But there is still a consciousness of the working class as a class in the speeches of Mr.Burns; and there is still the belief expressed that the working class must work out their own salvation, and that it is better the people should have the power to manage their own national and municipal affairs, and the wisdom to use that power aright, rather than that a benevolent bureaucracy should manage things for them.
Mr.John Burns is an older man by twenty-five years than he was in the stormy days of the Trafalgar Square riots, and he is now a Privy Councillor and Cabinet Minister, but his character is little changed.

His speeches on the settlement of the great Dock Strike of August, 1911, are the speeches of the man of 1889.

Parliamentary life made sharper changes in the minds of Gladstone and Mr.Joseph Chamberlain than it has made in the mind of the Right Hon.

John Burns.

But Mr.Burns never admits that he possesses health and vigour beyond the average.
A working class leader of vastly different qualities is Mr.J.Keir Hardie, M.P.He, too, no less significant of democracy, stands as the representative of his class, claims always to be identified with it, to be accepted as its spokesman.