Part 12 (1/2)

Often I thought his ideas ridiculous: once or twice I thought that he himself must be mad; but even then I ad frankness Occasionally I said to hiet your way, you would , no doubt; but you would make the Pressman the best-hated creature in the Universe” At this he would burst into a roar of laughter, in which I was constrained to join ”I see, you think I'm crazy,” he said once ”Well, not crazy, perhaps, but distinctly eccentric You will coht, however, when you have had a little experience” Thus, in my blind belief in ht and spoke Many a tiht's talk when I have recognised in so development of modern journalism one of the many schemes which Stead then flashed before my eyes We had talked--or, rather, he had talked--for hours after getting ho weary of his conversation, but I knew that the night had passed, and I rose and drew aside the curtains Never shall I forget the look of amazement that overspread Stead's face when the sunshi+ne streaht!” he exclaiht in e of one of the most remarkable and brilliant journalists of ard and goodwill, feelings which I, at least, have never lost I recognised ifts, of sonised, too, his honesty and sincerity, though I had, even then, forebodings as to what ht be the consequences of his impetuous ardour and reckless defiance of old custoood deal fro his re in discovering that he was really deterarded as his wild theories of journalism into practice Of course, it took time to enable him to make his personality felt in the little paper he edited, but he took care to keepWhenever an article of special interest appeared in the _Echo_ I received a copy of it, marked with a blue pencil by Stead At the end of twelve eive hi the year, and the capacity he had shown as a journalist With great willingness I wrote to expressaptitude as an editor Back in a few days came a reply from this extraordinary man It was to tell me that he had shown my letter to the proprietor of the _Northern Echo_, Mr Bell, and on the strength of it had succeeded in obtaining an increase of salary, an increase which I aht, he went through this formality I am confident that Mr Stead himself, if he should read these lines, will not make any objection to my revelation of these little episodes in his early career I have told thehly characteristic of the atory to his reputation

By-and-by, however, a change took place in our relationshi+p Stead was rapidly working his way to the front, and some of themarked copies of any article he wrote on political questions to the statesmen or other public men to whom he had chanced to refer I had always been very sensitiveit as an attempt to force oneself upon the notice of public men in a way that was not consistent with an editor's independence, to say nothing of his dignity

Iin my view Certainly I have known other journalists besides Stead who adopted his practice, and I have no right to sit in judgment upon any of theht to say honestly what he thought for the benefit of the readers of his journal, and that he ought neither to obtrude his own individuality upon those readers, nor to seek to come into close contact with thebefore this period in my life I had laid down a rule for myself which I have consistently observed ever since This was that I would never seek an introduction to any publicthat I had written Stead took another course, and though I could no longer regard hie_ of my own, I did not like it, and I daresay I did not conceal s from him But he could well afford to treat my disapproval with contempt, for his policy answered even beyond his own expectation The fact that his paper was a very save, I have no doubt, additional zest to his very acute and intelligent criticishtly, was the first public man of eminence who drew attention to the articles in the _Northern Echo_, and he very soon afterwards received a visit fro still further his theory of a journalist's duties, sought intervieith others a the foremost men of the time

Carlyle was one of those who succumbed to his fascinations, and when Carlyle one day referred to hiood man Stead,”

the fact quickly became known to the public Mr Forster was another of Stead's earlier heroes and friends, and by-and-by the young editor at Darlington became known to a considerable circle of prominent persons

Thus was the New Journalis hich I can pretend to have htness, its alertness, its close grip of actualities, and its rapid and reer necessary for the editor of the _Northern Echo_, the friend of es of the day, to seek my testinised for what he was--a journalist of exceptional capacity and of great originality and daring

Differences upon political questions drove us further apart, however, than any question of the ethics of editorial conduct The Eastern Question, of which I have already spoken, excited Stead greatly, and he distinguished himself not so much by the vehemence of his attacks upon the unspeakable Turk, as by his unco championshi+p of Russia and her policy in South-Eastern Europe It was not a popular line to take, but Stead followed it with so like enthusiasm It was at this time that he fell under the influence of Madaenerally regarded as the unofficial representative of Russia in this country She was, and is, a lady of great talent and plausibility, and she undoubtedly exercised at one tiuished British politicians I am not prepared to say that Stead took his inspiration upon Russian politics solely fro in the _Northern Echo_ in those days of which that lady could not heartily approve, and thus he made another powerful and enthusiastic friend in the political society of our time

Years afterwards, somewhere in the 'nineties, I happened to sit beside Madame Novikoff at a luncheon party in Mayfair ”I believe you knowour conversation at the table I told her I had known him for many years ”And what do you think of him?” she asked, with an air of innocent curiosity that sat well upon her guileless countenance ”Is he not wonderful? I think hireatest men alive What do you think?” I replied, in a ht him extremely able, and that he had certainly accomplished some wonderful achievements as a journalist

”Ah!” said Madame Novikoff, with an air of quickened curiosity, ”you think that? Now tell me what, in your opinion, is his ht it was his success in cha to do with this narrative, but it was a _cause celebre_ in which Stead employed the methods of the New Journalisravely wronged) No sooner had I explained myself to Madame Novikoff than that lady's face fell ”Ah, I areatest achieve at a wo” Mada about

A politicians of the North in those days was my old friend and fellonsman, Joseph Cowen, of Newcastle He had been to some extent alienated from Mr Gladstone and from the Liberal party by disappointment, but he still called himself a Liberal, and there was no reason to doubt that his political instincts were sound, and that he ain become one of the Liberal leaders of the North He took, as he had always taken, a strong line with regard to Russia, which he looked upon as the parent of Continental despotism and the traditional enemy of human freedom Mr Stead, full of zeal for the cause represented by Madame Novikoff, made a series of vehement and persistent attacks upon Cowen because of his views regarding Russia and the Eastern Question generally One day he senta particularly iht upon the member for Newcastle I considered that he had invited co me this article, and I wrote to hi out that Coas a very sensitive man, was not unlikely to be driven out of the party if these attacks were persisted in, and that his loss would be a serious one to the Liberalis particularly harsh in this letter, which was in my opinion justified by my relations both with Cowen and with Stead

The rejoinder was not what I had expected It ca article in the _Northern Echo_ entitled, if I reht, ”The Editor of the _Leeds Mercury_ and Mr Cowen”

In this article soet what--was held up to ridicule, and was co the leaned by Mr Stead in that night-long conversation under my roof, of which I have spoken in this chapter Needless to say, my talk was not faithfully remembered or accurately represented That, in itself, was a small matter, but the illustration thus affordedof the New Journalisether a pleasant one, and for some years after this episode there was a distinct coolness between Mr

Stead and myself The incident arouses no bitterness now Mr Stead honestly believed that he was entitled to usewhat he regarded as reatest sufferer from this theory on the part of the founder of the New Journalisree a sufferer at his hands, I am, perhaps, the better able to bear testimony to his absolute honesty of intention, and to his unfailing conviction that in even his greatest indiscretions he was acting under the justification of a highor summer of 1880 I received a note from John Morley, who had by this time become editor of the _Pall Mall Gazette_ It was to inform me that he had secured a notable man from my part of the world to assist hiton, and Morley wished to know my opinion of him My reply did not please Mr

Morley; for while I told hihly I admired Mr Stead's abilities, I warned him that he would need to be watched closely, as he was a inality in hisa journal that, if he were not kept under strict control, he ht at any moment seriously commit the newspaper hich he was connected At the tirace, plainly iard to Mr Stead was founded on the fact that he was a more real Liberal than uished politician and ed that my hint had been only too fully justified

One day in 1879 William Edward Forster came into my room at the _Mercury_ office For so at intervals to have a chat with me I believe that each of us was secretly rather afraid of the other I had for years regarded hi of admiration, and I looked confidently to him as the man hen Mr Gladstone in the fulness of time retired fronised leader of the great forces of English Liberalis loyalty both in his educational policy and at the time when his name was put forward in the candidature for the leadershi+p of the party in 1875, and I found n and colonial questions on which I could take sides neither with the Little England nor with the Jingo school Forster's visit was chiefly for the purpose of chatting over the prospects of the Liberal party, but incidentally our conversation turned upon Mr Stead ”He has one great fault,” said Forster, ”and that is that he does not mix with other people” Certainly Forster had every reason to think well of Mr Stead, for he was his loyal friend and admirer in those dark days when feere found to speak well of the member for Bradford

It was in 1881 that Forster becaet of the missiles of that section of the Liberal party which in those days followed Mr

Chamberlain Mr Chamberlain's folloere naturally anxious that their hero should arrive at the summit of his ambition, and Mr Forster was the man who stood e that there were not real differences of opinion between Mr Forster and Mr Chah when one remembers the subsequent history of the latter it is difficult to understand his constant antagonism to Forster, the founder of the Imperial Federation movement, and the first Liberal Iht be, Mr Chamberlain's dislike of Forster was obvious to everyone He had powerfulthat dislike felt The caucus in those days was absolutely under his thun from him more than half the Liberal associations in the country were inclined to pass any resolution that he was pleased to suggest to them The _Pall Mall Gazette_ became virtually his mouthpiece, and one read it as hts of Mr Chauished editor In the Cabinet he had secured one or two valuable allies, over whoreat abilities, he exercised an extraordinary influence In the House of Co of the Radical Party ith certain notable exceptions, devoted to him He was the man to whom they looked as their leader, and as the future chief of a Radical Administration

In the winter of 1881-2 all the forces controlled by the caucus were e Mr Forster The latter was engaged in his alle with the disaffected classes in Ireland--in other words, with four-fifths of the nation I have told elsewhere the story of Mr Forster's public career, and it is not necessary that I should enter into any defence of his Irish administration here But this I must say, that at a time when he was beset with difficulties of the ht to expect the loyal support at least of his own colleagues in the Cabinet, he found hiues and cruel side-attacks that still further embarrassed him, and that fatally weakened his hands As the winter passed the storainst hiham were let loose upon his head The old cries of triainst him The Liberal Press, with hardly an exception, took its cue froans of the Conservative party naturally felt under no obligation to defend him from the misrepresentations and innuendoes of his forerate when I say that it was only in the columns of the _Leeds Mercury_ that he was consistently and steadily defended

It was a labour of love on reat and affectionate an ad so cruelly ill-treated by those of the same political household as himself It was said at the time that Forster inspired the _Leeds Mercury_, and that the articles defending him which I published were really written by himself In the interests of honourable journalism, and of Mr Forster's reputation, I must state the actual facts I was, as I have already said, on terms of personal friendshi+p with him, and I was in the fullest sympathy with his Irish policy; but from the moment when he became Chief Secretary until he retired from that office, Forster held no communication with me, either direct or indirect

I never saw hile word to hih sense of public duty He was too proud and too high-spirited to try to enlist any man's sympathies, or to secure any newspaper advocacy Men spoke of him as a clever wire-puller who could manufacture a spurious public sentiment in his own favour How little they knew him! If he had chosen to resort to those arts hich his assailants were so faues and pens He preferred, then as always in his public career, to devote hile- the consequences to take care of themselves It was in this way that it came to pass that his only defender in the Press in those dark and troublous days was a little-known journalist in Yorkshi+re

For my part, I look back with pride and deep satisfaction to the line which I then took, and from which I never swerved It was not a successful line Mr Forster's enemies were too powerful for him, and, as everybody knows, he becas in this world than success, and I am more content to have been Forster's associate in his unmerited fall than I would have been to share in the personal triuh complaint was made, when my ”Life” of Forster appeared, that I had made too full a revelation of Cabinet secrets, the fact reard to his resignation of office in 1882 I do not propose to lift the veil here, but it is well known that an ingenious trap was laid for hiood faith of his fellow-nation, it will be remembered, was due to his refusal to accept as satisfactory a letter written by Mr Parnell, in which he undertook, if he were released froive certain assistance to the Governes in Ireland

Forster would willingly have accepted Mr Parnell's word as a gentleman that he would exert himself to this end, but he was not prepared to accept the skilfully fraht to convey the i all personal responsibility in the matter Those ish to kno Mr Forster was jockeyed out of office must learn the history of Parnell's letter, and how and by whom the sentences were devised which seeuine temperament of Mr Gladstone, but which Forster, with his closer knowledge of the situation, regarded as wholly unsatisfactory The time has not yet come for the story to be told, but when the precise facts are revealed they will be found to throw a curious light upon this episode

Forster's resignation was a great personal blow to me It was a blow also both to his personal friends and ade section of politicians who knew hi with all his ht to maintain order in Ireland and to preserve the unity of the United Kingdom There was, however, one further step that was possible that would have immeasurably increased our mortification This was the appointment of Mr Chamberlain as Forster's successor Mr Chamberlain's friends confidently expected that the appointment would be made, and for a day or two it seemed certain that this would be the case I saw a member of the Government as the confidential friend of Mr Gladstone, and told him that if Mr

Chamberlain were to be appointed, the _Leeds Mercury_, and all whom it could influence in Yorkshi+re would at once enter upon aopposition to the new Irish policy I was told in reply that, whatever Mr Chaht have expected, Mr

Gladstone had not for a single moment contemplated his appointment to the vacant post, and that his choice had fallen in another quarter

The Leeds Liberal Club resolved to invite Forster to a coht have the assurance that there was one great city, at least, in which he retained the confidence and gratitude of his party I wrote to Forster to convey this intimation to him, and had a reply, in which he asked me to meet him in London On Friday, May 6th, 1882, the appointment of Lord Frederick Cavendish as Irish Secretary was announced in Parlia office The next night, about 11 o'clock, I was sitting in theto the late Mr William Summers, then member for Huddersfield There were but few st those feere one or two IrishMr Shaho had been Chairman of the Home Rule party in the House of Commons until he was superseded by Mr Parnell We had all been reading the telegra the enthusiastic reception of the new Lord Lieutenant, Earl Spencer, and the new Secretary, Lord Frederick Cavendish, in Dublin I was discussing with Su of the new departure and of the success of Forster's assailants, when the old hall-porter of the club burst into the rooitation announced to us that athat the Lord Lieutenant and the Chief Secretary had been assassinated I cannot describe the led amazement, horror, and incredulity hich the neas received, but I remember well the extreme distress shown by Mr Shaw and the other Irish members ”This is the end of Ireland!” cried Mr Shaith tears in his eyes For some time most of us steadily refused to believe the story, for no authentic news could be gathered respecting it; but, as tied with inquiries from the other clubs in Pall Mall, the members of which naturally supposed that authentic neould be procurable at the Ministerial club At last someone came in who had been at Lord Frederick's house in Carlton House Terrace, and he brought the dreaded confirmation of the story The Lord Lieutenant, it is true, had not been attacked, but Lord Frederick had been killed, and with hih the croe were told that the vile deed had been done with knives

Inside the club there was now a large asseht Men caht ere not members, but ere moved by an irrepressible anxiety to learn the truth as to what had happened A these I remember Abraham Hayward, QC, the essayist and Society rattle, who, characteristically enough, proclaientleman who accompanied him was my Lord So-and-so But it was outside the club that I witnessed the most extraordinary scene I ever saw in London Ruh the clubs, but the tidings had not reached the streets The clubs, as by a common impulse, emptied themselves, and the members with one accord flocked to the Reform On the broad pave dress, were clustered together, discussing in low tones the horrible event, of which, as yet, the details holly unknown On the roadway a hundred cabs were gathered, their drivers evidently bewildered by the unwonted spectacle, and wondering what had brought together in the stillness of the early Sundaythis unwonted crowd