Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-29


de calmly stands by them, and fails to SCI
any error. And what can you do? / do no
believe that he will acknowledge that AM
member Of the Home Rule party can tel
the truth or that they can take any position
on any question save the wrong one. The
most inaccurate reports of his subordinates In
Ireland are held by him to be as gospel
truths, even after they have been publicly
shown to be inaccurate. When he once
takes position he holds it. If driven Intc
corner he says nothing. In fact, Balfoul
mentally is curiosity. That he himself
believes these things that no one else be
lleves, is pretty certain, and this side of his
character ought to furnish psychologists
with an interesting subject for study.
BALFoUR NO COWARD.
He is constantly followed night and day
by four or more hulking Scotland Yard de-
tectives. Ballour himself has objected to
this. One can scarcely blame him, for the
presence of English detectives is oppressive
in the extreme. But he is powerless. The
Home Secretary is responsible tor his safety,
so Baltour has to endure the detectives
among other evils. That the Irish Secretary
is in some danger, it is true. It is not so
great as some imagine, bnt it is great
enough. Thousands of men and women
have been thrown out of their homes in
Ireland who blame Ballour, and he alone,
for their misfortunes. There Is no telling
the time when some of these persons may
seek private vengeance on the man whom
they believe to have been their enemy.
The Irish National League is we'll organ
lied and we'll disciplined. It will allow no
violence and no numbering to be done if it
can help it. So. while it rules, Balfour need
ual or individuals whom the League nor
any other organisation can control. So, as
matters stand, the very success of Balfour' s
policy would add to his danger. Should he
succeed, as it is said he hopes to. into goad-
ing Irishmen into open rebellion, he would
be the first man marked. But he is not
likely to succeed in this. Again. if he
shluld succeed in discrediting Parnell and
In breaking up the National League, things
would be almost as bad. The restraining
influence of the present leaders who do not
believe in violence would be removed.
Tie Irish people, finding that the
great party on which their hopes had been
builded had been destroyed, would lose all
hope of achieving their wishes by peaceful
means, and their disorder and violence
wtuld begin again, and affairs would 90
back to where they were 40 years ago.
Some of the guns that are now lying buried
all over Ireland would be brought out
again, and there would be more shooting
irsm behind hedges, and consequently more
hsngings. There would be more attempts
atfebeliion. The Queen has an army big
enough to quell these, or even to. wage a
wsr of determination. But would the game
beworth the candle?. The Queen, even in
thsse quiet times, has over %, 900 soldiers in
lrsland, and in one way or another the
evsr wake ul cat manages to keep them
busy. How many would be required were
BaIour's policy to succeed in breaking
P;fnelPs pacific influence and in opening
ullanother period OF organized violence?
This is what the Home Rulers say of Bal
fo1r's policy. Ballour himself is saying
very little. He is going ahead OIL his own
lile. He doesn't see anything wrong about
itinor anything funny. don't believe he
ssw anything ridiculous about the struggle
bstween William O'Brien and his jailors,
IL which the latter won lasting reputation
y stealing O'Brien's trousers while he was
ssleep, aud leaving him face 10 face with
the necessity of wearing convict garb or
done. He cannot understand why the
Irishmen are just now smiling over q
|Eaggish newspaper assertion-I believe it
comes from America-to the effect that Bal
Hour has had 0'Brien locked up this last
time because he wants to get possession OF
the Irishman's fall trousers. Balfour
doesn't see anything funny about these
things. 1t is very serious business-to
him.
BALFoUR's ANCESTRY.
Balfour is comparatively q young man.
He was born in 1S48 and went to Parliament
in 1874 He has been private secretary of
his uncle, and throughout has had the bene-
fit OF his advice and assistance in his politi-
cal career. He has been President of the
local Government Board and Secretary for
Scotland. He has occupied his present post
since 1885,
The Chief Secretary for ireland is of
mixed Scotch and English blood. 1t is
worth remembering at the time when he is
known as Bloody Baliour" that one of his
ancestors, o Sir Alexander Bal. l.our, who
fourished in the time of Mary, Queen of
Scots, also enjoyed an alliterative nick
name, since John Knox called him "Blas-
phemous Bal our" In the days OF bad eggs
this Balfour seems to nave been an extreme
ly bad egg. He changed religion and poll
siOS WIN pain vi IcS uidIltyj was present. dL
the murder OF RIzzio; was accused OF COM
plicity in the death of Darnley, and gave up
to the Confederate Lords letters intrusted to
him by Boutwell,, by which it was attempted
to prove Mary's guilt. Finally he COM
passed the death OF Morton by furnishing
deed signed by Morton at the assassination
OF Darnley. Altogether he was hard case.
When discussing the present Baliour the
Irishmen always drag up his ancestor and
come out strong on heredity. They hold
that "Arthur James is natural and
proper descendant of "Blasphemous BALI
tour" and draw much comfort from their
arguments.
In the meantime Right Hon. Arthur
James Balfour is going right ahead and is
mighty important man. His policy may
be wrong. To all the Americans 1 have
met it seems wrong. A part of England
and Scotland and all ireland say it is
wrong. But this very self-possessed man
pays no attention. He holds to his course
like typical English bulldog, and he has
the stout old Tory element behind him.
We shall hear more OF him yet.
FREDERIC SANBURN.