The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-01-11
Interesting Sketch of the Canadian
Orangeman Who Leads Tories
to Utter Defeat.
He is Native of New Brunswick
of Scottish Parentaee and of q
Mediocre Ability.
Absolutely Devoid of Magnetism
He Supplies its Place by Use Of
Violent Language.

Tho story is told that when hIr.
Gladstone proposed the lato Lord
Sclby. then Mr. Gully. for tho ONCE Of
speaker Of tho House Of Commons, In
succession to Mr.. Speaker Peel, MI.
Balfour, turninA to Joseph Chambers
lain, asked, "Who is Gully?" It would
not be- accurate to suggest when the
announcement was made last year
that Mr.. Bonar Law was elected leads
to Mr.. Balfour that any member OF
the government sitting OH tho treas.
ury bench asked, "Who is Bonar
Law?' Though he was quite unknown
in the country, he had a reputation
in tho House as a promising young
man. with commercial and Industrial
experience. He was known as an ar
dent tariff reformer, and made some
effective speeches on the subject; and,
further. he filled tho office OF parlia-
lncntary secretary to the board OF
trade from 1909 to 1905, says the Sgd
ncy Press.
His Career and What He Looks Like.
Mr.. Law is of Scottish pareutage,
but WAS born in New Brunswick,
Canada, and is "a years Of age. He
first entered parliament in 1900 40
member for the Blackfriars division
of Glasgow, but was defeated in 1906
by Mr.. l5arncs, the lubor member, who
has represented the constituency ever
since. He was an ironnlastcr and
chairman OF tho Scottish Iro1masters
Association, but retired from business
solno ten or twelve years ago with
his money madc-no bad achieve
mcnt for n man WHO was then but q
little over 40 years OF age. In ap-
pearance Mr.. Law is far from pre-
possessing. He is five feet ten or
eleven inches in height, is spare or
figure, has a sallow complexion.
long neck, strong jaw. high cheek
bones. deep-sct eyes, ana an expan-
is brushed fiat across his head, and
his dropping mustachc turns inward
ut tho corners. He is alert in his
bearing. and is light OF foot; he can
laugh heartily Oh occasions. It Is not
recorded whether Mr.. Law ever work.
cd at manual labor, but, Judging by
appearances. lo might just have Left
tho anvil. having laid aside his leatll.,
or apron and uonlled his frockcoat.
It, is Il matter Of nOtoriety that the
Belfast Oranscmen, who, OF course,
associated the leadership of the UNI
onist party with blue blood and pa
tricia.l lnicr, Wero visibly shocked
when they gazcd upon tho bourgeois,
not to say plcbian, features Of their
dclivcrer.
He Is Devoid Of Magnetism.
Pl1ysiognon1y and physique, how
ever. in Il party leader, are but dross
compared with other things. A man
may be lean OF stature and gault Of
feature, provided he has magnetism,
breadth OF intellectual vision, vcrsa-
tility, craftsmanship. Bonar Law is
absolutely devoid OF these, and his
undoing has been his cndeavor to
supply their places by violent Ian
guage and reckless speech.
Bonar Law is, IL the true sense Of
the words. a stop-sag leader. Mr..
Balfour's position having been made
impossible by the young bloods of the
unionist party and the "whole-hog-
gers" he retired. Walter Long anu
Mr.. Chamberlain Immediately took
tho field as rival candidates, and In
order to avert split, Bonar Law, to
tho establishment Of the political
world, was selected as leader 1t was
Il hurried, d panicky. an exigente
step. Had he every virtue to qualify
{, him but two, namely that he was not
a territorial magnate. but was town >,
bred, that he was not churchmarr
but Presbyterian, he would be dis.
qualified for the position Of leader Of
the unionist party - these We're the
principal barriers to Joseph Chamber
lain years ago-but when these dis:
qualifications are added to his own
wcll-known defects, what chance has