Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-26
Reputation in England of Sir
Edward Carson.
OPPOSES IRISH HOME RULE
Threatens Uprising in Ulster Should
Movement Prevail.
POPULAR AND MAN OF ABILITY
Sir Edgar Speyer Rated as London's
Traffic King-"Cardinal New
mans Life.''
Special Correspondence OF The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
LONDON. January Il. 1872
The fire eater of Ulster Sir Edward
Carson is very much in evidence these
days. He goes up and down the land
breathing out fire and slaughter against
all who advocate home rule for Ireland
One day he is scolding people in England
and threatening what loyal" Ulster will
do If home rule parliament is establish
ed in Dublin; the next he is in Belfast
cheering up his followers, keeping the
matter hot. arranging for Protestant
army of Obstetrics to fight to the last
ditch and altogether making things lively
Stories Of how the citizens Of Ulster are
drilling come every day from Belfast
and tory papers profess to believe that
Ulster means business. Sir Edward Car
son, however, is very respectable law
yer and no one meeting him would be-
lieve that he was such a fire eater"
If a man may use his life harder than
has contemporaries and look younger
.han any of them 1t rs by way of tribute
to the va.ue of work. Sir. Edward Carson
Is fifty-seven and might pass any day for
man of forty. A tall, but not too spare,
inquire, he comedies a little of his advan-
ldSc u iuCueS ny stopping SIlSntty WHEN
he speaks. His black HAIR brushed back
leaves bare high forehead, in which
there is only the faintest suggestion of a
crease. Beneath. his dark, mysterious
eyes look out with piercing scrutiny. or
almost dreamy repose from the depth of
his rather aquiline features, which one
associates with strength. And in this
case rightly SO, for Sir Edward Carson Is
man of strong will. From his build one
would hazard that his physical strength
mi0ht orr
Starting Point in His Career.
1t is many years since the moonlighters
brought fame to Sir Edward Carson, then
d young member of the Irish bar. 1t
was, however, by them that the starting
point of his career was provided. For
they found him the almost unxnown son
of Dublin civil engineer. and had left
him well on the road to the solicitor gen.
eralship for Ireland. a post which he fill
ed before he had attained eminence as q
lawyer in England.
Sir Edward Carson has achieved his
position by work-the simple, unadulter-
ated hard work Of the man with an iron
will. Nor has his success made the small
est whit of difference. 1t was the late
Lord Russell Of Killowen of whom it was
said that he constantly conducted a case
without reading a brief, confident in his
eloquence and forensic skill. Younger
I1eH OH OccdSIOnS nave ITieO 10 10 the
same with varying degrees of failure
Sir Edward Carson has not. To an infinite
capacity of taking pains he has Joined
insight, quickness. superlatively brilliant
advocacy, and the knack of seeing In an
instant the weak spot in the other case.
His quickness is admirably shown in the
following story. which was told of him
some time ago: During case in which
he was retained he was cross-examining
witness whose antecedents by them
selves might have been sufficient to con-
denim his evidence, And they say,
Mr. - queried Sir Edward, that you
are very hard drinker?
That's my business" replied the wit
ness.
ANY other?' asked Sir Edward, to the
great enjoyment of the court.
Same Rule in Politics.
In politics it is the same He has al
ways done things for himself. Among
public men. and even the half-great, 1t is
the common vanity to seize the first pre-
text for acquiring a private secretary
Up to few months ago there was no
man who could truthfulIy have described
himself as private secretary to Sir Ed
ward Carson, for he never had one. 1t is
since he has been elected leader Of the
Irish anionists and been pushing of home
rule with both hands that he has had
one.
Pressed by his friends, who had visions
of unpunctual replies to their letters, he
at length made up his mind to engage q
private secretary. The gentleman was
duly installed and lost sight of-buried,
people imagined, beneath a mass of unan-
swered letters. 1t must have been a week
later that a friend of Sir Edwards, walk
ing into the Carlton Club, found him
seated at writing table with a pile Of
correspondence before him. On his face
was a half-puzzled, half-dejected air as
he returned his friends greeting.
Can you tell me-" he asked anxiously
''how to use private secretary" The
story il characteristic of him. 1t shows
him eager and anxious to do his own
work with his own hands and his own
mind
1.-The great charm of debate" he said on
one occasion, lis. to my mind, in the un-
expected" So for house OF commons pur-
poses he goes noteless, and, In the COM
mon phrase, unprepared. The truth is
however that he is never unprepared in
debate, for 1t is debate that gives him the
occasion for exercising what is perhaps
his greatest talent. 1t is nice point
whether the gift OF clear and eloquent ex-
position is greater than that of destruc-
tive criticism. Perhaps it is, but there
can be no doubt that in consequence of
the fear which 1t inspires In opponents
the destructive qualities have q moral ef-
feet of their own.
Ability as Critic.
The law courts have proved, and the
house of commons has proved again. that