New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-07
London, August 90.

Il their UtS' iiii' " hulIdIIl
and Mr.. Alfred Lyttelton. both of
s,m had been Cabinet Ministers and
,old have been Ministers again had
hay lived. OF the twelve principal
n.mbers in the last Unionist Govern
r.nt under Mr.. Balfour, 19o2-i905, six
80 now dead; Mr.. Richie, who was
chancellor Of the Exchequer: Mr..
arnold Forster Minister of War; Mr..
,,,tslion. Secretary OF state for the
co,ories: the Duke Of Devonshire. Lord
prssdent Of the Council; Earl Cawdor.
rrst Lord Of the Admiralty. and Mr..
u,v,aham. Chief ecretary Of ireland.
an these were strong, capable men.
NJ Rltchie was a sound man Of bust
ass. Mr., Arnold Forster had only too
,,.,v talents. The Duke of Devon
,A,rs is irreplaceable. Lord Cawdor
,sd done much and would have done
.,ore AZ the Admiralty and in the
lords. Mr.. Wyndham was a favorite
~ fortune and of the House. Mr.. Al
red Lyttelton, said the Prime Minis
,.r his political opponent, of all men
=, this generation, came nearest to the
would and ideal Of manhood"
Nor has death been their only enemy.
Mr. Chamberlain, though he still lives
and stin retains his seat in the House
n Commons, can never again hold
oHce. he takes no part in the pro-
c4edings Of the House and little or
rnne in the councils Of the party. Diff
f,rent indeed would have been the his
tory Of these last few years had not
Mr.. Chamberlain been disabled by a
stroke Of paralysis. Never since has
the PARTY been led with decision. II
is not led with decision to-day: nor
with the genius and courage which
made of Mr.. Chamberlain a Heaven
sent chief.
When a General Election shall have
returned 10 the House a Unionist ma
jority il is not certain who will he
Prime Minister There is no one
leader. Lord Lansdowne is leader Of
the House OF Lords. Mr.. Bonar Law is
leader Of the 10y of Commons. Since
Lord Salisbury's death, in 1903, there
have been three Prime -Iinisters, Mr..
Bslfour Sir Henry Campbell Banner
man and Mr.. Asquith, all members of
what is ironically called the Lower
House. The House Of Lords exists on
suherance with a right of suspensory
vsto-to use the current cant term by
which Radicals have chosen 10 describe
the coordinate and co-equal legis,a-
tive authority of what once really was
the Upper House. 1t is handicap TO
Lord Lansdowne or 70 any other posi-
bic Prime Minister 10 be member Of
that House. The Commons draw to
themselves all political power, robbing
the Lords on one hand and the people
on the other. and then being them
selves robbed by the present Ministry,
Of which four or FIVE men WELD all the
real legislative power rightly belonging
In the first instance TO Parliament ana
in the last 70 the electorate, now num-
bsring some seven millions of voters
happily as yet all men.
But whoever be leader or Prime Min
ister, a Unionist Cabinet will some day
have TO be sormed. Who will be Min
sters wher that day comes? suppose
Mr. Bonar Law to form II will
Mr.. Balfour serve under him? He is
the enc Unionist who is the intellectual
equal and superior Of Mr.. Asquith; the
one great Parliamentarian Of the party
driven into retirement by cabai; d
woman at the head Of il, Lady Bath
urst, with THE Morning Post when
abe owns, as her instrument Even II
LORD LansdoWne be Prime Minister,
could or would Mr.. Balfour accept an
once which did not involve and include
the leadership Of the Commons? With
eli my admiration for Mr.. Balfour' /
have said, and l must repeat, l do not
lhink he has all the qualities indispen-
able 20 a real leader But does any
body think Mr.. Bonar Law has? re
that as il may, a Unionist Ministry
without Mr.. Balfour is a mockery.
Who are 10 compose il? There are
at present on the Opposition Front
Bench. besides Mr.. Law and Mr., Bal
four. Mr.. Austen Chamberlain Mr.
Walter Long. Sir Edward Carson and
Nr. r. T. Smith. These are the men
who really count. Lord HuPh Cecil
sits, or did sit, below the gangway' ou'
be cannot be omitted. His brother
Lrd Robert. may also be suggested
and Mr.. George Cave. and there ar,
others Of less mark, who must DE III
Guided for numerical reasons. Lore
Salisbury last = ,inct contained
nineteen members. Mr.. Asqulth's ha'
lwenty-one. The number is not likely
10 be materially reduced. In the Loru'
you may reckon half dozen men ~
cabinet rank. past or prospective ou'
" Is 10 the Commons and to the com
mons only that you must look for th'
material out Of which a working anc
nsntng Ministry must be fashioned.
Where are they, or. beside those
nave named. who ~-e they? how car
You draw up a list Of possible Unionis
Ainisters and say that, as whole
'hey equal in Parliamentary ability TN