New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-02

corgc W. Smalley)
unfortunately and inexcusably forgot
ten. Bat his renown in Parliament
also was won i'm debates on finance, IN
which he measured himself against
MIR. Chamberlain, not perhaps an act OIL
prudence on Sir Edgar's part " you
reflect on Mr.. Chamberlain's power OF
retcrt. and on his great knowledge not
only of finance but of tnanciers. but
MIR. Chamberlain could be mereiiul
when he chose. o..
Well. for one reason or another, SIR
Edgar's ambition, a supposed amoluoh
of a peerage. remained, during all these
years OF both Radical and Conservative
government. ungratifed. II Is Mr.. AS
ouith who nov commends his claims 10
the consideration Of his most gracious
Majesty: and successfully commends
them. True. Sir Edgar has lately been
serving as Chairman of the Domiulons
ROYAL Commission; a post perhaps OF
itself important enough TO warrant
Prime Minister in making him a Baron
of the United Kingdom. Let us not
inquire too narrowly into motives. Inc
House of Lords is not yet an elective
body.
Nor is the English Press, which is
presumably the authentic voice Of the
English Democracy, in the habit OF
discussing personal questions win
that unreserve which in England is
supposed TO be a characteristic OF the
American Press; and of certain Ameri-
can papers is in fact characteristics
The English. at any rate, pay tribute
of respect to what is irremedlable'
They respect the accomplished fact,
even when they have protested against
its accomplishment. A very striking
and even picturesque example may be
seen in the case of Sir Rufus lsaacs.
Ii was at one time supposed that his
transactions in Marconi shares when
he was Attorney General and Cabinet
Minister would make his appointment
as Lord Chief Justice of England i'm
possible. The Press rang with pro-
tests against il. Whatever the exact
nature or degree of Sir Rufus's error in
availing himself Of information which
came from the manager of company
having contractual relations with the
Government of which he was member,
il was an indiscretion for which he eX-
pressed his regret. The great journals,
with their wonted solicitude for i'm
maculate virtue in high places, de-
clared there must be no appointment
open 10 question OF SusplClOHy anu nv
stain on the judicial ermine.
But, when Sir Rufus had actually
been appointed-his Peerage as Lord
Reading following hard after-they were
silent or, whispering they would ne'er
consent, consented. The leading jour
nal of all remarked that the thing
was done; that there was no undoing
1t. and that acquiescence was the only
6ienired course "The Daily Mall" in
which the invective against the Mar
conf Minister had been most energetic,
observed TRANQUILITY that Sir Rufus
Isaacs's appointment would meet with
general approval. II was felt, in short,
that to attack Sir Rufus lsaacs would
be to attack the Lord Chief Justice
ship itself; with nothing to be gained.
And when. only the other day, Lord
Hugh Cecil referred to it in the House
of Commons, some of the Back Bench
Radicals retorted in their genial way
with cries of Coward" the House, as
a whole, felt that silence was the only
suitable comment. G. w. S.