Mr. Arthur Bonar Law, P.C.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 1, 5 July 1911, Page 2

Mr. Arthur Bonar Law, P. C.

The British Leader of the Fight to Rescue Canada from Reciprocity.

IT was characteristic of that pillar of conservatism in the House of Commons, Arthur Bonar Law, to set about the undoing of American reciprocity with Canade the moment the news of President Taft's now famous pact had reached London. If, as so many of his admirers insist, Mr. Law is a coming Prime Minister of England, the cornerstone of his policy, as we read in the London “ Standard,'’ will lie the destruction of reciprocity between the Dominion and the States through the purely commercial process of a preferential rate. Canada is to be given the British market when she has given up the American one, and the bribe will be, in the opinion of those who uphold the economic theories of Bonar Law, quite too tempting. Nor does Bonar Law talk merely of tariff in his campaign. He is the spokesman and leader of those Bri-

tons who see in Canada's pact with the States the entering wedge that may split the Empire upon which the sun never sets. As he is the most conspicuous figure next to Arthur James Balfour in the whole opposition, as he commands the ear of his countrymen in all that relates to tariffs, and as he represents to his native bind the sum of all the forces opposed to free trade with the foreigner, the Canadian reciprocity pact arranged by President Taft conferred among its other blessings a special importance upon Arthur Bonar Law. There is not the slightest fear that Canada will linger long beneath her jrew American spell if wo may accept the judgment of British Conservative dailies. Mr. Bonar law will open her eyes. The greatness of Bonar Law at Home has still to be realised in the United States. A leader of the Unionists in the Commons, he clamours in and out of the House that Britain is for the Britons. He has expended much energy in the past aeven years in vociferations that

Canada would yet be induced by representations from Washington to kt down her tariff barriers. He does not proclaim his ideas eloquently or with brilliance, for Nature denied him the shining gifts which render Lloyd-George s<> emotionally effective when he refers to the blerisings of free trade. To tlio London “News,” indeed, Bonar Law the Gradgrind of English politics, a, dealer in hard farts, lie is a man who, we read in the London “Alail,” springs no swift verbal surprises, who has little or no appeal in the tones of his voice. He is that incarnation of British heroism the average man, not witty not clever, not magnetic, but so much to the for© that he may succeed Arthur Janies Balfour as the leader of his party. The very absence of those brilliant qualities which have raised contemporary British statesmen to international re-

nown has made the solid and serious Mr. Bonar Law illustrious, according to the character sketch in the “London Mail” by its Parliamentary correspondent, Mr. Frank Dilnot. An entire absence of ornament in speech, we read, but the conspicuous presence of common sense, “a terse and forceful exposition of practical matters,” are Mr. Law’s distinguishing characteristics in debate, lie never tries to convey the impression that he is brilliant. But it was not until he found himself out of office, in company with his leader. Arthur James Balfour, that the strong qualities of Bonar Law became evident to Britons. “From the time he took his place on the front Opposition bench with Mr. Balfour he Ims been steadily building a nams for himself as a big fighter, a stalwart, with a business equipment such as few statesmen bave, who is prepared to Imttle always, under any circumstances* will)

*Ju» nimble wits on the other side. - ’ He can slate a case as convincingly as can Crime \l.ni-ter A qnith himself. Io no -c is Bonar Law a phraseiraker, like Lloyd George, his great antagonist in the House oi Commons. Mr. Law meets the coiners of epigram with f neeful facts, forcefully arranged, assert • our London authority. “Verbal subtleties are not for him, and it is a testimony to his worth that he has succeeded' by his simple directness.” His political aptitude as well as his business training led him early to see that tariff reform was to be one of the great political motives of the Age, and he soon acquired a place of prestige among the champions of that preferential tariff idea with which the name of Joseph Chamberlain is so conspicuously associated. Time and again did Bonar Law assure the House of Commons that the United States and Canada would enter into just such a reciprocity agreement as has been al-

ready effected—and a bad day would that be for the British Empire. Bonar Law seems to the “London Mail” to be endowed with just such a mind for the Cassandra like functions of dire prophecy. Ho has the facts of commerce at his finger’s end. From boyhood he has been in the habit of coming to close quarters with facts. In Bonar Law the House of Commons has no fervid prophet running to words. Here is rather the man who, having convinced himself that a certain course is necessary. will work without any personal ostentation, but with a certain grim ruthlessness until his object is attained. “That is how Mr. Bonar Law reveals himself. He stands at the table of the House of Commons, a tall, spare (figure, with a suggestion of Scottish gauntness about him. He is generally in a long frock coat or cutaway. He elands very erect, one hand by his side, the finger of the other hand resting lightly on the box in front of him. He has no gestures, and he consults no notes.” Thus seeming to an onlooker he pours out a steady stream of facts and arguments, effective against his cleverest opponents yet to be understood, seemingly, by the merest novice in politics. That would appear to be one of Bonar Law’s secrets of effect—his lucidity, his complete grasp of his topic and the directness with which he seizes ami controverts an argument, be it the most incisive, advanced by the other side. The speeches for which Bonar Law is so celebrated in and out of the Commons arc described by our contemporary as “amazingly factful.” His efforts are the more impressive because he never makes use of a note. Once in a long while, we read, he will thrust his right hand into the left breast pocket of his coat ami draw out a small sheet of paper containing some reference or some quotation. But he restores it to his bosom or lays it on the table in front of him