The Washington herald., 1911-12-31


question heard often in clubrooms when
another addition has been announced to
the peerage of Great Britain on certain
auspicious occasions. such as the Kings
birthday or a coronation. There are
good many answers besides the usual
shrug OF shoulder or a knowing smile.
Several facts at once impress them
selves upon our mind when taking look
at the typical lists of the men selected
by the monarch-or his advisers, which,
Of course. Is the same thing-and some
of these facts are rather perplexing
There are, for Instance. the names OF
men who have distinguished themselves
In the arts and professions. Then, there
are others who have done what is called
valuable service to the administration as
statesmen or politicians Cthings which
by no means are the same). and lastly
there are those who have given up their
lives or fortunes to further philanthropy.
And yet, otter there appear on the
honor" list, names OF another type: and
some of these are perplexing. Why was
So-and-so made a baronet?. What has he
done? He Is konwn to be wealthy, and
queer tales are told about the way his
money came TO him. Why was he singled
out for distinction? He has never shown,
any great interest in political or munich
pal affairs; his contributions to charities
have not been marked by generosity; he
| is noted for nothing but money. All the
| time he could spare from the stock eX-
change has been spent in yachting and
motoring. Yet there Is his name in the
| list OF new baronets. Then why has Mr..
Blank been created a peer? He Is
man of humble birth, who has managed
to make his pile In business, the early
| stages of which are better passed over in
silence. Rumor says that he was former
ly a bookmaksr and that his name In
those days was not Blank. He has never
been known to do anything for the bene-
fit Of his fellow-men, until recently. when
there was good deal OF merriment over
his donation of $1,000 to the Charwom-
ems Relief Association. He has never
| taken any public part in politics, though
he is known to hold strongly radical
views. Yet his peerage has arrived during
the rule Of tory government.
A well accredited attache tells me this
story, which may throw some light upon
how some peerages are obtainable. This
was the proposition: A gentleman, who
has a fine ONCE in the city, near the law
| courts, where nothing in particular ever
seems to be done, once approached a dis
| tinguished friend OF the attache. The
man was able to live in style, sported an
expensive automobile, and described him
self as an agent" Altogether he was
| reputed to be a man worth while for
cne to know. He said that he was de-
puted by an Official parsonage, whose
name could not be mentioned; that the
secret service fund needed replenishing,
and that a suitable contribution would
meet with acknowledgment in the
| proper quarter. OF course, no promise
could be made, but II baronetcy was
desired a contribution Of say 600 would
be "a step in the right direction" When
told that the party approached had higher
ambitions the agent" added that while
he was not authorized to make any def
mite statement, he was in a position to
know that II was contemplated to in
clude several peerages in the next list"
and that II the gentleman felt any inter-
est in the matter a donation Of say
e1UJ,o0o might be advisable &"
This suggests no reflection on the pre-
mier. whose privilege II is to propose can
didates for honors to the king. The chan
nels Of influence are many, and some of
them are very devious. 1t Is safe to say
that no name would be recommended to
the advisers of the Crown on the mere
ground of a generous donation to the Sc
cret service fund or to the party war
chest. A very much stronger case would
be made out, and possibly the subject
would hardly recognize the fiattering por-
trait of himself.
Do these things really happen? asks the
loyal monarchist or the skeptic. Who is
there to produce evidence? But these oc-
currences are a matter of common knowI-
edge in the clubs and other weIl-informed
quarters. few years ago a certain
peerage set the well-informed to laugh
Ing. and the general public to wonder
ing. The newly-created nobIeman seemed
most unlikely man for such high hon
or. All that was known Of him was that
he had amassed a colossal fortune in bus