New-York tribune., 1911-03-20
UN|ON|ST APATHY
Few Rising Men in Opposition.
0verpreSsure.
london. Marcia

ton benches. They are not hamp.,,,
by sense Of responsibility and a..
liberty 10 take an aggressive par,
debate and to attack ministers r,.s
vohemence and fine irony Ronu,.,,'
arc rapidly made by vigorons
caustlc assailants under normal 80
tions. and government supporters h...
embarrassed by the necessity for ,.,."
defence and official decorum. are ~
~ 4 serious disadvantage. Ono a, :,
anomalies OF The present situation :.
Westminster f. the shrinkage of deh.,
ing power on the Unionst side p.
constitutional questions at issue ar. :,
momcntous importance; the governm.,.
Is supported by unstable factions viii,
are not bound together by common I,
terests; and guerilla warfare ough, I.
be easy and effective, and yet the maia.,
speeches in Opposition have been Dan
and spiritless and ambitious youngys,,
have not pushed their way 10 the from.
Mr.. Balfour and his associates in n.
last Unionist government have not bs,,
reinforced by rough riders and dashir,
cavaliers eager to make regulations n,
gallantry and energy.
Mr.. Austen Chamberlain. II is true. ha,
improved as a debater and speaks with
increased huency and authority; bu, "a
has been Chancellor Of the Excheou.-
and will be again when his party return.
to power and he cannot be Numbered
among the rising men. Mr. Geor..
Wyndham and Mr.. Walter Long are also
old Parliamentary hands. and neither Of
them IS as effective in attack as he haa
been. The rising hope Of stern. un.
bending Toryism" is the popular Liver.
pool barrister Mr.. Frederick Edwin
Smith, a man Of force and wit. who IA.
not yet reached his fortieth year: bu,
he is constantly employed in the courts.
where he has worked up a remunerat.ys
practice. and he speaks infrequently IA
the Commons. albeit always 10 iuu
benches, so brilliant is his reputation a,
an orator Lord Hugh Cecil. the most
fervid and resourceful debatcr In Oppos.
ton, does not reserve his talents for
great occasions. He speaks daily with
nervous tension and persistent purpose,
and seems anxious 10 recruit a cor.
porars gard Of guerillas for relentless
warfare upon the government. TIE
leader Of fourth party must be genial
ard broad minded a we'll as vigilant ard
aggressive, and Lord Hugh Cecil. With
the face and figure Of a. monk, Is ths
rarrowest and most perverse Of zealo,s
Sir Gilbert Parker Is palnstakIng and
industrious and is qualifying h!mse.
for ministerial functions whenever his
party returns 20 power. and yet he s
not making as rapid progress as d..
batter as his friends have hoped fc'
Possibly he takes too serious view {"
his RESPONSIBILITIES as the member fr
Gravesend, and certainly he Is at times
theatrical and unnatural In deliver.
With all his literary gifts and talent fc'
epigrans. the brilliant author does nc:
succeed in pleasing the Commons so wei
az Lord Castlereagh with his blum aN
breezy cavalry manner. his rasping vote
and his unaffected air as man OF ths
world. He is always In his place. neye'
makes a long speech nor loses his ten
per. and low down In the thirties, as -
ts. he IS already formidable adversary.
Mr.. Goulding is another Cnion'st Sn'
is steadily rising in the estimation os3
party associates. but his power Is eIs''
cised behind the scenes and he seldo-
takes part IN debates. Lord Helmag
is also a promising recruit for the TOTES
and he IS never backward about spesS'
ing. although he waits for 2 nod OF a.
proval from Lord Hugh Cecil Ihes
nothing Of the monk about this gem.
smiling viscount Of thirty-two. HetS
Joys politics and revels in hot hgft
A score ot maiden speeches have na
heard with curiosity and sympathy du'
ing the opening debates Of the new Par
lament. II Is one Of the traditions o'
the smoking room at Westminster 'ne'
the future Prime Minister can be 'den''
fed when he first rises TO ask 'Ae 'n'
dulgence Of the House FOR his inexpeH'
ence. and close observers watch 'nten"
for premonitions Of coming grea'h."
when unfamiliar voices arc heard. lH'
new men on the Unionist side this year
have been ineffective and disappoln'lns
Mr.. Neville. a barrister represehuns
Wigan, has been the wittiest amus
them. Mr.. William Waldorf Astor 'n'
most self-possessed and Mr. Hans.
Smith the most fluent. but not ohe y
them has disclosed as much for'e
character as Mr.. Redmond's bellise'e''
son. with a voice like the crack u
whip. The speeches which have "'1
the pivots of great careers nave
made. like Mr.. Disraeli's and MI oS''
stones. from the Opposition henches"'s
after the first hating sentences Wv
heard in the Commons. Apart iFoh' -
Balfours onslaught upon the f"
ment bill. ending with the shrlll CT!
Fraud! there has been since JanO'
no performance Of the first rank on W.
side. The Unionists in every ''iS'
strength have been hopelessly ou''''
hatod. -.
There ar, two reasons for ths
parity IN debating ability. Ihe
I'n!onist seats are ordinarily allot'sa
rich men. who can afford 10 pay w
and make liberal coh,'"
tions TO the party exchequer. Inc o'', -.
ambitious men with talents lor f'
life are condemned 10 hopeless 'o"'.
for seats which cannot be odp',
The complaint is constantly hea'' .
the Conservative clubs that ho'"'''