A remarkable politician passed away on February 17th, in Mr.
Joseph Cowen, editor of the Newcastle Chronicle, and, for many years, Member for that city. He was one of the earliest of the Imperialist Radicals, resisted Boer claims in 1880-85, and always maintained fiercely his right as a. Member to think and speak entirely for himself. His rough, nervous oratory had much influence in the House, his counsel was always definite, he feared no man, and he
might have become the leader of a separate party but for an intellectual foible. Though a well-educated man he had the kind of conceit which is usually found only in the uneducated, the kind which induces a man to think in all sincerity that an opponent must be either a fool or a rogue. He could not brook opposition, much less attack, and at last resigned his seat and went out of public life rather than bear, as he publicly said, with "the meanness, the implacability, the vin- dictiveness, and the personal rancour of local politicians,' who were probably very like other people. He displayed thi same prickly independence in his newspaper, greatly to th€ benefit of his readers, but if he had been more placable la( would have enjoyed still greater influence.
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