IMPERIAL STATESMEN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13728, 19 October 1908, Page 7

IMPERIAL STATESMEN.

THE LEADING FIGURE*. Tbe Parliamentary Session has been exceptionally industrious and abundantly fruitful. But it has not given birth to uj new reputations- Tbe men who have shooe in it had already given proof of their talent* and nearly ail of them b»loog to the Ministerial hierarchy. Under modern conditions of Parliamentary work, leas and leas opportunity for acquiring individual distinction to afforded to men outside the Ministerial 'circle. But the example of Mr Harold Coxton ot» the Liberal ride, and of Lord Rober: (Veil on the Conservative, has shown tha & private Member, who has courage an« tenacity, can still make his mark, even though the field for his energies is bo circumscribed. THE PRIME MINISTER. The outstanding feature of the Session hw been the ascendency of Mr Asquith. In fact, as well a* in name, be is the fijGt man £n tbe House of Commode. When.Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman resigned 5 early in April, .Mr Asquith sue ceeded to the finit place in-the Government with universal acclaim. His success as Prim* Minister has astonished people who had only a superficial knowledge of his character. The notion had b.-en widely held that Mr Asquith was a. cold and arid man of Whiggish tendencies. Never w;ra there a greater misconception. It was probably a constitutional shyness . which gave the iutpr.esion that* be was distant and selfcentred. The truth is'that he is a man of- warm affection*, with emotional sympathies that long years in the Law Courts liar* not succeeded in repressing. And to far from being a Whig, be is an advanced Liberal. He has given ample proof ia the 1 present S«sion of his strong convictions and democratic fibre. As Prime Minister he has shown strength of will, powers of swift decision, and a ■ereoe .indifference to hostile criticism that aro the * marks of a strong and resolute - character. He leads the House of Common with conspicuous ability. He can be stern and firm; be makes heavy demands on it* .powers of work; but he has never tried-its patience or offended its collective sense. A certain atiffoe s of manner tuuugohe. He is more.genial and richly it Oman as leader than, bk was as C'han- " cellor of the Exchequer. - Mr Asquith is setting the fashion for brief speeches. Except when unfolding .hia 'epoch-making Budget in May. and in ; that marvellous piece of lucid exposition when he introduced the Incensing Bill, bis speeches this Session hive teen under the hour an>l mcst of them hart occupied 1-.» than half an hour. There is no such master of terse and concise speech in the House. LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. Ir took Mr Balfour some- time to adapt himself to the very democratic •rmcspbere of this Hotw of Commons. He wa» at his worst in the first Session, and new Members 'tnarvolfea that th'ii mni» »hould hare governed England. In the second s S'."tsion more sympathetic relations were established between him and tb« House; and in the proem S**iou the charm of his personality and his keen intellectuality have conquered it. - Familiar grown he pleased, and with attractive grans woo "the most averse." Mr Balfour's splendid talent* shine the more because they stand out-, in sharp relief against a background of dull mediocrity. Tariff Reform has denuded the Conservative party of men of first-class ability. Mr Churchill and Colonel Seety have been driven over to Liberalbtn, where their talents won them a warm welcome; Lord Hugh Cecil and Lord George Hamilton are in the wilderness; Mr Gibson Bowles has been ostracised; Mr Chamberlain is ill. The result of tbis impoverishment is seen in the condition of the present Opposition, than wbuh a feebler has not been known at Westminster for a generation. Without ii« brilliant and rtsovrcelul leaner the Oppcs turn would be almost non-existent. "I be Opposition, e'est moi;" th»> might well i>e >lr Balfour's boast. tie was absent for three weeks in mid-session own..: . illn£>*. It seemed as if au at my had vanished from tb* field. The strategy shown by Mr Balfour during the section has been crude, ite dared nut antagonise the democracy by openlv r ess ting the Old Ap IVitsious •>•». »■.. he dealt it many a covert blow. To the Miners' Eight Hunts Bill he offered an un befitting resistance trom the liehrf tlu- popolar opinion i» opposed to it ; ami against tbe Licensing Bill and the Education -ul he.decta jaed with shrill veh«m-:nce. His conception - Toryism is that it exists - • protect and champion the vested interests. Not a very ennobling (unction fur a gie.tt party in a free Staie. With the my Itemocracic opinion.* of >om« of his followers he has not a scintilla of »ympat|iy. - e has succeeded -n keepiug I*iotection well in tbe background. - ariff reform may figure on platforms in the country. Theie is none to do it reverence in the ..ouse vi Commons except Mr Bonar Law, Mr (•oulding. and Mr Rowland Hunt. CHANCELLOR OF Tc. EX CHEQUER.

Mr Lloyd Oorge. with »wift and eager feet, from one Jazzlnii; ><ucer>-> n> inotlMr. He lMg>n the section by u inning * frvh triumph with hi* I'm: of London Bill. «h ch was rec»iv.-.l with an nnhrokea cltoru.* of approval. Mr .\ujnith vacateti the Lnani-elhir-liip. i«>pu iar opinion pninVii to Mr l.loyil (imrge .is bi« iirfvitable «accr>uu»r. At the outset h - fii> m>t iwppy in hi* new oftjte. flu fjrlr HjKevlitfci as I'hamyllor <l>Kip|)<i:nie'l :he Hou'e. The old tire wa« uaiilini;. There wu a ]j>k »f rithtH-s* m thrm arm a portrty oi d.a*. He s*eu»r<i ilnvii by the butihn of hi.* n«-» t.»|i,in aibiliti«s. Hi* native t»oi>y.«n«'y .«r»-1 ...* poretn of jvoiiniUtiiiu tame to h<* aid ; and. to the of ;h*- Hou-v. lie »«xm his old self aj;ain. .soiiiing .uuhl than lis handling of thr t'.-i Ag< Pension* ltill. It i» no rxaggeratiou to «ay that uobtxly on either t run: hem h <»nid have got ibn important lliea*uie fluough tlx iluil«e Hrith »o liitlf tri> rioo. His d-*w resjMii*ibilitie» at the Ki< h«qu*r will s*Ter«-ly try th'- mettle of Mr Lioyd (ieorge. A falling teveuu# mihl iatgr or* lubdili'o ar»- hml'ly >UI-r phenomena to th*- < u*;>Hl:an of tho cation'* tiaancw. M« Lloyd ll.org.- i* a 4 lliow" perwti* vU<j ate "xhdataiel in peril. It i* prolval.lv tjui hi* 'taring »od rrsuuu-^ 1 w II rnablf hiui to build a trinmph uul of vt-rv unpromn;iig in- r'i »U.

SIR EDWARD ORF.Y. Sir Edward Grey is a curiou.-lv aloof figure in our Parliamentary life. The absorbing duties of the Foreign Office nifikfi enormous demands on bsi time. He s seldom in the Hou.se, except when some discussion on foreign affnits requires his presence; and never pauicipates in debates on anv question not connected witn his own department. Th's detachment dots not help tire Government, for bO powerful a speaker and so .staunch a Liberal could be of great assistance in some of our domestic controversies. But it probably tends to increase the authority of Sir Edward - Grey himself. Xn man carries greater weight in the House of : Commons. To no one does -- listen more tead'ly. In the present Session Sir Edward Grey has spoken with immense effect on many occasions. Two of his speeches one on the capture of enemy merchant ships in time of war and the other on the King's visit to licv-il — stand out as landmarks in the Senium. Both of them altered the complex on of the division lk><6, for doubts were silenced in the one case arid waveiers won over in the other. The effect of tjir Edward Grey's oratory is heightened by the loftiness of his character and his directness of purpr.»e, and by a forthright s'm . of utterance which is very refre.-hing. Tliere is never any doubt as to what he means. He noes not' linger in the "twilight of dubiety." His unvarying courtesy and his imperturbabil'ty under adverse criticism add to his power in debate. Some aspects of his policy carte misgiving, but there is no i man in whose character the mass of Liberals repose mote confidence, or of. whotc talents tbev are move proud. * MR CHURCHILL. Mr. Churchill, whose fresh and vivid j personality is now yoked to -the commerce, of tbe nation, hits not been prominent in tbe work of the Session. But bis speeches in Manchester and Dundee, richly lieighted as they were with ideas and throboing with social zeal, rank among the most notable utterances of the year in current polit cs. Social and industrial questions are more and mote attracting .Mr Churchill. His e>pe?ch on behalf of the Miners' Eight Hijurs Bill was the finest delivered lrom the Front Bench. He put into his advocacy of this niexsure all the more zeal because it always commanded the sympathies of his father. Mr Churchill ov«-itlow», with iili.il pride in the memory and the achievements of Lord Randolph. - ' in these days of the decline of oratorv it is pleasant to notice that Mr Churchill preserves some of the classical traditions of Parliamentary debate. He is never slovenly in h.s style; he prepares carelully: he lias a setose of the music of woids. His speeches scintillate" with ideas and glow tfith feeling. OTHER MEN OF MARK. Fortune has at last favoured Mr Birrell, whose buccvss with the Irish Universities Bill is a rich compensation for two legislative failures with which his name is associated, but for which be personally had no iota of Ihe Chief Secretary also cauio scathless out of the gland attack on Irish Administration which was heralded by mi loud a fanfaronade on tlu- eve of the meeting of Parliament. No Chief Secretary since Thomas Drurnmond has won w»" .n-cure a place in the affections of the Irish people. Air Burns, in the' closing weeks of th<» Session, has recovered his old position in the House. His speech this' week on the administration of the Local Government Board was irreproachable alike in Mibstance and tone; and tline has been a growing approximation brtween him and' the social reformers in the Hou*-. Beneath Mr Burns'* stern exterior there beats a golden heart, and tlime who know him best ar.- confident tliji he will play an honourable aud distinguished part in devjiing a practical policy for uealing with the unemployed. «)t the younger men in the GoVernin.nt Mr Hetbert Samurl has won golden • ■imu.iio by his conduct of the Children Bill. < 'olinel S.tly w showing high capacity jj I'nd.r-Secretary for the Colo iiws, and Mr Mi'6teruian has brought to lh ■ Treasury Bench gifts of rliKjuencr and the 'iithusiai<m of a zealot, for wicial reform.

Among private l Members Sir Thomas Whitt&ker lias been conspicuous by reason of his masterly grip of the Licensing Bill, and Mr Harold Cox has built up a high reputation for incisive speech aud oinct-r----itv of purpose. On tbe Opposition side. Lord Robert Cecil has shown tirehes zeal and a great deal of ability in resisting Government proposals. Among M. mhers who have rendered valuable tervice in Committee work are Sir William Collins, who presided with consummate skill over tbe Committee on tbe Hop Industry; Mr Russell Rea, Sir T. P. Whit taker. Sir Francis C'banning, and Mr J. W Wil «<"». HARRY -lONKS.