The Grand Old Man, by Richard B. Cook
PREFACE
William E. Gladstone was cosmopolitan. The Premier of the British Empireis ever a prominent personage, but he has stood above them all. For morethan half a century he has been the active advocate of liberty, moralityand religion, and of movements that had for their object the prosperity,advancement and happiness of men. In all this he has been upright,disinterested and conscientious in word and deed. He has proved himselfto be the world's champion of human rights. For these reasons he hasendeared himself to all men wherever civilization has advanced toenlighten and to elevate in this wide world.
With the closing of the 19th century the world is approaching a crisisin which every nation is involved. For a time the map of the worldmight as well be rolled up. Great questions that have agitated one ormore nations have convulsed the whole earth because steam andelectricity have annihilated time and space. Questions that have sprungup between England and Africa, France and Prussia, China and Japan,Russia and China, Turkey and Armenia, Greece and Turkey, Spain andAmerica have proved international and have moved all nations. The dailyproceedings of Congress at Washington are discussed in Japan.
In these times of turning and overturning, of discontent and unrest, ofgreed and war, when the needs of the nations most demand men ofworld-wide renown, of great experience in government and diplomacy, andof firm hold upon the confidence of the people; such men as, forexample, Gladstone, Salisbury, Bismark, Crispi and Li Hung Chang, whohave led the mighty advance of civilization, are passing away. Uponyounger men falls the heavy burden of the world, and the solution of themighty problems of this climax of the most momentous of all centuries.
However, the Record of these illustrious lives remains to us forguidance and inspiration. History is the biography of great men. Thelamp of history is the beacon light of many lives. The biography ofWilliam E. Gladstone is the history, not only of the EnglishParliament, but of the progress of civilization in the earth for thewhole period of his public life. With the life of Mr. Gladstone in hishand, the student of history or the young statesman has a light to guidehim and to help him solve those intricate problems now perplexing thenations, and upon the right solution of which depends Christiancivilization—the liberties, progress, prosperity and happiness of thehuman race.
Hence, the life and public services of the Grand Old Man cannot fail tobe of intense interest to all, particularly to the English, because hehas repeatedly occupied the highest position under the sovereign ofEngland, to the Irish whether Protestant or Catholic, north or south,because of his advocacy of (Reforms) for Ireland; to the Scotch becauseof his Scottish descent; to the German because he reminds them of theirown great chancellor, the Unifier of Germany, Prince Bismarck; and tothe American because he was ever the champion of freedom; and as therehas been erected in Westminster Abbey a tablet to the memory of LordHowe, so will the American people enshrine in their hearts, among thegreatest of the great, the memo