C. P. SCOTT [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] Sin,—Mr.
Hammond's Life of the late Mr. C. P. Scott, and not less Mr. Nevinson's appreciative review of the Life in your last issue, must awaken many memories of Mr. Scott in the minds and hearts of the friends who knew him. -
It is not my wish to aim at appraising his journalistic work, except in one instance. He was a strong politician, and my conception of the Church is not that the clergy should take their stand on one side or the other in politics, but that they should ever and again bring a strong Christian opinion to tell in behalf of any unifying and elevating measure, whether it be advocated by one political party or by another.
Mr. Scott was not, I think, fond of dinner parties, but,
when I was living in Manchester, I invited hini from time to time to meet distingUished Churchmen who would, I felt sure, be glad to meet him, 'and who might themselves gain some benefit from meeting him, such as the late Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of Wales, and the Archbishop Armagh. I warmly admired his high conception of journalism. He regarded his great newspaper, the Manchester Guardian, not so much as a source of pecuniary profit or social influence, but rather as a means of enlightening public opinion in support of many beneficent reforms. It was always possible to rely upon him for strong consistent help in such causes as the crusade for temperance and purity, and-.the Anti- Gambling Crusade. There lies before me, as I write, a letter, which he wrote me. at the time of his retirement from the editorship of the Metnehester Guardian. In it he says with
his usual kindness : It is good to remember we were always on the same side in the things that matter."
Not Manchester alone, but the nation and the Empire, owe a heavy debt of gratitude tb Mr. Scott.—I am, Sir, &c., The Dell, Sevenoaks, Kent.
- J.- E.- C. WELLDON.
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