The Twelve Greatest Living Men.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 130, 26 February 1887, Page 1

The Twelve Greatest Living Men.

JL\ another bright and amusing article entitled "A Popular Vote" the "Daily Now? " deals with the perplexing, and one i« tumpi"ed to arid, barren problem, L> Wtio are the I*2 greatest living men?" Trus question, it seems, was originally propounded in "Casgell's Saturday Journal," ana put to the plebiscite of its 40 000 readers. The replies are certainly signifi cant, regarded in the light of what the "Daily Newa " calls "a popular vote;" for it reveals what the average lower middle-class Ensli-hman and woman think as to the world's* heroes. "Mr Gladstone," says the writer id the " Daily News " with evident delight, "wine the apple, or, in nao^'ern phrape, ' takbS the cake.' He comes iv first by 32 344, with Prince Biemuick veiy clopo up with 32 240. This really is much to the credit of Prince Bismarrk Even in a foreign country ho ha<? almost as muny votes as Mr Gladstone. Now if the competition had been in Germany, and if the readers of a German popular paper had boon the judges, we doubt whether Mr GU'Jsfrone would have run Prince Bismarck a-* hard for the prize of the greatest. This* shows what a fair minded people the Eugli-h are after all. A further glance at ' tha result of this plebiscite i-» t-t ill more buggeetive. Loid Tennyson corner third with only 23 0M votes. Alter tho Poot Laurete comes M. de Lepeeps, who ran the poet very close indeed. Then c<*uio Lo'd Woleeley and Lord Salisbury, after whom came Moltke ; and the:) Mr John Bright and Lord Randolph Churchill The three remaining winners are John Ku*kln, Henry Irving and Mr H. M Stanley. "Neither Mr Hyndman," says the witty commentator of the "Daily Newd," " «or Mr IJenry George, Mr Lohmnnn, the Surrey bow It r, nor JSIr W. G. Grace, nor CMiarlea vVood, nor Mr Arthur Roberts, nor Air John Corbett, nor Mr Punch received as Hi(*r>y ac a thousand votes, all which dispUya a want of catholicity of judgment " "It is odd," continues the writer, "that Canon Farrar got into his thousand and that M. Kenan did not ; that Mr Browning just secured a place, while Mr Matthew Arnold was unplaced ; that General Boular?gor was nowhere j that the Rev. H. W. Boecbor defeated the American President, the Czar, Sir Arthur Sullivan, and Sir Frederick Leighton. Judging by votes, Lord Woleeley is fivo times as great a as Sir Frederick Roberts, and Pro lessor Huxley seven tiroes as distinguished a man aq Mr Oliver Wendell Holmes. . . « . Mr Spurgeon about thrice as great, a man ac Cardinal Manning, who is also in receipt of a thousand points from his HolioeBB the Pope.