New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-13
AnolO-AmeriCan Memories
CXXXII.
Mr.. CHAM6 ERLAiN.
copyright. 1911. George w SMALL,

! OH" absolute majority. Radicalism had
"idue upon that historical Liberalism of
winch Mr. Gladstone was the greatest.
| and also the most conservative leader
FOR these and other sufficient reasons
MI. Gladstone did ultimately accede to
the audacious proposal which he rightly
described in the terms have quoted
ABOVE. He made Mr.. Chamberlain. who
mad never held Parliamentary office
president of the Board of Trade and Sir
Charles Dixie Under Secretary for For
elsn Affairs. The very audacity Of the
coup had won. 1t was not from Dixie.
ana OF course not from Mr. Chamberlain.
that | heard in full what Mr.. Gladstone
mad said; but long after. from one who
, knew equally well what had passed at
this interview. From Dixie ! heard. that
afternoon and later. many things which
90 not repeat I desire To give only the
essential facts and only those which con-
Germ Mr.. Chamberlain. in order that it
may be seen by what methods-by what
violence indeed-these twin heirs of Dan
ton forced open a door which the most
powerful. and certainly the most auto
cratic, Minister of his time had closed.
As recall the scene Of that afternoon
in bikes study, Mr.. Chamberlain's re-
serve was even more remarkable than
bikes efusiveness. He was clearly sur
prised by the freedom Of bikes revela-
lions 10 a man whom he, Chamberlain.
knew only or mainly as a journalist. He
had not perhaps at that time understood
that a journalist may be. and often is.
the most discreet of mankind He knew
little or nothing Of The Tribune or Of its
high traditions. or what il expected Of a
representative 10 whom il had intrusted
n responsible post He thought Dixie
rash. and he certainly had no part in his
friends indiscretions. if indiscretions
they We're
There he sat; silent, little puzzled
good deal amused perhaps a little
alarmed. He looked a Sphinx: though
he had not her composure. He smoked
impatientlv; the puffs from his cigar
expressing well enough the perturbations
ton IN which he found himself. True. he
was aware that Dixie and l were friends.
but he may Well enough have thought
that it was not wise 10 choose A jour
nalst as friend and 10 pour out % him
the secrets Of a political crisis for such
it was to him and to Dixie.
II was n crisis in their fortunes and. as
events proved. in the fortunes Of the
State. 1t was the real beginning Of a
great career. Mr.. Chamberlain, no doubt,
would have come TO the front later even
if he had failed then; hut time was then
Of the essence. What be wanted was a
place in that Ministry: not a place in
some Ministry of the future. Mr.. Glad
stone was expected 10 do great things;
as h did. though not precisely the things
on which he and his friends and Mr.
Chamberlain himself then counted. It
would have been far more difficult TO
force his way into the Government later
had this attempt been fooled. Above all,
the history Of 1889 and 1856 could not
have been the same; nor could Mr..
Chamberlains authority have sufficed 10
wreck the first Home Rule bill. It was
therefore the turning point for him. He
stood upon the threshold. and no Won
der he was disturbed a. finding a jour
nalist sharing these momentous conf
dences. No wonder he sat silent. I only
wonder he did not try 10 silence Dixie
4 L
ne was reassured. But even now I can
not help being more than Interested as
see the twisted muscles Of his face as
one anxiety after another distorted that
austere visage. He certainly did not
mean 10 let it he seen that he distrusted
me. and I suppose he was not aware how
little the expressions that swept over his
face were under his control.
The truth is Dixie at that time had
not outgrown his boyishness. Whether
not sure. He had. at any rate lived
through municipal experiences which. in
one sense. aged him prematurely Mu-
nicipal politics. even when handled by a
man of genius-a quality which none
would now deny to Mr. Chamberlain
do not tend 10 liberalize a mans mind
They sharpen it, and perhaps harden it,
and certainly sometimes narrow ii. In
Mr.. Chamberlain they never did; or il
they did. he grew broad again and large,
and ali the rest of his life took ever large
and larger views: till he became the con-
summate imperialist statesman of whom
there is still so much 10 be said.
G. W :