THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5008, 4 July 1903, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

("M.A.P/0 Mr Ritchie is an interesting personality after his own fashion. In some ro epects, indeed, ho is one of the potent influences of the House of Commons; and this is the more remarkable because it is difficult to see what it is exactly which gives him influence. He is not a good speaker; indeed, ho is a bad speaker; ho has no commanding knowledge. Up to the time ho entered Parliament he was a Scotch jute merchant, and possibly he has never been half a month of his life outside the narrow bounds of those isles. Nor has he any advantage of birth or family connection. He is one of the few exceptions in the present Government of a man who is entirely outside the social ranks of the Cecils or the other great houses. Nor is Mr Ritchie's position. to be attributed to personal popularity among his own political friends and associates. Indeed, there is a section of the younger Tories which, 1 believe, pretty cordially detests him; he is regarded as an interloper on sacred prev serves. HIS RECORD AS A MINISTER. And yet there he is, holding one of the throe or four great offices in the Government; stepping from one great position to another; and now in charge of the* finances of the nation. This is but a small part of his record as a Minister. Pew people outside the House of Commons

know it ,for Mr Ritchie is not a man to attract public attention; but there is no man in the House who has passed s-ti manyand such largo measures. It was Mr Ritchie who created, the London County Council; it was Mr Ritchie who amended the factories Act: it was Mr Ritchie who passed the Licensing Act which has recently produced so much turmoil among the publicans. All these measures were highly contentious; affected powerful interests; were vigorously opposed;;'and not a single one of them had a clause which did not bristle with difficulties. And yet Mr Ritchie carried them through. It is this success in carrying measures which accounts for the dislike of him in certain quarters in his own party. Ho is regarded aa a wolf in sheep’s clothing; in other words, as a Radical anxious and successfully .carrying Radical legislation while a Minister in a Conservative Government. THOROUGHLY SCOTCH. I must say at once that I do not believe * there Ts the least ground for charging Mr Ritchie with Radicalism; he belongs it is true, to the democratic section of the Tory party, but he is not in the least a Radical. The reasons' of bis success are that he is very adroit watches how things are going with consummate skill, knows when to be pliant and when to be obstinate, and has great force of character. It is this force of character which baffles bis enemies and enables him to .withstand many attacks. The broad shoulders, the raw-boned strength, the features massive and pronounced,’ the heavy and virile stride, and the quiet soil-control—all these things mark the typical Scotchman. Indeed, that sums it up; Mr Ritchie is a success because ho I is so thoroughly Scotch.