JOHN MORLEY IN DISGUISE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 230, 22 June 1908, Page 8

JOHN MORLEY IN DISGUISE.

The House of Lords has in its time staged striking scones. In its way none was moro notablo than ono, .happening on Tuesday night (writes a London correspondent, under date May 8), when Mr. John Morley, disguised in scarlet gown, ermine tipped, walked in. announced as "Viscount Morley of Blackburn." Now that Bob Reid, tho sometime radical member for Dumfries, is tmnformed into a Lord Chancellor, specialty acceptable to '-blue-blood Tories, thero remained. only tho transmogrification of Mr. Morley to completo what, a few years ago, would have been regarded as impossible. It would be idle to attempt to disguise the fact that Mr. Morley's acceptance of a peerago' gave-a pained.surprise to his many personal friends and i political admirers. It is the sort of distinction which rich men buy.It docs not add'a cubit to the moral or intellectual stature of tho biographer of Burke, Cobden, and Gladstone. Some bitter things have been said of Mr. Chamberlain by the political party, ho deserted and Aas since strenuously combated. At least, he remains a Commoner, as did Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Gladstone, and, till the days approaching decadence, Disraeli. It is only fair to state, on the other, side, that thoro was presented to Mr. Morley tho alternative of a peerage, or of interruption of tho work in India, to which ho has grown greatly attachod, and with wboso accomplishment he hopes that his namo may be associated in history. Ho is not in enjoyment of robust health, and advancing years begin to tell upon him. Tho burden of daily attendance in the Houso of Commons, and tho task of replying to argumentative questions of Anglo-Indian patriots below tho gangway, toll heavily upon hiin. Moreover, his voice is 110 longer ( equal to prolonged effort at speech-making, necessary to a member of tho House of Commons inside tho Houso, and occasionally out of it. These were tho considerations that induced liim to seek tho comparative leisure of tho Houso of Lords, which, regarded as a branch of the Legislature, 110 finds neither "mended nor ended."