The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-10-09

n Of whom nobody had ever heard
outside his home neighborhood.
died. He was an old man. who had
been working boy, had become a
farmer. and had been pretty successful
at trading in lands and farming them.
He was of the same class which Pro-
duces the farm tenantry Of England or
the laborers Of tire British cities; unedu-
Gated, unassumirg 6, simple. He had just
one talent, and nobody knew he had
that.
When his estate came TO be adjudged
for the purpose of applying the death
taxes, or Inheritance taxes, as they
would be called in this country. IT fell
out that tie estate was worth about
$50, 00O.e50. almost entirely IN farm lands.
All Britain sat up instantly and took
notice. 1t was nine-days' wonder; as
wonderful as II. while all Americans
have been assuming that Mr.. Rookie
teller, with 500 10000 or SC, was its rich
est man, another, a plain old farmer,
should die and his heirs should probate
will which shopI5 disclose an estate
big enough to overshadew the modest
competency of Rockefeller.
Charles Morrison, midland farmer,
was the object lesson Just then needed
by another Englishman of similarly
humble origin. This other Englishman
had been born in Liverpool, but his
father and mother were Of purest Welsh
extraction. Let an orphan at two years,
he mad heen raised b. an uncle who was
poor, but rather thrifty shopkeeper
in small Welsh &c wn- At twenty-one
he was a barrister; at twenty-six he
went TO court and made a wonderful
defense of some rioters who had looted
stores because they were hungry. and
at thirty-six he was elected to the house
Of commons. The talent which Charles
Morrison, midland farmer. possessed for
money-getting, was utterly foreign to
this young WeIshman. He knew and
cared nothing for money-makine; but he
had passion for study; for social in
vesdgation: for political economy. He
was an insignificant little man. barely
over five feet tall, but witl a big head
and a manner that made men forget his
dinIlnutive stature and recognize him
as a leader. To him. CharIes Morrison
was a social phenomenon, 10 be studied
and analysed, not a great man to be
enyfed bis successes.
Acquired Strong
Following Among Welshmen.
At forty our black-eyed, nervous,
earnest little Welshman was very solid"
with his Welsh constituency and with
all Of Wales.
And so when, in 1906. the Liberal party
swept the general elections, the Union
lists went out of power and Sir Henry
Campbell-Bannerman became premier of
Great Britain, little DAVID suddenly
| became an important parsonage. Wales
was Liberal, and Mr. David Lloyd
George was IT'S leader in Liberalism
He must be taken into the government,
in order 70 keep his Welsh following in
line; and he was made chairman Of the
board of trade.
on the whole Mr.. Lioyd-George made
! very good secretary of commerce and
labor; but it manifestly wasn't the
place ne wanted, and his success wasn't
striking Then Sir Henry died; Mr..
AsQuith became premier: there was
cabinet reorganization; and for various
| reasons the little Welsh barrister be-
came chancellor of the exchequer-sec-
rotary of the treasury, only a good deal
more.
The Liberals had come in with a huge
majority; and from the day they got in
they failed 10 make good. The Labor
ITnionfsts soon became disguised; the
enthusiastically inclined deserted because
| they were not radical enough. the I'M
l ueTlaliSts acCu SEQ them OF incompetence
I in foreign dealings, as Liberals are al
/ ways accused Of weakness IN foreign
policy, the German war scare was
magnificentlT promoted as diversion.
| The Liberal regime tried TO be radical
| without bning too radical. II undertook,
| by the ed ication bill, TO shake OF the
grip Of the established church from the
| business OF public education IN ,.l the
and the lords amended the bill into in
! Significance. The Liberals tried some
| reform OF the Scottish land laws, which
| certainly needed II, for most OF the land
| in Scotland is owned by less than
dozen great titled landlords, the tillers
| being their tenants. But this didn't
| touch the spot. II was too radical for
| the conservatives, but not radical
| enough for the real radicals.
] Every bye-eleCtion resulted In losses
| for the party in power. constituencies
which they had carried by almost unan-
! IrnOus pCllings at the election OF 1910
| turned against them, and sent up Con-
servatives. Everybody predicted present
defeat for the government, despite tllI
/ it's normal majority In the commons
was vet very large. There was no spirit,
no effectiveness. no adhesive policy:
! Then came the death of Sir Henry
/ and the emigration Of Lloyd George
| IRON, tho hoard Of trade to the treasury.
/ me Welshmau was willing TO tackle
very had situation that NOBODY else
vearned for He had theory about H.
The new premier with some ulsglVlnSS
/ decided 10 let him try
LIoydGeOrge
Becomes Fearless Officer.
! The exchequer faced deficit Of about
| SEQ. 900. 900 in the revenues. 1t was partly
caused by the tremendous squirt In navy
building to overmatch Germany: partly
by the old-age pension legislation which
| the Liberals had passed. looking to the
ultimate distribution of about $4,000, coo
annually IN age pensions. The country
was frightened out Of its wits over Ger
many and air hips. and all sorts Of
/ scarecrows that the Conservatives mad
set up The Conservatives demanded
| bigger and yet bigger naval expendi-
| lures LIoyd-George had once voted