The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1893-12-31
NJ ~ IIGRM -TuRs

tages, can attain. Even today his speeches
bear testimony TO the vein OF Incidence II
his character, the absence OF the ardent
uplrit Of mastery which sets OF the great
esl INTELLECTUAL feats. HIS voice lacks the
mighty timbre of Mr. Gladstone's and for
all fts extreme sweetness IS lost In the
loftier Hight the more inipetUons sweep
OF tho orators art. But todny we have
a diaiectician armed NJ point. the "critic
clearnessn II not the
Seranalc intellect md force
To seize and throw the doubts OF men.
The subtle style that wsrds In and out
OF its subject With certain sinuons sure
ness, the delivery, quiet, graceful and
notable Tor Its delicate shading OF tone
and effect. all mark out Mr.. Balfour
as the second. and occasionally the fret
debaser In the house OF commons, Mr..
Chamberlain has greater sharpness and
clearneas of yiew. but he has less insight
and no culture. Indeed the intellectual
honors or Tie home rule debate rest quite
as abundantiy on Mt. Balfours shoulders
as on any OF his rivals or enemies. He
does not fight his battle with the dog
gedness ri Mr.. Chamberlain or the Mar
lnion-llke dash OF Lord Randolph Church
IN at his best. But he appeals more
strongly than either of them to the per-
manent temper OF middle-ci6gs Engilsh-
men, He Sac what neither OF them pos
stsses or eyer ppssessed--a philosophy OF
life. faserve Of reflection on the nature
OF things az well as on thir immediate
shape ana color
And whGt Is Mr. Bnlfonr's philosophy
or life? 1t Is largely the product afst, o.
his temper and then OK his birth and OF
Scoichman, landlord and q meta
physician with curious strain Of eau
tlonary pesslmism Ia hts nature which Is
the softened counterpart OF his uncle's
moro bsisterons disbelief IN al the Gle
ments OF what we call progresg lie has
certain beliefs-perhats should say ifAs
dltions-whch are absolutely hxed, re-
arose that MI, Hal fpuf hi.4 been deeply
Impressed BY tie noin9 ruls debAins ana
.hat he was coming around 10 the home
rule View The notion came, peieYs out
of some characferlsticaliy pleasant, al
most tender, things that, IN conversation
with liberal member, Mr., Bnlsour ex7
dressed about the race he had governed.
tsut there was DO domination Tor the
story. "Bnlfonr" said an Intimate friend
az Ills. twill argue With you about the
christian religion with the air of man
,,rl,o ~ auife open to be convinced, but his
iiea about the Iriah that they are radi-
cally Inferior race. Is o good deal more
fixed than his belief IN gravisation.t Ihat,
think. IL 4 true diagnosis, Behind All
r.
co,trtl,ness equal to Mr.. Giadetone's, there
lie neatly paclssd away Iayes re, after s.os nyeT
ehouid can sheer toryism. Probably the
leader OF the opposition would accept 20
formula about hnfnsn affzlrs which sz-
pressed any comprehensive nope OF tns
future. Democracy he perhaps takes over
MS working basis, b'it Re regsfas :. svs .,'',
enlargement Of IL with dlsrnst' ~ y ny
more ~ an iudiVldnnllst than MT CLAD
stone. and perhaps his Language aud tone
81 To-Day represent pienslply enoqse se e
opooftunlst conservatism 81 which ne z
INV he authorized AZ well ~
The most popular persouai eHR2nT
emit. But OF men orkanineo MY
compact society FOR nselu ss.'
vice. ana equal socially and eo2noiniea' z.
Of the dim ideals sna stirring ' wssen,
words which sound through The t"liisht
~ the nineteenth century. he has no
adequate conception, and II he had ne
would not affect for them sympathy ne
dld not feel or kindllress his nature y
flill. for the wider human interests the
more embracing and essentially modern