New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-13

It seems odd. considering all that has
banpened. to say so. bat Mr. Chamber
lain's decisive appearance in public life
was due to his political alliance with the
late Sir Charles Dixie. / give the facts
ss they were known 10 me at the time,
from Dixie and a little from his friend
<or the relations hetwe en- the two were
not political only they were personal
will say here once Dor all, in order to
avoid re-entering upon a subject none
too savory-I mean bikes own sub
seouent history-that Mr.. Chamberlain
stood by Dixie when disaster came upon
him refused 70 believe-or 10 admit
what others knew to- be true, refused 10
,oiu in the attacks en- him, defended him
n tart et q trdUCrS. Whether he really
thought Dixie innocent l. of course. do
not know He acted. at any rate, upon
the maxim in the two Hares' "Guesses at
Truth" a book onos current and still not
wholly forgotten. Friendship closes its
eve rather than see the moon eclipst"
don't say il critically I say it to Mr..
Chamberlain's honor His steadfastness
- his friend was part of the steadfast-
ness Of his character.
Whom Dixie became NJ. p. for Chelsea,
in 1SGS. the alliance between him and
Mr. Chamberlain had already been
formed. a singularly close alliance. By
1850 when Mr. Disraelis six years
reign ended. and Mr.. Gladstone. mainly
b,. help Of the ever memorable Mid
,orbiar campaigns OF 1879 50, had
driven his great rival from power, these
Two Young men felt themselves strong
enough 20 demand office Dixie was
-ber thirtv-seyen and Chamberlain
forty four-nere boys as age is com
monty reckoned i'm English public life.
They were the representatives Of the
Naw Radicalism inside the Liberal
rsrfv. p eorce destined 70 portentous
growth as ANYBODY may see to-day; so
rortantous. so pregnant with disaster
long before TO-DAY. that Mr. Chamber
lain had fgrsa ken II even before that
gloomy winter If 1855. when Mr.
Gladstone took his fatal plunge into the
DIRK waters n Home Rule. Even while
he was Yet The unchalenged leader OF
united. or comparatively united. Liberal
marty Mr. Gladstone did not ike Rad
carsr1 or Radicals. But it was his busi-
ness as party chief 10 weigh the forces
he had 10 deal with. and he recognized
-ra claim these two men made on him.
and sent for sir Charles Dl q 10 offer
him rost i'm the Ministry he was form
,rg. though not in the cabinet.
The story is told in different ways and
tre accounts. even those which may be
called authoritative. cannot he easily
rs,orc1ed Lord Morley tells it, i'm his
monumental Life Of Gladstone. MS usual
@,ith great reserve. Life of when
f-ar1ness is not the prevailing note. The
version I am going 10 give YOU is Dixie
version. was AT that time ON very
friendly. and eVen intimate. terms WIN
him. saw him that afternoon al MS
house in Sloane street. Mr.. Chamberlain
WAS present. Dixie had just come from
lrr Gladstone. and the offer Of that SUB
ordinate place in the government which
-pe GREAT leader thought adequate 10
mikes nartv claims had Just been made.
Without either accepting or declining H.
he told Mr.. Gladstone that he and Mr.
Chamberlain were acting together; that
both Of them expected office; and that
for one Of them a place must be found
IN the Cabinet
give the substance and intent OF
Till<a's statement To- Mr.. Gladstone; very
much as he himself gave it to me; not
III all. imagine as he phrased il when
in presence of the great Liberal Whom
the Queen had asked sorely against her
will. 10 form a Ministry bikes breVltN
Of speech had. at times. certain brutal
ity. but 10 cannot be that he allowed MIN
SELF this curt freedom o. statement TO
Mr.. Gladstone himself Even upon Dixie.
who respected few things. the authority
Of this wonderful old man must have
made itsolf felt. Few were they who did
not acknowledge and yield to il. But
whatever the words i'm which Dixie de-
Hvere1 his ultimatum Mr.. Gladstone
listened with his usual grave courtesy
and this was his answer.
Sir Charles. you are as yet inexperi-
enced i'm public life. and 7 think il a
duty 10 explain IN you that when Prime
Minister is forming a Government it Is
usual for him 20 distribute offices in ac-
cordance with his own conception OF
public duty. Never before have known
a .ase-never before have I heard Of one
whore a young man who has never
held Office has thought himself entitled
- dictate 20 a Prime Minister, or to tell
him he will accept. not the post rendered
10 him. but another post more TO his
taste Still less has any candidate been
known 10 impose conditions upon his ac-
ceptance. or 10 insist that two Offices and
not one shall be reserved for him and
for a friend in whose behalf he speaks.
You cannot be aware how far your 2ttl-
tude violates all tradition and political
usage. You may realize this in part when
you know by experience something about
official life. And some day, when you
shall find yourself engaged in the task
which now occupies me, you will know
how unprecedented and indetensible is
your present attitude"
This rebuke was. in effect, addressed
% Mr. Chamberlain as well as 10 Dixie
and was meant % be handed on by Dixie
10 MS partner: and in substance was. /
am not sure that it impressed either OF
the two very deeply. Mr.. Chamberlain