is little taI<
in club or drawing room about what is going on
rubIic affairs are uninteresting when there ara
M e,reat personalities to command the eye. That
;s why Mr. sambourne finds it difficult to make
amusing cartoons Of political situations and why
ANYBODY venturiTig TO start a discussion over the
relations OF the parties OF the day IS suppressed
nerciIessly as an iEsufferable bore The from,
bercbes in the Commons may be filed with
taIkative debaters and Industrious politicians
but on neither side nor below either gangway 10
there ANYBODY with a picturesque OF magnetic
personality like Gladstone Beaconsfield. Bright
ParneIl. Harcourt or Lord Randolph Churchill.
one session ends or another begins, and spec
tators are cold because they are Indifferent to
the personal fortunes of the chief actors
There are eminent personalities in the back
ground but 80 far removed that thev pass with
ont observation One is Mr. Chamberlain. whose
Improvement in health Is too sluggish to justify
expectation that he viii ever again play great
rart in public life. Another is Lord ROsebery,
preoccIpied with literary pursuits and phlo-
sophie reflections and convinced that his politi-
cal function is occasional appearance az the
candid friend The caricaturists have dropped
them as available subjects for satire or pleas
antry. and Mr. Balfour. with his childIfke in
,-T..F,-
nnouocle. and the Prime Minister. with his CHEEKY
smile are poor substitutes for them There was
always an air of mystery I'm the member for
West Birmingham and Lord Rosebery. for one
was likely to reverse his public record or soma
great question and the other was in the habit os
bIurting out unpleasant truth and OF reminding
his followers that he was not a trustworthy
leader. Every one knows what the front bench
men will do in any emergency. The Prime Min
lister viii always be the honorable gentleman ar
the head of an unmanageable party, minimizing
differences of opinion. adapting himself to stua-
tions with Scottish pawkiness and allowing his
Ieutenants every chance for the display Of their
talents Mr. Balfour can never be anything bur
a skiIful parIiamentaran. refining and explain
ing away his phrases and acting the prncpls
that anything can be accomplished by sheer dex-
terity SIr. Asquith viii invariably talk AZ
though he had accepted d brief for the Treasury
aud was paid to stand by his client. and Mr
Austen Chamberlain will never forget that he is
his fathers son and that Mr.. BaIfOur made him
Chancellor Of the Exchequer. No startling sur
prises can be expected from these well regulated
occupants of the front benches nor from their
collea CUES They will always be strict and nor
NAL party men and will never expose themselves
10 reproach for Inconsistency or vsgaries cf
Judgment They lack the charm and fascination
of great personality
The main question to be settled at the Cabinet
Council this week is whether the Prime Minister
has sufficiently recruited his health under
take the leadership of the Commons during ths
approaching session There seems 70 be little
doubt that his convalescence has been salts
factory and that he viii not accept a title and
take refuge in the upper house Mr.. Asquith
will be left in charge of important measures and
the Prime Minister will make fewer speeches
than ne has done. and protect himself against
the strain of late hours and the drudgery Of the
leadership. Mr. Ba1four. when he led rhs Com
mons from the government bench kept back the
aspiring youngsters and did not allow his col-
leagues to speak as often they wished; and
on this account there was always more or less
discomfort sinmering behind him It is one OF
the secrets Of Sir Henry Campbell -Bannermans
success as a leader that he makes few speeches
himself and enables his associates and rising
young TO distinguish themselves Reputa-
tfons are made or enlarged on the Liberal side;
but these can be measured or balanced without
suspicion that there is any rising personality OF
potential resources with the incompatible gifI
of arousing enthusiasm. Sir Edward Grey may
be looked upon as the Prime Minister'S most
probable successor in the leadership Of the
party; Mr.. Loyd-Ceorge has made a marked
impression by his business capacity; Mr. BlrreH
has been the victim Of circumstances in two diI-
fcult offices; Mr. HaIdane, Mr.. Harcourt and
Mr. Burns have gained ground in the Commons
and Lord Crewe has shown Unsuspected power
in the tactful management Of business in the
upper house. Not one of these rising men can %
spoken of as a great personality % set the WorH
agog with curiosity or interest
There is at least one personality on The Llo-
eraI side. although not of commanding authority
This is Honest John Morley whom Mr Glaa-
stone trusted as his most intimate frlend' anu
who is the Prime Minister'S most honored ad-
wiser Possibly he might have doomed Up as tA'
coming leader IL he had become Chancellor q
the Excheduer instead Of Secretary for Hdia' o"-
at seventy he can hardly be expected TO eEleie.
from the background and 10 take the centre =
the stage Too great writer ever 10 oe as
effective speaker. and too critical a student 0l nv
worlds affairs ever 10 be tactful and Tesoe'Oo
full manager Of men. he has been content via
being the most influential adviser Of two fIii
Ministers and Il public censor. whose sinceii'''
high-minded qualities and Independence OF jus
| ment are generally respected. He seldom spe@As
in the Commons but in his own Office ne h@'
shown inhexible firmness in dealing with indian
| agitators and administrative capacity oi tA'