LORD ROSEBERY'S ACTICITY.

Evening Star, Issue 10808, 17 December 1898, Page 1

LORD ROSEBERY'S ACTICITY.

Dueisg the month of October <he Earl of Rosebery delivered three important speeches, which may be taken as a welcome sign of revived public activity on the part of this talented and popular statetman, who, it must be remembered, is etifl iu the prime of life. We need not discuss the difficulties which led to Lord RosekerVs resignation of the nominal leadership of the Liberal party, nor the probabilities of his reassumption of that position at some future time : suffice it to note with satisfaction that he has lately thought fit to emerge from his temporary retirement and take becoming part in tlr'e discussion of public affairs. Putting party considerations on one side, England—and, indeed, the Empire- r can ill spare the ser* vices of such an experienced and Imperi* 1 ally minded statesman, while the vivacity and attractiveness of Lord Rosebeby's oratorical style are qualities by no means too common in contemporary politics. Most of our readers have probably soen notices of his impressive and timely speech delivered at the most critical psriod of the trouble with France re. specting Fashoda a speech which is generally admitted to have strengthened the hands of the Government to an enormous degree, showing France and Europe that the vigor of English patriotism would not be spoiled in the hour of danger by any considerations of English partisanship. This ppeech we need not further notice, but it may be remarked that afortnight later Lord Rosebery proceeded to Scotland and deli* vered his inaugural address as honorary president of the Associated Societies of Edinburgh University. This address, too, was of a timely character, for though, of course, it did not treat of politics in the particular sense, it nevertheless had a

political significance of a large kind, the subject being' The Demands of the Em. pire.' Lord Eosebehy's object was to show that there never was a time in the history of the Empire when there was such a call as now upon the energy and intelligence of men for the public service, never so urgent a demand for trained skill and public spirit in the work of governing and moulding the Empire, or such opportunities of distinction open to men of ability and patriotism. It will readily be understood that the speaker's manner of enlarging upon this promising subjeci was at once instructive and interesting. The speech should be read as a whole, but we shall find space for one or two extracts. After speaking of the tremendous work done by the " unparalleled " Civil Service, Lord Eosebery went on to say : "In his day " dreams he had wished to add to that " service a department devoted entirely to " the training of young men for the task of "administration, men who would always be " ready to go anywhere and do anything at " a moment's notice, men able to go any- " where and report on any subject— not "in the sense of a Royal Commission—- " (laughter) but in 'a summary and " businesslike manner. (Laughter and "cheers.) . . . His point was this: " That there never was such a demand for "trained intelligenfe and character in our " public services. Enormous abilities were '•given to our public service to-day either " for no remuneration or for only a small "one, and he was glad to think that "public spirit was never higher or broader " than it was at present. - '' In speaking of the different methods by which the Empire is welded together, Lord Robeijeuy characteristically referred to, the excellent influence of " athletic contests " between the colonies and the Mother Country, and he then proceeded to beg his special audience—the students of Edu> burgh-—to keep a close and vigilant eye upon municipal and political affairs, to cultivate the habit of independent thought, to help public men whom their consciences pronounced to be worthy, and to oppose those whom they thought should be condemned. It seems, perhaps, to be an ob« vious and by no means original lesson, but who shall say that it is unnecessary? Would that it might be taken to heart t»y New Zealanders, young and old ! There was no sign so bad, added Lord Rosebery, as political apathy and abstention; but bethought that "under pi essure of news from every quarter of the globe" men were apt to become dazed and dull. "At " any rate, we know that when, as now, " the attention of the country was conceu- " trated upon a single point there was " (Loud and continued cheering.) When, " he said, as now, the attention of the "country was concentrated on a single " point there was as little apathy as need " be.—(Loud cheers.) He should not " appeal even on these grounds to them " if he did not hold a somewhat higher "and broader conception of the Em- " pire than seemed to be held in many "quarters. If he regarded the Empire '• simply as a means to paint so much of " the world red, he should not ask them to "work for it. Land hunger was apt to "become land fever, and land fever was

'• apt to breed land indigestion—(laughter); "and land, however important and desirable in itself, could never be the " foundation of empire. Empires founded " on trade alone must irresistibly crumble, " but an empire that was sacred to him "was sacred for this reason : that he "believed it to be the noblest ex-

ample yet knowu to mankind of free,

"adaptable, just government. - "'—(Cheers.) These are noble words, and we cannot but believe that the statesman who uttered

them is destined to play a further and not inconsiderable part in the drama of Imperial government. It is noteworthy that the chair was occupied on this occasion by one of the most distinguished of Lord Rosebehy's political opponents —Mr Arthur Balfour, First Lord of the Treasury and Leader of the House of

Commons, who is Chancellor of the University. This pleasant kind of cooperation is, happily, not uncommon in English politics, and at the present time there is evidently a strong determination to make party differences of small account in view of the urgency of the Imperial demand. It is only in Ireland that an unpatriotic spirit is to bo found, and it is sad indeed to find a prominent Irish member of Parliament—Mr William Redmond publicly declaring that " if England and France should go to "war the sympathy of' the Irish "people would be with France." It is evident that the Government highly appreciate Lord Rosebery's patriotic help, and well they may. Mr Balfocf, in moving a vote of thanks, said : "Lord "Rosebery had given to-night, and re"cently elsewhere, pleasing proofs of what, "after all, they were all well aware of, " which was that the division of parties, "healthy for any country governed by " representative institutions (cheers) — " not only ought not, but need not, divide

" men when the interests of the Empire "as a wholo were concerned.—(Cheers.) " He (Mr Balfour) did not say that there V had not been instances in the history of " the country when party differences ran "so high that great men were almost " proud of the failure of the country, if " the failure wore associated with the offi- " cial responsibility of the party ,to which " they did not belong ; but those days had •'long gone by—(cheers)—and, in his " opinion, never to return "—(Loud cheers.) We have no space left for a notice of Lord Roseberv's third important speech, delivered at Perth on October 22 ; but it is well worth reading, dealing as it does with the disarmament proposals, friendship between England and America, and the futuro of Egypt and the Soudau.