Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1908 — PEOPLE OF THE DAY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PEOPLE OF THE DAY

s Britain’s New Premier. Herbert H. Asquith, the new prime minister and first lord of the admiralty of Great Britain, has been chancellor of the exchequer In the Campbell-Ban-nerman cabinet since December, 1906, when it was formed. During the illness of Sir Henry Campbell-Banner-man, whom he succeeds, he has officiated as spokesman for the government The new premier is a Yorkshireman, about fifty-six years old. He was a protege of the late William E. Gladstone, whose attention was attracted to him by a speech he made at a dinner of the Eighty club a good many years ago. Mr. Gladstone saw the pos-

sibilities in the young man, and Mr. Asquith’s political future was assured from that time. He is a remarkably able lawyer, with a fondness for epigrams, and is considered one of the keenest debaters the commons has known since Mr. Gladstone. He is a hustler, too, for* all bis calm demeanor, and is always at work. He has been a busy man since he was sent to parliament in 1886 from East Fife, when Mr. Gladstone at once took him off the benches and made him secretary of state for home affairs. Mr. Asquith is a man of strong likes and dislikes, one of his pet aversions being the house of lords. Whenever occasion arises he advocates its abolition

An Expert on Manuscripts. Herbert Putnam is doing very well with the library st congress, and be never did a better thing tor it than when he secured Worthington C. Ford as the head of the manuscript department. There among the stacks he keeps his eye out tor manuscripts. His father during his long association with Greeley ip the Tribune accumulated a lot of pamphlets and some manuscripts, but Worthington buys something worth while for the government. He has enriched the library, and he himself Is so rich in his learning that congressmen have to take him on faith. Th.ey go up to his desk, and in the presence of a constituent they timidly pretend to a friendship with him that they know is hollow, and they hurry away lest he should find them out. Out of his presence they tell their constituent what a great man Ford is, just as if they knew all about it Malcolm Ford, Paul Leicester Ford anjl Worthlngtop C. Ford—three brothers, all admirable in their way, and now Worthington Is working on alone and Is doing bis useful job very well up in the library of congress.— Harper's Weekly.

Judge Gray of Delaware. Judge George Gray of Delaware, whose friends intend to present his name to the national Democratic convention at Denver next July, is well qualified to fill any position to which he may be chosen. The record of his public service Is long and creditable. Judge Gray is a native of Delaware, by profession a lawyer, and is sixtyeight years old. From 1885 to 1899 he represented his state in the United States senate and since the latter year has been United States circuit judge of the Third judicial district. President Cleveland signed his nomination to be chief justice of the su-

preme court of the United States, but withheld it because be deemed Mr. Gray’s service more valuable in the senate President McKinley named him one of the representatives of the United States to arrange the treaty of peace with Spain. President Roosevelt appointed him chairman of the anthracite coal strike commission, which in 1902-3 sent 170,000 men back to labor at increased wages and better living conditions. Judge Gray is unalterably tpposed to the admission of Asiatic abor into this country.

HERBERT H. ASQUITH.

GEORGE GRAY.