New-York tribune., 1911-11-27
THE NEW LEADER
Personal Characteristics A
Force in Reserve.
London. Novemher IL

cttcr ministers, tho artists I'm the press
gallery srook their heads Gespondently.
for they saw a Scottish face. when
would not lend itself to processes of
pictorial satire. Nothing could be done
with the deep sunk eyes, with their sug-
gestion OF melancholy, nor with the up
right forehead without trace If sensI-
/ tiveness or character; and II something
could have been made Of the powerful,
| fighting Jaw. the effect was impaired by
the dropping mustache. which con-
cealed the firm, straight mouth. While
/ he was tail and spare, Ike Mr. Balfour
! there was nothing in the erect figure to I,
| inspire erotesque treatment for carica-
ture. What could Sir John Tenne do
/ with the prosaic w. H. Smith, when he
had been having rare sport with Dizzy
and Gladstone: and how can Sir Car
ruthers Gould get any fun out Of this
| busnesslike and unaffected Scot? Mr.
Law is 4 dull subject for a cartoon, but
he is likely to prove better fighter than
Mr.. Smith and a more resourceful
! leader. The cheers with which the
| Unionista welcomed his first appearance
! I'm the Commons after his promotion
! proved that warrior had arisen to give
/ the signal for strenuous fighting.
7 Mr.. Law has never invented striking
| phrase nor polished an epigram. he is
not subtle reasoner, nor fussy and ini-
cal in his choice Of words: he is not a
| fervid orator capable Of appealing with
! impassioned eloquence TO partisan feel
| ing; he rarely makes gesture and has
never mastered the art of addressing
popular audiences. He has the plain
manner OF a business man telling practi-
cal truths which everybody can under
| stand. He never consults a note nor
hesitates for word; and he has the
reputation Of being as fluent and ready
a debater as Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain
used to be I'm his prime When he de-
livers important platform addresses the
! secret is revealed that he has a phe-
nomenal memory. for proofs Of the
speeches are supplied to the reporters
and they discover that he is repeating
the text word for word. While he pre-
pares his speeches laboriously he is
always cool and lf-possessed when
| interrupted, and behind the pleasant,
Scottish accent there is a deep under
! tone of conviction. II he has become
the most persuasive speaker on the Tar
! if Reform side, it is because he is
master Of the facts, presents them with
cumulative force and has profound faith
| i'm the cause Humor and rhetorical de-
vices he lacks, but he has a blunt,
caustic style, and drives economic truths
home with acrd invectiye.
The succession to the Unionist leader
ship has brought the sharpest possible
contrast between Mr.. Balfour. with his
academic training, his subtle intellect,
his sympathies with landed gentry and
| Established Church and his respect for
! the courteses of debate and the ameni-
! ties of life. and Mr. Law, with his mer-
camille intelligence, his businesslike
habits, his broad minded imperialism and
his abrupt, plain spoken manner OF deal
ing with adversaries. Yet, unlike as the
| two men are the younger owes his in
PRODUCTION to public life to the elder
statesman. Mr. Balfour met Mr. Law,
played golf with him and was impressed
with the lucidity Of his mind and his
talents for politics. Discovering that the
iron manufacturer was weary of business
drudgery, Mr. Balfour urged him to
stand for Parliament. The advice was
followed. and an important Glasgow seat
captured with the help of resentful Irish
voters. Mr.. Balfour having brought the
promising Scot into public life, left him
TO work his own way TO the front. Mr..
Law took line of his own in advocating
tariff reform with unequiyocal earnest
ness and practical ability. He became
hard hitter in debate and never spared
an antagonist. Everybody knows al
ready that the day for pretty compli-
ments and amiable understandings be-
tween the front benches has passed and
that an irreconcilable conflict between
parties has opened.
Mr.. Law was never fond of society,
and since his domestic life was over
shadowed With bereavement he has been
more taciturn than ever. Modest and
retiring as he is he has a passion FOR
public business and the Scottish habit
of deciding matters himself and not al
lowing outsiders TO make up his mind
for him. The Cecils considered II their
privilege 10 manage Mr. Balfour and %
revise his opinions; and whenever he
showed signs of rebelling against their
authority they either sulked in their
tents or joined in intrigues against him.
They cannot control the Scottish heir 10
the Unonist kingdom. He has the mas
terful instinct of independence. which
has made the Scot irresistible in more
countries than his own. Lord Hugh
I Cecil from the corner seat below the
gangway may look on with disdain and
Mr.. Austen Chamberlain and Mr.. Walter
Long as chief armor bearers may overs
whelm the new leader with advice, but
he will be his own master and will nos
divide responsibility with any one
glance across the House at that iron jaw
beneath the dropping mustache will con-
vince any doubter that the Scot is alone
in the saddle and will ride hard.
There is indeed. only one statesman
who can overshadow the new leader in
supreme emergency IL is not Lord
LansdOwne, with all his experience and
brilliant talents nor is II any rival In
the upper chamber. The Parliament act
by degrading the legislative Lords and
converting an absolute into a suspensive