Evening star., 1915-01-08
Of COMMONS
SOON TO STEP DOWN
Thomas Burt Has Been in English
Law-Making Body
Since 1874.

LONDON, December 22.-The forth
coming retirement of Thomas Burt,
the father Of the house of commons"
has come as no surprise, for the def
mite statement was made some months
ago that the veteran NJ. p. would not
seek reelection. The new father of
the house of commons will be Stuart
Wortley. Mr.. Burt has sat continu-
ously in parliament since the year 1874,
and Stuart Wortley since 1880. T. 2.
OConnor possesses an almost equal
claim to the title. He also has sat un-
interruptedly since 1880, but Ave years
Of his membership was on behalf OF
Galway city, before he went to the
Scotland division of Liverpool. where
as Stuart Wortley has been faithful to
Sheffield from the first.
Held Periodical Terms.
There are other members of the
house who also sat in 1880 or prior to
that year, but they missed the father
ship through periodical terms out
side the house. Among them are Mr..
Balfour, Walter Long, Tim Healy. Mr..
Dillon, Mr.. Chaplin and Lord Claud
Hamilton. Lord Claud Hamilton en-
tered the house as long ago as 1865.
but his membership has had five sepa-
elected in 1868, and only he and Lord
Claud were elected before Mr.. Balfour.
Mr.. Burt's forty years in the house
is not a record. 1t was exceeded by
Lord St. Aldwyn, his predecessor in the
"fathership," who was a member for
forty-two years. A great many long
service members are retiring at the end
of the present parliament, besides Mr..
Burt. They include Lord Claud Ham
ilton Uwenty-six years.. K e.. A; !. Yer Ter
wards (thirteen years) and J. w. .Lo-
gan (sixteen years).
Sponsor for Chamberlain.
Mr.. Burt's biographers have over
looked one interesting incident in his
house of commons career. 1t was he
who introduced Joseph Chamberlain.
II had the distinction of being one of
his Sponsors said Mr.. Burt. He asked
me to take him in, and l readily con-
sented. In spite of our political di-
personal friends
The miners G. o. NJ, as Mr.. Burt
has been called, was the first miner to
be elected to parliament. The son of
a miner, he was working when ten
years of age in a Northumberland coal
mine for some twelve hours q day. An
other of his distinctions is the right
to be called the father of home rule"
j
him because he is the last survivor of
the few English members who voted
with Isaac Butt when he brought for
ward his home rule resolution in 1874
Il put home rule in my first election
address," says Mr.. Burt.
Under Four Speakers.
During his long career Mr.. Burt has
sat under four speakers-Mr. Brand,
Mr.. Peel, Mr.. Gully and Mr.. Lowther.
He singles out Mr.. Peel for his stateli-
ness and dignity. But not one of
them," he declares, "excelled the pres
ent speaker, who has qualifications
which the best of the others did not
possess His readiness of humor. for
example, often extricates him and the
house from many difficulty"
The present is Mr.. Burt's eleventh
parliament. The prime ministers he
has served under are Disraeli, Glad
stone (twice). Salisbury (three times).
Rosebery, Balfour. CampbeIl-Banner-
mann and Mr.. Asquith. Eleven parlia-
ments, seven premiers, four speakers
a wonderful record, indeed!