The Daily News THURSDAY, APRIL 9. THE BRITISH PREMIERSHIP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 94, 9 April 1908, Page 2

The Daily News THURSDAY, APRIL 9. THE BRITISH PREMIERSHIP.

Tilt- kiiteidoseope lias taken a slight turn; the pieces have moved; there li-is Ih'oii a change. Th* l Premier in every case is the very soul ut I Ik* governing I)'mly. Tlio body may >tili go oil thoug i tlu- soul be changed; but the vigor, tli" Mrength. the uVfulnes>, llie lift; of tin* body i- wholly dependent upon the nature <it lli,. new soul which ha* come 1 o animate it. Willi tlie resignation ot iN Premier, the tlovernmeui of Sir llcnr/ Cinnphell-Kanuei man. of coutM', conMitutionally die*. to be born again with a new ><iul in llie pei'Min of Mr. l lie soul will readjust the body to ivndej it more pleasing to its animating spirit; a few members that have -howil cmi--1 spiemuu power will no doubt be invite* lo "come up higher." where a larg.'i scope will be afforded to their powerbut practically it will remain much th >anie. Tlx.' purpose in life (if both son ami body will remain unchanged, "I though there limy be displayed a niarkc dillVreneo ill tlie manner of tlie work manship. Naturally, the soul that ha |M-M'd obtains liitie more than a pa> Hi" note of regret; it is the new genei ating Sim of political life that has arise upon which all eyes are ea^t.

it is more than twenty years since Mr. Asquith entered the House of Commons, where at once he made his mark. In 18!« the late Mr. lihulstone chose hici upon a momentous occasion to discharge a groat duty, and he did it well, lie was then young and, it may be said, politically 'unknown. Rewarded by "s. high position in the Cabinet, scope was aitorded for the development of hi, powers as an administrator as well is a Parliamentary speaker, and sinco then, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, he attained to the second highest oilicj in the kingdom. His admirers speak of some of his verbal deliveries as "brilliant," whilst lus abilities been written of as "transcendent." This is about the unkindest kind of thing that could have been measured out to England's new il'rcmier, liecause from one to whom so much is credited vast performances will be expected. At the same time, words have been written about- Mr. Asipiith which lead lo Hie conclusion that, however brilliant he may have proved as an arm or a leg ol the governing body, be is not- likely to prove a- shining success as an animating soul, llis speeches are ever severely logical, convincing in their reasoning, satisfying to the judgment, but deadly cold. ' Imagery, warmth, feeling, fervor, passion, he has none. He is a maclunu that- works onward with unerring faith fulness aud accuracy, but whoever loved a machine? In ihe cold, classical atmosphere, of the House of Commons a ..real intellect may exercise overwhelming power, but out of doors fail to louse the people to the slightest enthusiasm.

Two men once appeared i" AustraliaCharles Don. a stonemason, and Wilson Cray, a banister, whose bones lie" here in New Zealand. These two men, by their natural platform eloquence, thrilled the people who heard them to the wildest enthusiasm; both were returneu to l'arliament, where both proved conspicuous failures, thus proving that (he <|iialities that captivate the people ar.' not the qualities that will to power in a purely deliberative assembly. The converse applies. Is a man with the cold-bloodedness of u lizard however high his administrative abilities and intellectual gifts-over likely to awaken such a lieavtv goodwill in the people of Kngland that they will return overwhelming majorities to support him 111 Parliament? In the meantime the rule holds good "to speed I lie parting, welcome (lie coming guest." "The King is dead, long live the King!" The faints of the old king—if he had any. an I whatever they might be—are forgiven: the praises of I lie new monarch arc sung. Nothing more is to be expected from him who is politically dead; all eyes arc bright with anticipation at the appearance-of the new power. It may he predicated that he will carry his governing bodv strictly along the old Familiar liberaf paths; that the Administration will have infused into it the life and energy of a younger and perhaps more purposeful soul; but the kindly geniality and the tactfulness and perhaps the patience that did so much to render good old Sir Henry popular will be wanting. The present of Commons was returned to support Si'Henry: as in New Zealand, it remains to be seen liv a general election what the feeling of the people is towards a different kind of spirit that has conic to exercise authority over then.