Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie
[Footnote 65: Mr. Carnegie had received no less than fifty-four
Freedoms of cities in Great Britain and Ireland. This was a
record--Mr. Gladstone coming second with seventeen.]
In no department is the contrast greater between the old world and the
new than in municipal government. In the former the families reside
for generations in the place of birth with increasing devotion to the
town and all its surroundings. A father achieving the mayorship
stimulates the son to aspire to it. That invaluable asset, city pride,
is created, culminating in romantic attachment to native places.
Councilorships are sought that each in his day and generation may be
of some service to the town. To the best citizens this is a creditable
object of ambition. Few, indeed, look beyond it--membership in
Parliament being practically reserved for men of fortune, involving as
it does residence in London without compensation. This latter,
however, is soon to be changed and Britain follow the universal
practice of paying legislators for service rendered. [In 1908; since
realized; four hundred pounds is now paid.]
After this she will probably follow the rest of the world by having
Parliament meet in the daytime, its members fresh and ready for the
day's work, instead of giving all day to professional work and then
with exhausted brains undertaking the work of governing the country
after dinner. Cavendish, the authority on whist, being asked if a man
could possibly finesse a knave, second round, third player, replied,
after reflecting, "Yes, he might _after dinner_."
The best people are on the councils of British towns, incorruptible,
public-spirited men, proud of and devoted to their homes. In the
United States progress is being made in this direction, but we are
here still far behind Britain. Nevertheless, people tend to settle
permanently in places as the country becomes thickly populated. We
shall develop the local patriot who is anxious to leave the place of
his birth a little better than he found it. It is only one generation
since the provostship of Scotch towns was generally reserved for one
of the local landlords belonging to the upper classes. That "the
Briton dearly loves a lord" is still true, but the love is rapidly
disappearing.
In Eastbourne, Kings-Lynn, Salisbury, Ilkeston, and many other ancient
towns, I found the mayor had risen from the ranks, and had generally
worked with his hands. The majority of the council were also of this
type. All gave their time gratuitously. It was a source of much
pleasure to me to know the provosts and leaders in council of so many
towns in Scotland and England, not forgetting Ireland where my Freedom
tour was equally attractive. Nothing could excel the reception
accorded me in Cork, Waterford, and Limerick. It was surprising to see
the welcome on flags expressed in the same Gaelic words, _Cead mille
failthe_ (meaning "a hundred thousand welcomes") as used by the
tenants of Skibo.
Nothing could have given me such insight into local public life and
patriotism in Britain as Freedom-taking, which otherwise might have
become irksome. I felt myself so much at home among the city chiefs
that the embarrassment of flags and crowds and people at the windows
along our route was easily met as part of the duty of the day, and
even the address of the chief magistrate usually furnished new phases
of life upon which I could dwell. The lady mayoresses were delightful
in all their pride and glory.
My conclusion is that the United Kingdom is better served by the
leading citizens of her municipalities, elected by popular vote, than
any other country far and away can possibly be; and that all is sound
to the core in that important branch of government. Parliament itself
could readily be constituted of a delegation of members from the town
councils without impairing its efficiency. Perhaps when the sufficient
payment of members is established, many of these will be found at
Westminster and that to the advantage of the Kingdom.
CHAPTER XXIV
GLADSTONE AND MORLEY
Mr. Gladstone paid my "American Four-in-Hand in Britain" quite a
compliment when Mrs. Carnegie and I were his guests at Hawarden in
April, 1892. He suggested one day that I should spend the morning with
him in his new library, while he arranged his books (which no one
except himself was ever allowed to touch), and we could converse. In
prowling about the shelves I found a unique volume and called out to
my host, then on top of a library ladder far from me handling heavy
volumes:
"Mr. Gladstone, I find here a book 'Dunfermline Worthies,' by a friend
of my father's. I knew some of the worthies when a child."
"Yes," he replied, "and if you will pass your hand three or four books
to the left I think you will find another book by a Dunfermline man."
I did so and saw my book "An American Four-in-Hand in Britain." Ere I
had done so, however, I heard that organ voice orating in full swing
from the top of the ladder:
"What Mecca is to the Mohammedan, Benares to the Hindoo, Jerusalem to
the Christian, all that Dunfermline is to me."
My ears heard the voice some moments before my brain realized that
these were my own words called forth by the first glimpse caught of
Dunfermline as we approached it from the south.[66]
[Footnote 66: The whole paragraph is as follows: "How beautiful is
Dunfermline seen from the Ferry Hills, its grand old Abbey towering
over all, seeming to hallow the city, and to lend a charm and dignity
to the lowliest tenement! Nor is there in all broad Scotland, nor in
many places elsewhere that I know of, a more varied and delightful
view than that obtained from the Park upon a fine day. What Benares is
to the Hindoo, Mecca to the Mohammedan, Jerusalem to the Christian,
all that Dunfermline is to me." (_An American Four-in-Hand in
Britain_, p. 282.)]
"How on earth did you come to get this book?" I asked. "I had not the
honor of knowing you when it was written and could not have sent you a
copy."
"No!" he replied, "I had not then the pleasure of your acquaintance,
but some one, I think Rosebery, told me of the book and I sent for it
and read it with delight. That tribute to Dunfermline struck me as so
extraordinary it lingered with me. I could never forget it."
This incident occurred eight years after the "American Four-in-Hand"
was written, and adds another to the many proofs of Mr. Gladstone's
wonderful memory. Perhaps as a vain author I may be pardoned for
confessing my grateful appreciation of his no less wonderful judgment.
The politician who figures publicly as "reader of the lesson" on
Sundays, is apt to be regarded suspiciously. I confess that until I
had known Mr. Gladstone well, I had found the thought arising now and
then that the wary old gentleman might feel at least that these
appearances cost him no votes. But all this vanished as I learned his
true character. He was devout and sincere if ever man was. Yes, even
when he records in his diary (referred to by Morley in his "Life of
Gladstone") that, while addressing the House of Commons on the budget
for several hours with great acceptance, he was "conscious of being
sustained by the Divine Power above." Try as one may, who can deny
that to one of such abounding faith this belief in the support of the
Unknown Power must really have proved a sustaining influence,
although it may shock others to think that any mortal being could be
so bold as to imagine that the Creator of the Universe would concern
himself about Mr. Gladstone's budget, prepared for a little speck of
this little speck of earth? It seems almost sacrilegious, yet to Mr.
Gladstone we know it was the reverse--a religious belief such as has
no doubt often enabled men to accomplish wonders as direct agents of
God and doing His work.
On the night of the Queen's Jubilee in June, 1887, Mr. Blaine and I
were to dine at Lord Wolverton's in Piccadilly, to meet Mr. and Mrs.
Gladstone--Mr. Blaine's first introduction to him. We started in a cab
from the Metropole Hotel in good time, but the crowds were so dense
that the cab had to be abandoned in the middle of St. James's Street.
Reaching the pavement, Mr. Blaine following, I found a policeman and
explained to him who my companion was, where we were going, and asked
him if he could not undertake to get us there. He did so, pushing his
way through the masses with all the authority of his office and we
followed. But it was nine o'clock before we reached Lord Wolverton's.
We separated after eleven.
Mr. Gladstone explained that he and Mrs. Gladstone had been able to
reach the house by coming through Hyde Park and around the back way.
They expected to get back to their residence, then in Carlton Terrace,
in the same way. Mr. Blaine and I thought we should enjoy the streets
and take our chances of getting back to the hotel by pushing through
the crowds. We were doing this successfully and were moving slowly
with the current past the Reform Club when I heard a word or two
spoken by a voice close to the building on my right. I said to Mr.
Blaine:
"That is Mr. Gladstone's voice."
He said: "It is impossible. We have just left him returning to his
residence."
"I don't care; I recognize voices better than faces, and I am sure
that is Gladstone's."
Finally I prevailed upon him to return a few steps. We got close to
the side of the house and moved back. I came to a muffled figure and
whispered:
"What does 'Gravity' out of its bed at midnight?"
Mr. Gladstone was discovered. I told him I recognized his voice
whispering to his companion.
"And so," I said, "the real ruler comes out to see the illuminations
prepared for the nominal ruler!"
He replied: "Young man, I think it is time you were in bed."
We remained a few minutes with him, he being careful not to remove
from his head and face the cloak that covered them. It was then past
midnight and he was eighty, but, boylike, after he got Mrs. Gladstone
safely home he had determined to see the show.
The conversation at the dinner between Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Blaine
turned upon the differences in Parliamentary procedure between Britain
and America. During the evening Mr. Gladstone cross-examined Mr.
Blaine very thoroughly upon the mode of procedure of the House of
Representatives of which Mr. Blaine had been the Speaker. I saw the
"previous question," and summary rules with us for restricting
needless debate made a deep impression upon Mr. Gladstone. At
intervals the conversation took a wider range.
Mr. Gladstone was interested in more subjects than perhaps any other
man in Britain. When I was last with him in Scotland, at Mr.
Armistead's, his mind was as clear and vigorous as ever, his interest
in affairs equally strong. The topic which then interested him most,
and about which he plied me with questions, was the tall steel
buildings in our country, of which he had been reading. What puzzled
him was how it could be that the masonry of a fifth floor or sixth
story was often finished before the third or fourth. This I explained,
much to his satisfaction. In getting to the bottom of things he was
indefatigable.
Mr. Morley (although a lord he still remains as an author plain John
Morley) became one of our British friends quite early as editor of the
"Fortnightly Review," which published my first contribution to a
British periodical.[67] The friendship has widened and deepened in our
old age until we mutually confess we are very close friends to each
other.[68] We usually exchange short notes (sometimes long ones) on
Sunday afternoons as the spirit moves us. We are not alike; far from
it. We are drawn together because opposites are mutually beneficial to