The sun., 1909-12-29
GLADSTONE WOULDBR iOONOV
BRYCE EULOGTzEs HIM. CIVIC
FORUM APPLAUDs BRYCE.

4 Great Fighter VINO was Too Big 20 ne
vlndictive and was Ruled BY o Sense
of Christian Duty, the Ambassador
| Estimate Of the Victorian Premier
James Bryce. King Edwards Am
bassador at Washington. won one more
personal tribute last evening at Carnegie
Hall when q large audience demonstrated
first by applause and afterward by a
! rising vote Of thanks its appreciation
OF the British Ambassadors spirit and
ability.
Mr.. Bryce was talking OF Gladstone.
The occasion was a celebration OF the Eng.
lish statesman's hundredth anniversary
by the Civic Forum at the Forums first
open meeting for this season. Am
bassador Bryce praised Gladstone. and
the Civic Forum audience praised Am
bassador Bryce.
Seth Low presided. His congeners
on the platform were Isaac N. Seligman
DIR. Elgin r. L. Gould. the Rev. DR.. Robert
Erskine Ely. Henry Clews, DR.. Josika
Heroxeg and Marcus NJ. Marks.
DIR. Low said that the thanks OF the
people of the city were due to the forum
for organizing the celebration of the
centennial OF Gladstones birth. He re-
cited a Gladstonian incident in relating
| q conversation between Mr.. Gladstone
! and the late Bi shop Littlejohn OF Long
lsland. Bishop Little john had spoken to
Mr.. Gladstone had Immediately seized
the word and had said that az many times
In his life he had thought he had a mis-
sion. at one time thinking 1t one thing.
at another another.
But now Mr.. Gladstone had said. Il
IN | "a mi a
TO bridge over peaceably il possible the
gap which separates that which has been
from that which is to be-
IL had often seemed to him. DR.. Low
had succinctly expressed the part he was
called upon TO play in the worlds drama
The Rev. DIR. Ely read a latter from
President Taft. written apparently whom
Mr.. Taft had expected to be here for the
scientific congress that opened on Mon
day. The President in expressing his
regrets at being unable TO be present
said that he had always had deep ad-
miration for MIR. Gladstone's lite and
WORK. that the British Premier had
been one Of his heroes. but that il would
be impossible for him, the President, to
be absent from Washington more than
the day OF the 27th. 1 must be back
said he, -on the 18Th
Ambassador Bryce said OF Mr. Glad
stone that the prospect OF debate always
0tO nun kOOO.
.The notice Of a notion said the Am
bassador. always made him better.
That Is the test OF a fighting man. His
eye flashed, his voice swelled. He was
grand sight to witness when the danger
TO his party called out the utmost that was
In him. When navigating amid sands
and shoals no one could be more cautious.
IL was only when something quite sud
denly came upon him that his impulse
carried him away.
He was not what you could call a
philosophic statesman: He was, the
greatest Finance Minister. beyond doubt,
in our time. Many OF US used to think
that in his later days he was too willing
to listen TO varied views. but his readiness
to listen to his younger colleagues did
much-I need not tell you how much-to
q nation had = conscience as weIl "a an
individual and ought to live UP to il.
MANY time ! have heard him say that
there was no man In history whom he
admired more than your great first Pres
ident; that there were few men who had
the love OF liberty that burned in the
breast OF George Washington and that
George Washington was one Of the few
men who. taxing command as he did OF
the armies OF this people. the armies OF
liberty. in noway abused his opportunity.
Mr.. Bryce said that Gladstone, who
was always ready no matter how indis-
Greet his interlocutor. told q woman who
wanted to know what he thought OF
Beaconsfeld that he had always admired
Lord Beaconsheld for two things, his
devotion to his wife and his devotion to
ing, Mr.. Bryce said:
'Mr. Gladstone was much blamed for
having consented a. Prime Minister to
the arbitration OF the Alabama claims,
but everybody now recognisss that this
removed q cause Of quarrel between
Britain and Canada on the one side and
the United States on the other and laid
the foundation OF that friendship between
two nations whom Providence meant to
Mr.. Bryce said that he Happened to
know how Mr.. Gladstone felt about that,
how he rejoiced In the growing friend
ship. owing to the beginning OF his ac-
quaintance with Mr.. Gladstone ON his
QMr. Bryce'sl return to England after his
Mr.. Bryce got more applause when he
said that there was one thing about the
attitude OF England at that time that
was only now beginning to be felt among
the people here. q feeling Of admiration
Of the courage Of Robert Z. Lee.
Though moral courage is by no means
q common quality said Mr. Bryce cit |
is more frequent than that other by which |
Mr.. Gladstone impressed those who were |
in daily contact with him. This was his |
magnanimity. He was cast in q large |
mould. He was too great to be vindictive |
or to fall q victim TO the bitterness that |
comes too often Of mortified vanity.
His high sense OF honor and his love |
OF Justice would have made him an upright /
and loyal man even had the influence of |
religion been wanting: But he was in fact |
q man OF earnest and deep piety, whose |
life was ruled by his sense Of Christian |
duty.