New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1908-04-29

virile hands.
The simple statement of this fact
throws a food of light on the misappre
hension of the real .C-B' that cloud
ed the view even of those who long
lived in close colleagueship with him
Deceived by the bland manner, the in
disposition to assert himself. the reluc-
lance to give pain even where punish
ment was merited. they thought to
shelve the premier in the luxurious OBJ
security of the house or lords. But &C
was already translated The siiken glove
| was off. flung aside. and behold the iron
hand He would not go to the house of
lords. The center of power and infiu-
ence was in the popular chamber. and
that was the proper place for a Liberal
| prime minister.
This was a surprise for old colleagues
! that almost took the breath away
They had speedy and full opportunity
of growing accustomed to it. The for
| nation of a government out of a party
that had been in the wilderness for ten
| years bristled with difficulty There
| were remnants of a former structure
naturally looking for reinstatement in
the new one. Other claims more or less
justifiable had grown up among the
| rank and file of younger members.
| .iC-B's" business was to get together a
ministry that would best serve the
state by carrying those social meas
| ures to which the Liberal party was
| pledged.
Every one was surprised by the
| originality not to say the audacity, OF
some of the selections. To mention
j only two, there was Mr.. Lloyd George,
! in private business and status soIic-
| itor in an obscure Welsh town. In the
house of commons he had distinguish
| ed himself as brilliant debater not
unworthy of the steel of Mr.. Balfour
or Mr.. Chamberlain. He must have
something and might have felt himself
well rewarded with an undersecretary
| ship or even lordship of the treas
ury. There was John Burns, in social
! position a day laborer, whose political
career was, among other things. mark
! ed by the distinction of term spent
in Jail, following a disturbance of the
public peace in Trafalgar square
Elected to the house of commons. he
still wore a bowler hat and a serge
suit. But he spoke effectively on top
les within his personal ken, and for
/ government established by great
wave of democratic impulse it would
be desirable thing to have genuine
workingman numbered in it's ranks.
| All things considered, an undersecre-
taryship would be rather overwhelm-
ing for John Burns. A Junior post at
the treasury, with salary of FL 900 a
year, would be a generous guerdon.
"C-B" made Mr.. Lloyd George president
of the board of trade and Mr.. John
Burns president of the local govern
ment board, both with seats in the
/ cabinet.
That his kindly but keen eye knew
capable man when he saw him, dis
guised in whatsoever humble circum-
stances, has been proved by the sue
cess of these two appointments In
i the case of Mr.. Lloyd-George it has
! perhaps exceeded any other achieved
| by colleagues in an exceptionally ca
pable administration.
Had ''C-B" yielded to the gentle pres
sure put upon him on his accession to
the premiership and sought the leisure
Of the house Of lords he might have
still been among us, hale and hearty.
with the prospect OF an aftermath Of
dignified rest. Had he been personally
| inclined to take that step there was an
objection to him insuperable. Lady
ampbell-Bannerman was strongly OPP
posed to his retirement from the fight
ing line of the house of commons, and
to him her wishes were sacred law
1t happened that shortly after he as
sumed Office his wife was stricken
with an illness that. long lingering.
proved fatal. When in the session of
1906, his first term as premier, mem
bers watched the worn and weary
leader seat himself on the treasury
bench prepared for long nights work,
they knew he had spent hours by the
bedside Of his dying wife, had on some
days of the week come on to the house
after presiding over cabinet council
This touch of nature made the assem-
bly, kin. Political animosity disappear
ed before the spectacle of brave man
struggling with adversely. Old party
ties We're rebound and strengthened
Within few weeks .sC-B,'' doubtless
to his modest surprise. found himself
the most popular man in the house, his
. slightest utterance received with pro
found respect, his genial little jokes
hailed with rapturous laughter.
In this sudden blaze of sunshine he
blOomed. ALI that was best in him
chilled in the bleak weather of opposi
ton times, unfolded and grew apace
After the period of depression that fol
lowed on the death Of his wife was
. passed he found in work and in attend
ance on his parliamentary duties tn.
best tonic, the surest solace. But OPP
! portunity came too late. The silve