ENGLAND'S NEW LIBERAL GOVERNMENT.
Great Britain has recently experienced one of the greatest political
revolutions she has ever known. The conservative party, with Mr.
Balfour, one of the ablest of modern scholars, at its head, and with
Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, a powerful orator and a forceful political
leader, as its most conspicuous champion, had won a sweeping victory
after the Boer war, and this victory, following a long lease of
power, led the Conservatives to believe themselves invincible. They
assumed, as parties made confident by success often do, that they
are indispensable to the nation and paid but little attention to the
warnings and threats of the Liberals. One mistake after another,
however, alienated the voters and the special elections two years
ago began to show a falling off in the Conservative strength, and
when the general election was held last fall the Liberals rolled up
a majority of something like two hundred in the House of Commons. A
new ministry was formed from among the ablest men of the party--a
ministry of radical and progressive men seldom equaled in moral
purpose and intellectual strength. My main object in visiting London
at this time was to become acquainted with the personnel of the new
government and learn of their program.
Before speaking of the ministers, just a word in regard to the
king, who is the head of the government whether it be liberal or
conservative. The government of Great Britain is always in harmony
with the House of Commons, and as the ministers speak for the king,
he does not emphasize the virtue of consistency, for he may be
put in the attitude of advocating a thing to-day and opposing it
to-morrow. He is not expected to have opinions upon public questions
or, if he has them, they are always presented with the understanding
that if the ministers will not adopt his views he will adopt theirs.
It is much easier to be a king now than it used to be and the
burdens of a monarchy have been very much lightened in the nations
which, like England, recognize the omnipotence of parliament.
I was very glad to avail myself of the opportunity offered by a
private audience to meet his majesty, King Edward, and to be assured
of his personal interest in the promotion of peace. The king has a
very genial face and makes the visitor feel at ease at once. He has
a knowledge of world politics and, by his tact and good nature, has
done much to promote cordial relations between his own and other
countries. It may not be out of place to correct an impression that
has gone abroad with regard to the style of dress required of those
who are admitted to the presence of the king. Because knee breeches
are worn at court functions many have understood, and I among them,
that they were required on all occasions; but this is not the case.
Most of the calls made upon him informally are made before lunch and
the ordinary black coat is worn. The requirements are not as strict
as they are in Russia, Japan and Sweden, where I was advised to wear
an evening suit for a morning call.
[Illustration: KING EDWARD VII.]
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, a sturdy Scotchman, is the new prime
minister, and those who know him intimately feel that his selection
is a vindication of the doctrine that patience and courage, when
joined with merit, are invincible. He is now well advanced in years
and during his entire public career has stood unflinchingly for
democratic ideas. He has not been discouraged by the fact that he
has often been in the minority; on the contrary, he has felt as
confident in his position when he has had to maintain it amid taunts
and jeers as when his speeches brought forth applause. He is not as
great an orator as Gladstone, but he has a very persuasive manner
and his fine sense of humor gives brilliancy to his speeches.
In outlining the policy of the Liberal party last December, he
credited the victory at the polls to several causes--the tariff
question, the Chinese question, the educational problem and
municipal questions. He pledged his party to certain reforms and
boldly advocated a reduction of military and naval expenses. He
pointed out that there could be no retrenchment in taxation if the
appropriations for armaments and for armies continued to increase.
He has been called a "little Englander," but that did not deter him
from uttering a protest against rivalry in the building of warships.
In view of his utterances in favor of arbitration and against
militarism it was most appropriate that he should deliver the
address of welcome at the recent session of the Interparliamentary
Union, better known as the peace congress. His speech on that
occasion was an epoch-making deliverance. In no uncertain tones
he threw the influence of his ministry on the side of peace and
opened the door for the adoption of a far-reaching proposition in
favor of the submission of all questions to investigation before
hostilities are commenced. He used the North Sea incident as an
illustration and urged the extension of the powers of the board of
inquiry. His now famous exclamation, "The Duma is dead--long live
the Duma," illustrates both his moral courage and his devotion
to representative government. The sentence was a part of his
peace congress speech and was uttered in the presence of the duma
representatives who left Russia before the proroguing of that
body. It electrified the audience and has been widely commented on
throughout Europe.
Few premiers have had so large a majority back of them or possessed
so fully the confidence of their supporters, and the program
prepared by the ministry is a most comprehensive one. It is too much
to expect that the Liberal majority can be maintained on all the
questions which will be under discussion, but it is evident that
the new government will have a number of important reforms to its
credit when it finishes its work.
The president of the House of Lords, the lord chancellor, is one of
the most popular of the Liberal leaders. His name is Robert Reed
and he is also a Scotchman. He is a rare combination and one of the
most lovable of men. There is a striking resemblance between him
and the Edinburgh statue of Walter Scott and in his heart there is
the democracy of Burns. With high ideals, an eloquent tongue and a
disposition which attracts men to him, he is especially fitted for
public life, and it is to be regretted that upon retirement from
his present position he becomes a judge, for the bench does not
afford an equal opportunity with the forum for the molding of public
opinion.
[Illustration: SIR HENRY CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN.]
The foreign secretary, Sir Edward Grey, is a man who would attract
attention anywhere by the strength of his face. He reminded me of
the late William Evarts, of New York. He played an important part in
the campaign which led up to the Liberal victory and his selection
was regarded as a fitting one. His position, however, is not so
difficult to fill, because Great Britain's relations with the other
powers are quite amicable.
We extended our stay in London in order to hear the minister of
war, Mr. Haldane, make his argument in favor of a reduction in the
size and cost of the army. By the courtesy of our ambassador, Hon.
Whitelaw Reid, I had an excellent seat in the gallery of the House
of Commons. The reader may be interested in a brief sketch of this
most ancient of parliaments and most powerful of all the factors
which enter into the political life of the British Isles. The hall
will seat sixty per cent of the members--an astonishing fact to an
American who is accustomed to see each of his senators, congressmen
and state legislators occupying the seat assigned to him for the
session. The members who are present sit on cushioned benches,
resembling church pews, and these benches rise one above another on
each side of the hall. The Liberals sit on the right of the speaker
and the front bench is reserved for the ministry. The Conservatives
occupy the benches at the speaker's left, the front bench being
reserved for the leaders of the opposition. On the left, but farther
from the speaker, are the Irish members and the Labor members. There
is a narrow gallery on each side, which is occupied by members when
there is a large attendance, and there is a small gallery in the
rear for visitors. The ladies' gallery is just over the speaker's
desk and is so carefully screened that the occupants of the gallery
can not be recognized from the floor. While no one, least of all the
ladies, seems to defend this screen, it still remains. Most of the
members wear their hats in the hall, but as they have no desks they
can not write when a colleague is speaking, although I was told of
one member who occasionally occupied his time knitting.
[Illustration: HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT--LONDON.]
As parliament virtually selects the ministers and as these ministers
are responsible to parliament rather than to the king, they must
attend the sessions at stated times and answer questions. Any member
of parliament is at liberty to submit a question in writing and the
minister is obliged to give answer, provided, of course, the answer
would not make an improper disclosure.
The leaders, facing each other from the opposing benches, present a
very interesting picture and after listening to the discussions back
and forth, one can understand why free speech has had so large an
influence in the development of the political institutions of Great
Britain. Here every idea is threshed out and every measure moulded
into permanent form.
But to return to the minister of war. Mr. Haldane might be taken
for Tom L. Johnson, Cleveland's redoubtable mayor, so much is he
like him in face and figure. He is plausible in speech and so good
natured that no one can be angry with him, however much he may
dissent from his conclusions. For two hours he held the attention of
the house and gallery--an unusual feat in London where the speeches
are not so long as in America. He was frequently encouraged by cries
of "Hear! Hear!" the usual applause in the House of Commons. It was
noticeable that the heartiest responses were drawn forth by his
expressions in favor of peace and arbitration. The reorganization
scheme which he presented provides for a reduction of several
thousand men and a considerable decrease in the total cost, but
to make the scheme more acceptable the remaining regiments are so
disposed as to give the country a larger fighting force than it
now has. It was interesting to watch the opposition benches, whose
able leaders vigorously attack everything that the new government
proposes. Ex-War Minister Foster followed Mr. Haldane and picked
flaws in his plans, but he did not receive the attention accorded
the war minister.
The army question is arousing considerable interest, and the
government bill is likely to have more opposition in the House
of Lords than in the Commons. In fact, Lord Roberts has already
attacked the bill in advance, in a speech which affords conclusive
proof of the tendency of man to magnify his own calling. Nothing
better illustrates the conservatism of the House of Lords than
the fact that the Liberal party can claim but one-tenth of the
membership of that body while it has two hundred majority in the
popular branch of parliament. It must not be supposed, however, that
all the bills passed by the House of Commons will be defeated in
the House of Lords, for while a large majority of that house may
really oppose a measure, they recognize that the very existence of
their body would be jeopardized if it opposed the people on any
important question. Nominally the House of Lords has an equal voice
with the House of Commons, in the enactment of laws, but as a matter
of fact it does not dare to exercise the power which it has.
The navy department has reduced the appropriation for large vessels,
and it is certain that at the next Hague conference Great Britain
will be found supporting a proposition for the limitation of
armaments. Mr. Edmund Robertson, the financial secretary to the
admiralty, presented the government's scheme for reduction and made
a favorable impression upon the House of Commons.
[Illustration: JOHN MORLEY, M. P.]
The minister of education, Mr. Birrell, has been the busiest of the
ministers so far. He has had charge of the educational bill which
has been under discussion for several months and which, after being
perfected in the committee of the whole, has been passed to a third
reading by a majority of a hundred and ninety-two. As the bill
deals with religion as well as education and concerns the children
of the country, it arouses deep interest. In England the public
school system has grown up as an addition to the church schools, or
rather the public schools have supplemented the work formerly done
by the private schools. As these schools increased in numbers and
importance the church schools began to ask for a division of the
school funds and this, as it usually does, brought into politics
the question of religious instruction in the schools. As long as
the private schools were supported by private contribution or
endowment their religious instruction was entirely in their own
hands, but when these schools began to draw their support from the
public treasury the taxpayers objected to paying for instruction in
the creed of any other church than their own. Four years ago the
Conservatives enacted a law which gave to the Established Church of
England considerable advantage over the nonconformist churches in
the management of the public schools, and this led to a campaign
against the law by the nonconformists. Their opposition to the
conservative government contributed not a little to the Liberal
victory and the bill now under consideration in parliament puts them
upon an equal footing with the members of the Established Church in
respect to schools and removes the tests which formerly operated
against nonconformist teachers.[12]
[12] The House of Lords has, since the writing: of the above, so
amended the educational bill that the prime minister has withdrawn
the bill as a protest against the House of Lords. It raises an issue
as to the co-ordinate power of the House of Lords, and may result in
curtailing the power of that body.
Mr. John Morley, the secretary for India, is too well known in
America to require an introduction. He stands in the front rank of
English men of letters and his appointment has given new hope to
the people of India. In presenting the Indian budget a few days ago
he promised a reduction of taxation--especially the detestable salt
tax, and said that a commission was inquiring how far the doctrine
of self government could be applied to the people of India. The
fact, however, that but a few hours were devoted to Indian affairs,
while days and weeks are given to home problems, shows how far the
interests of citizens are placed above the rights of remote subjects.
Mr. James Bryce, the secretary for Ireland, is also well known in
the United States, his American Commonwealth being a standard work
among us. He brings to his duties wide experience and a splendid
mind and, what is more important, an excellent heart. His sympathies
are broad and he has enough Irish blood in his veins to insure an
equitable view of Irish problems.
The prime minister made an excellent selection when he named Mr.
John Burns as president of the local government board. In this
position Mr. Burns has to deal with the subjects to the study
of which he has devoted his life, namely, labor and municipal
affairs. Having worked his way up from the ranks he is able to give
invaluable assistance in all matters pertaining to wage-earners,
factory inspection and municipalization. He is a tower of strength
to the Liberal ministry.
Mr. Winston Churchill, son of the late Lord Randolph Churchill,
as the representative of the colonial department in the House of
Commons, has to deal with the Chinese question in South Africa, one
of the leading questions of the recent campaign. The new government
has undertaken to abolish a system of contract labor which has been
described as little short of slavery. The mine owners insist that
Chinese labor is necessary for the successful working of the mines
and that the conditions imposed upon the Chinese are not severe,
but the laboring men of Great Britain are quite unanimous in their
condemnation of the system and the Liberal government is supporting
their views. Mr. Churchill is a brilliant young man and has, as his
friends believe, a bright future. The fact that his mother is of
American birth gives him a more than usual interest in our country
and makes us watch his career with a friendly eye. His connection
with the important work of framing a constitution for the Transvaal
is likely to largely increase his political prominence.
[Illustration: JOHN BURNS.]
I have left for the last the chancellor of the exchequer, although
in order of importance his office stands near the head of the
ministry. Mr. Henry Asquith, the present occupant of this position,
is one of the strongest members of the Liberal party and probably
its foremost debater. He was put forward to reply to Mr. Chamberlain
in the tariff controversy and acquitted himself well. He is opposed
to the protective tariff, whether levied for the aid of particular
industries or as a part of the scheme of retaliation and his ideas
are, for the present at least, in the ascendancy. If the Right
Honorable Joseph Chamberlain, with the prestige given him by the
Boer war and with his extraordinary ability as a public speaker,
can not overthrow England's free trade policy there is little
chance that any other English statesman will be able to attack it
successfully in the near future.
Mr. Asquith's department has the administration of the income tax
and inheritance tax. The latter has yielded more within the last
year than ever before, three large estates having turned into the
treasury (or will do so) some twenty millions of dollars. The
income tax is not only a permanent part of the fiscal system, but
a commission is considering whether a graded income tax should not
be substituted for the present uniform one. The tax is now uniform,
except that small incomes are exempt.
Besides the measures above referred to, the new government is
preparing a home rule measure for Ireland and proposes to so change
the election laws as to reduce the land holders to one vote each--at
present each land holder can vote in every district in which he has
land. The government is also supporting a measure which protects
the English tenant farmers in their improvements and in their right
to vote according to their own views, irrespective of the wishes of
the landlord. The Liberal victory was a victory for progressive,
democratic ideas and the new government is earnestly at work putting
these ideas into the form of law.