THE R0MANCE OF POLITICS.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 55, 15 June 1908, Page 7

THE ROMANCE OF POLITICS.

NOT DIAD. 710 V INFAMY TO FAMI. The reenanee of polities is not fieaA The new British Premier was at the eutaftt ef hi* career an assistant mest«» in a liendoa school; while Mr Lloyd* feerga, the new Ohanoellor of the Xxehequwr, yes •» poor as poverty. Mft Burns wee eae of the irst men in a bit **• Whom the new Premier oV fenced fct Ale Bar. In other days ro» atmawa ef a different type were assoeieM with the high offices of State (remarks 'St. James's Budget'). The man by wbom our modern political system was shaped, Walpole, was notorious before he was famous. Hie father intended him for a grassier, fend by way ef initiating him into the amenities of eountry life, used nightly to make him drunk, in the belief thai a son should not retain his sobei senses to see his father tipsy. The first thing in political life to make Walpele's name generally known was a political job for which he was impeached. Contractors, to secure favor, were compelled to grant ar concession to a friend of Walpole, and to buy him out for £IOOO. Walpole did not benefit pecuniarily, but as a prelude to a reign of power almost unexampled he wan found guilty of "a high breach of trusd and notorious corruption," expelled the House, and disqualified for re-election during that Parliament. THE SOLDIERSTATESMAN.

Many ehangeß have come about in the duties discharged by our Minister* ef State, and some have had the effect of cancelling, some of restoring the old. We once had a commander-in-•hief ef the army as Prime Ministers Wellington being, of course, the man. There would probably have been no objection to his holding the double office, but fer the fact that the command of the army was an office of patronage. Wellington himself saw no obstacle in the way ef his holding both. He accepted the Premiership and retained hie military rank, until his colleagues pointed out te him that he ought to resign the int We do not hear to-day ef the head ef the army holding par* ltamemtary office, but the Prime Minister is supreme authority in naval anflf military matters. He may not be Com* mandw-ln-Chief or Lord High Admiral, tat he is President of the Committee ef National Defence, a position for which Sir Henry Cempbell-Bannermans at any rate, was peculiarly fitted, seeing that he was the most successful Minister Lord Wolseley ever knew* MAN PROPOSES. Nobody could heve dreamed threw years ego ftf the changes which are tAlv fag place In the political world to-day. The ejender ef it seemß without precedent. But every generation has fta politieal changes just as great. In the unpretentious little bouse of a Londot magistrate there sat, with others, * man who had just been defeated at an elestion, and a second who had the eftee ef Home Secretary. tte younger man talked of the injustice he had experienced in his campaign. Tut ether listened with interest, attracted by the spirit and manner of his youthfnl eompanion. "Well, now, tell me," be said, when the other had ceased—"tell me what do you want to be?" "I wsnt te be Prime Minister," said the young ©an quietly. The other sat laek In his ehair with a gasp. He flfetdfsstly patched his companion for a moment or two, then drew a long rfigfc %td answered him at length. '■ THE ISSUE. The proposition had been seriously made, and the answer was as free from jest. "Thsre is no chance of that in eur time," said the Home Secretary. "It is all Arranged and settled. Lord Gray is an old man, but when he gives up he will'certainly be succeeded by one who has every requisite for the position, in the prime of life and fame, of old blood, high rank, great fortune, and greater ability. Once in power there il nothing to prevent his holding office at long «s Sir Robert Walpole. Nobody can compete with Stanley. . . . There is nothing like him. If you are going into politics, and mean to stick to it, I dare say you will do very well, for you have ability and enterprise; and if you are careful how you steer no doubt you will get into some port at last. But you must put all these foolish notions eut of your head; they won'f do at all. Stanley will be next Prime Minister, you will see." The speaker himself became Prime Minister within a very fewmonths. It was Lord Melbourne. The other, man, Disraeli, vaitod for 85 years before disproving the Impossibility of attaining the ambition which he confided that night if m Cable 61 Mr and Mrs Norton.