An Anecdote of Mr Gladstone

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 320, 28 November 1888, Page 3

An Anecdote of Mr Gladstone

Mk Cjlkws relates a story of a mooting between Mr Ulyiuneey Depew (who succeeded to the Presidency of the New Yotk Central), whilo visiting London, with Air Gladstone, then Premier of "England, afc a dinner given to the latter, with whom he dUuusbcd the differences between American and English railroad and financial management. Mr Gladstone, according to Mi' Depew, said that he ' understood they had a man (Air Vanderbilt) in the States who was worth £20,000,000, or $100,000,000, and that it was in property which he could convert at will into cas.li.' ' The Government ought,' the Premier considered. 'to take his property away from him ; it uas too dangerous a power for anyone to have, as by convetting it into money tk nd locking it up he misrht cieato a panic which might extend to every part of the world, and injure a j>reab many innocent people.' Mr Depew is repot ted to have replied that there Mas a man m England (the Duke of Westminster) who had a< large a fortune. This Mr tilad&Lono denied, u~* he knew all about the duke's property, which was worth £10,000,000 or 500.000,000, but it was not in Focurities which could be turned into ready cash, ?o that the duke could not make any dangerous use ot it. 'it i=>," said Mr Gladstone, 'inalienable, and it is so with all great fortunes* in this country, and thus?, I think, we are better protected here in England than you aro in Ameiica,'to which Mr Depew answered, ' Ah, but, like 3'on in England, we do not consider a fortune chuigeious.' [tig, ot com^e, necessary to make allowance for the circumstance that tins anecdote is of the ' hearsay ' kind, for such stones never lo^e in lepeating. — 'Truth.'