ROMANCE OF POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 152, 18 June 1908, Page 4

ROMANCE OF POLITICS.

• f FROM INFAMY TO FAML. ; NOi DEAD. f ' The romance of politics is not dead. . The new British Premier was at the outset ol his career an assistant master [ in a London School: while Mr. Lloyd(icorgc. the Chancellor ot the Exchequer, ! was as poor as poverty. Mr. Burns was , one of the lirst men iu a big case whom the new Premier defended at the Bar. ' In other days romances of a different type were associated with the high olli- . cos of State (remarks St. James's . Budget I. The man by whom our mod- . ern political system was shaped. Wnl- . polo, was notorious before he was fainoils. Hi-, lather intended him for a , grazier, and by the way of initiating him into the amenities of country life. . Used nightly to make liiui drunk, in the , belief that a -on should not retain his , sober sense- to see his father tipsy. The , lirst tiling in political life to make Wal:1 pole'- name generally known, was a . political job for which he was iinpeach- , eil. Cintlfactors, to secure favour, were compelled to grant a concession lo n .! friend of Walpolc. and lo liuv him out ". for CIIIIHI. Walpolc did not benefit pe- , euiiiarily, but as a prelude to a reign of power almo-l unexampled, he was found ! guilty of a " high breach of trust and j notorious corruption," expelled the I House, and disqualified for re-election , during that Parliament. Many duties have conic about in the ~ duties discharged bv our Ministers of , state, and some have had the ell'ecl of cancelling, some of restoring the old. . We once had a, commander-in-chief of the army as Prime .Minister: Wellington being, ot course, the man. There ,' would probablv have been nn object ion lo his holding ollice, but for the fact that the command of tile army was an [ ollice of patronage. Wellington himself . saw no obstacle iu the way of his hold- '_ ing both. He accepted (he premiership . and retained his mililarv rank, until , his colleagues pointed out to him that I he oic.dit to resion (he lirst. We do not . hear to-day of the head of the army , holding Parliamentary ollice. but the Prime .Minister is supreme authority iu inwal and military matters. Ho may not be Commander-in-Chief or Lord High Admiral, but he is President of the Committco of National Defence, a position for which Sir Henry Campbelllianiieiinnn, at any rate, was peculiarly fitted, seeing that he was the most successful War Minister Lord Wolselcy ever knew. Nobody could have dreamed three years ago of tin? changes which are taking place in the political world to-day. The wonder of it seems without precedent. Bui every generation has it--political surprises just as great. In the unpretentious little house of a London magistrate (here sal, with others, a young man who had just been defeated at an election, and a second who held the oOlee of Home Secretary. The

Nobody could have dreamed three years ago of tile changes which arc taking place ill the political world to-day. Tin* wonder of it seems without precedent, lint every generation lias itpolitical surprises just as great. In the unpretentious little house of a London magistrate there sat, with others, a young ninn who had just been defeated at an election, and ii second who held the oOlci! of Home Secretary. The younger man talked of the injustice he liad experienced in his campaign. The other listened with interest, attracted by the spirit and manner of his youthful companion. •"Well. now. tell me." lie said, when the other had ceased—''tell iin> what do you want to lie?'' "1 want to lio J'rinie. .Minister.'' said the voung man cpueily. The other sat hack'in hi's chair with a gasp. He steadfastly watched his companion for a moment or two. then drew a lonir sigh and answered him at length. "Tile proposition had been Seriou/ly made, and the answer was us free from jest. "There is no chance of that ill etime." said the Home Secretary, * '''.' all arranged and settled, Lor-' „"" I s an old man. but when |,„ . a Grey ,s «ill certainly be succeed" '-? w * "I 1 "' has eycrv requisite fe ■<;« ''>' ?»<' «'!«' the prime of ife a-'// the position, in high rank. an,,' "' fa"*- ni « W '''"l"'' ability, (luce ' ■<■ l'»>'«»'«,'- -™ 1 « r f; , . t, ' r („ m . nat ■ in power, there is nothing •sir l'ob' llis ""''l lll '-' "H"' l ' as lo "-- Y :ls wic ■ -'it Walpolc. Nobody can 001,1- ,',„(■' with Stanley. . . . There -s ning like him. If yon arc going into ~olilic=. and 1 am to slick to it, I dare say Mm will do very well, lor you have ability and enterprise: and if you are careful how yon -leer, no doubt you will i:el into Milne port at last. Hut you Hill-,! put all these foolish notions on! of your head: they won't do at all. Stanley will be next 'Prime Minister, you will see." The speaker himself became Prime Minister within a few months. It was Lord Melbourne. Tinother man. Disraeli, waited for livo-aml-thirty years In-fore disproving the impossibility of attainiii" the ambition which lie'confided that night at the table of Mr. and Mrs. Norton.