New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-30
London, February u.

Many things have been well saiu
about Scott and Oates and their COLI
rades: among which the hnest Single
sentence | have seen is from the Leu
tiers Of an Englishman" in the DAILY
MALI:
They are made one with the heroes
of all time"
In it's noble simplicity that may al
most match with SCOTS last message
or with Commander Evans's inscription
on the memorial to Oates:
"Herea bouts died a very gallant
gentleman"
Well may the Temps" Of Paris say
that these heroes found the right word
on the instant: and that they did not
need to ri e TO the sublime; they were
there already.
have heard but one jarring note,
and that came from an Irish Nation
alist, true heir TO the Irishmen in the
House of Commons who cheered the
killing Of Englishmen by Beers, and
EHBllSn defeats III Soulh ain" SNH
orally. He said:
Yes, Scott is the last Of the great
Englishmen. There will never be an
other. The race is extinct"
II Il is extinct, II must have died
very suddenly indeed. For some forty
years | have known. and | still know
certain number of the scores and scores
OF thousands who have spent their lives
in far lands from a sense OF civic and
Imperial duty. They have given up
homes and fortunes and the kind OF
happiness most men cling TO. They
have embraced hardships and danger
and death; as they still do and will
continue to do They are the builders
and martyrs Of Empire. OF this great
company Scott was one.
So far Is II from true that Of great
Englishmen he is the last, the exact
contrary IS true. He Is the link be-
tween the generation that passes with
him and the not less we'll moulded gen.
Grafton which is To come. His fate
has appealed not only TO the sympa-
thies but to the imagination Of his
cOuntrymen. He has sown the seed OF
a new harvest On all sides YOU near
the rising voices OF the younger men
doing homage TO his example. What
you do not hear is the silent pledge to
emulate the completeness Of his devO-
ton and the beauty Of his surrender
But you cannot be among this people
with its heritage OF great traditions
and not know that the spirit is there.
nor doubt that Scott has lifted the
thought Of England into the regions
where his spirit dwelt When the King
went 10 81. Paurs all England went
With him.
| have never believed that the fight
had died out Of England. or the sub
stance from the character OF the Eng
lish. What they have wanted Of late
years is a leader Even In the civil
affairs OF public life they have had
none. They have none now. The one
voice they would have followed is
heard no more these five years past.
Plenty Of able men but no leader ex-
cept in actual battle: this last is never
wanting. They have leaders OF Par
liament-Mr Asquith stands high IN the
second class-but no leaders OF the
people. That Is why Parliament
usurps the prerogatives Of the people
a M IA q ne re
turned aside as stagnant. But wait
till the real crisis comes. When that
comes. and no man 10 take command,
then and not before will be soon
enough 10 say that the last great Eng
lishman is low.
II is not the men OF England who are
decaying. but the women: and not very
many OF them. only the noisiest If
you remember the letter Of Sir Aim
roth Wright in The Times" last year
you will remember the physiological
women to take part in public affairs
The militant suffragists have .ince
been doing their best 10 prove how just
was his view Not only they. but some
OF the less irrational suf'ragists who
do not think political salvation IS TO
be sought through broken windows
protested against Sir Almroth's reals
tic statement. Even women who were
not suffragists protested. They dill
not like these mysteries OF sex unveiled
in the marketplace. But the miltants
have since laid bare to the general gaze
the innermost secrets of sexual con-
formation in brain and heart. They
and not Sir Almroth are the true Of
tenders. His was a scientific account
Of certain morbid phenomena attending
natural processes inevita BILE in the life
of women. These periods he described
as disabling them from sharing ci.ic
burdens with men. The militants have
gone further, They have proved that
women Of their own type are at all
periods unfit for public life, and inca
pabl OF reasoned conduct.
All which is preface 10 the state
ment that Sir Almroth Wright is pre-
pairing and will soon publish second
letter on the general lines OF his first.
II may he hoped he will hold it back
till the next suffrage bill goes 10 a d.
vision in the House. His first letter
was issued at just such a critical mo-
ment. In the opinion of men who were