New-York tribune., 1910-09-11
London. August 2.


Queen had asked Mr.. Gladstone, on his
retirement in 1894. to say whom he rec
commended as his successor, and II MI
Gladstone had named. as Lord Morley
saws he would have named. Lord Spen-
Ger. and il Lord Spencer had accepted
Il might We'll enough have altered the
course Of English politics. II certainly
would have improved Lord Rosebery'
position That Lord Rosebery did not
then wish to be Prime Minister is we'll
known. II is known that he twice re
fused the office. and in the end accepted
II only upon the Queens urgency II
might be said that the Queen made
pe-sonal matter Of it The Radicals
nav say what they will. but the in
F-1ence and even the authority of the
Queen were IN those last years Of her
life very great.
II Mr. Gladstone had been asked what
he thought about il. and how often IN
matters in which he as Prime Minister
vas concerned. the Queens ascendancy
Rad been successfully asserted. his
answer would have covered a great
deal Of ground And If Nj Gladstone
with al the accumulated authority OF
his 1.nrivs led experience. and all his
force Of character. and all his popularity,
could not always stand up against the
Queen. how could II he expected that
much younger man could refuse 10 obey
her The Queen had, in fact. taken a
strong step when she neglected to ask
Nj Gladstone's advice as TO his success
so-. Her ma jestv was within her right
II not asking. but was outside the &C
cepted custom and usage All the more.
having taken upon herself the respon-
sibilitv which she might have divided
uith her great Minister. vas she bound
70 carry out her scheme. and. If I may
say so. force upon Lord Rosebery the
Office he had the best Of reasons for
wishing 10 decline. And she did.
take il one chief reason for the
queens peremptory choice of Lord
Rcsebery was her opinion Of his capac-
iry as Foreign Minister. He had been
Secretary Of state for Foreign Affairs
under Mr.. Gladstone in 1885 and again
under Mr. Gladstone from 1892 10 1894.
and held that post when Nj Gladstone
resigned Office. Under Mr.. Gladstone
hut under him IN name only For il is
known that Lord Rosebery. certainly in
1892 and perhaps also in 1856. had taken
Office upon condition that he was to have
free hand Mr.. Gladstone's concep-
tons and methods Of foreign policy were
not Lord Rosebery's They were not
those which had made England. from
1r7ra :
down TO the present day. great Cont
mental Power. They were not Chat
hams. They we're not Pitts. They were
not PaIuersVon's. They had, in fact
lrouEht the prestige and authority OF
England upon the Continent lower than
they mad stood since Charles II For
conceptions and methods which had had
trat result Lord Rosebery did not pro
pose Il make himself responsible. He
Was perfectly loyal 70 Mr. Gladstone, but
he made If clear TO his great chief that
he beHeE Eed-which his chief did not-in
the continuity Of English foreign policy.
and that he did not intend 10 depart
from The lines Lord Salisbury had laid
down.
Mr.. Gladstone held views upon Cabi-
net making which we're not easily recon-
ciIed with these claims Of independence
ON one memorable occasion he had said
"a an eminent but much younger man
whom ne desired as a colleague. but in
post 10 which the eminent much
younger man preferred another
..You are new 70 the responsibilities II
Office but when YOU have served long
enough 70 become acquainted with them
and have risen. as I doubt not you viii
u ne fhe Minister who dispenses instead
of accepting great offices. you wll have
become aware that il is the privilege 81
The Prime Minister. and Of no other
Minister. To assign a particular Office 70
q particular colleague. and TO determine
the conditions on which. il al all. that
o-=ce IS 10 be held
Like 50 many oIhe- prophecies, TINS
prophecy touching the future Prime Min
-zrerzhip OF this eminent young man r.
NAMED 11nfuIflled- Prophecy was not
an art n vhic. Mr- Gladstone eXcelled.
B-r Mr.. Gladstone in 1892 had hardly
choice BY the voice Of the Liberal
party ard by public opinion Lord Rose
Ee-- vas designated Foreign Minister
and there vas no real competitor Sir
Edward Grey had not then reached his /
present position He vas, moreover,
Lord Rosebe-y's friend and supporter.
The retirement of Lord Salisbury was a
1ouentous occasion Since the death Of
Prince Bismarck Lord Salisbury had
stood alone There remained no Euro
pean statesman OF diplomatist whose
reputation and authority abroad we're
comparable 70 Lord SaIsbUry's- Among /
English Ministers Lord Rosebery stood |
next 70 Lord Salisbury. and 10 pass him !
over 0r 10 put him in leading strings, or /
to Iet il be known that though he held /
the seal Nr Gladstone was to mould and 1
dl-ec- the foreign policy Of Great Brit /
ain. uouIG have been 10 notify all Eu- /
rope hat Great Britain had again, as /
under Lord Granville, become d neg /
Hg-b-e quantity IN the affairs II the 'on- /
-lleuJ
do not suggest that as al argument /
~ a5ch would have force, or did nave any /
force with Mr.. Gladstone IN foreign /
policy. as in ali other policies, he De 1
.leved in himself Hc stiu thought him- /
self right il denouncing the Bulgarian !
r-assacres. IN opposing the Congress OF /