MINISTERS' RELATIONS AND GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.
[TO THE EDITOR Or THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—There are three degrees of honesty. First, a man " does nothing dishonest," avails himself of a " pull" when he can get one, and generally is on the look-out for his own advantage. Then from a feeling of false sentimentality, the pendulum swings the other way, and he penalises himself and his relations to show his impartiality. Lastly, comes even- handed justice. Your attitude on the position of public men is of the second period, and is of a piece with your former article on Cabinet Ministers as the directors of limited companies, when you suggested that Ministers them- selves should resign their directorates. Should we not be bringing the golden age a little nearer if we acted as if we lived in it P To create a new disability is, indeed, putting the clock back. John Doe and Richard Roe are dead, and a prisoner may give evidence on his own behalf. To interfere
with the absolute commercial independence of Cabinet Ministers and their relations is to infringe on that trusty maxim, that a man shall be deemed innocent until he be proved guilty. The new rule would only hamper the honest; the corrupt would soon find some subterfuge to evade it; and there is another aspect of the question not to be overlooked. If you create a new category of Ministers—men whose independence you hamper—you reintroduce nepotism; you give them at once a specious claim to comfortable sinecures, or, at least, safe berths under Government ; or, on the other hand, you create the class of professional politicians who have no other position or interests. It is far better to ignore all accidentals, and like Sir Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington) to address a superior (and a brother) as " My Lord" when on official business. Your attitude of " impartiality " might well have robbed the nation of that mighty champion. Your very next article commends the Government for buying funds in the open market; let it buy its Ministers there too, and not do anything to restrict the
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