Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-10
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Fifty years ago William E. Gladstone,
premier Of England, was dangerously i'll
c,., in London at the age of
UlauSCone IT, Fears. that he would
TlIuess not survive were ex-
nes'' pressed in The Star of
August 4, 1880:
I'm tie. event of Mr.. Gladstones
death or withdrawal from active poll
tics, who will take his place at the head
OF the government and as leader and
director of the Liberal party? That is
a question of great moment to the
party. and in attempting to find a sue
cessor for Gladstone the Liberals will
learn his true value, If they have not
appreciated it heretofore. There is a
trying time for the new government in
the immediate future. There are diff
cult questions relating to the admins
tration of internal affairs to be deter
mined, like the Irish compensation bill
and the new taxes. In the foreign
ONCE the Afghanistan War, the Greek
frontier question and the situation OF
affairs in Turkey present matters for
the gravest consideration. Without the
ability Of Gladstone to guide them the
Liberals may shipwreck their party upon
these diff1cult problems"
This apprehension was not wholly
justified. Gladstone remained in active
duty for IA years longer and his death
did not occur until 1898.
Maudlin sentimentality over law
breakers is not new manifestation.
=, It was in evidence so
Sympatny IOT years ago to marked
cr;,,;na1. degree. The Star OF
oAAHinoAS' August 5, 1880, says:
"Balbo, the young italian who MUIR
dered his wife in the dead Of night and
then fed with such of her possessions
as he could turn into money, will pay
the forfeit of his crime upon the gallows
in New York City tomorrow morning.
Balbo committed a brutal and cowardly
crime, but there is nothing in the trial,
conviction and condemnation In his case
to distinguish 1t from others of the same
kind, except the marked evidence of the
growth of an overstrained sentimentality
on the part OF the public. As In the
case OF Chastine Cox, Balbo has been
visited daily by scores and hundreds of
both sexes, who vie with each other in
showering attentions upon him. The
choicest flowers were kept fresh in his
cell and his palate was RECALLED with the
rarest delicacies. the gifts of new-found
friends, who no doubt will be unable to
explain their admiration for or sympa-
thy with the criminal. Such attentions
as these were entirely new to the con-
demned man. He had lived as an out
cast. upon whom prior to his imprison-
ment nobody wasted any thought or
sympathy. His crime seemed to have
made him hero or martyr, deserving
commiseration and care instead of con-
demnation and punishment"
=
"An old politician is quoted as saying
the day Of the orator is past and. the
The Passing 1Tgit OF his remark is
of 0ratory. star OF n august 5. 1880
taken upon itself the duties formerly
imposed upon the orator, and the people
appear to be decidedly pleased with the
change. But few years ago grand
barbecues and field days of oratory con-
stituted the chief feature of a political
campaign Now 1t Is difiicult to get out
respectable sized audience to hear tine
political discussion between DISTINGUISHED
leaders. The man who has been en-
gagged at business all day takes his rest
at home in the evening, secure in the
knowledge that If the discussion con-
tAinS any good points he will find them
In his newspaper next day. The news
papers of the day are the first to give
intelligence Of all political movements
and incidents. and the orator must nee
essarily thresh over old straw Even in
Congress, where our most brilliant men
are found, the day of oratory is past.
The real work OF Congress Is done chiefly
in the quiet of the committee room, and
only on rare occasions can the galleries
of either house be filled by the an
nouncement of a forthcoming speech.
The Republican and Democratic COM
mittees, in the management of this CAM
paign. place more reliance upon the dis
tribution of sensible reading matter
than upon the sending out OF speakers.
The newspaper has certainly superseded
the orator."