The record-union., 1896-01-16

Avoided.
LONDON, Jan. 15.-At meeting in
Manchester this evening, over which
he presided, Right Hon. Arthur j. Bal
four, First Lord of the Treasury, in the
| course of an address which he deliv-
cred, made incidental mention of EN-
peror William of Germany, which was
greeted by his hearers with groans
and boots. Mr.. Balfour admitted, with
sorrow and reluctance, that the concert
of action of the European Powers had
failed to introduce reforms in the Gov
ernment Of Turkey, without which he
feared itwould be impossible to hope
for an early settlement.
Referring to the Transvaal difficulty,
Mr.. Balfour declared that he could not
discuss the gravity of the offense of
those who would be arraigned for their
operations in the South African Repub-
lie, but he would say he was sure that
those who were responsible for the
movement were not guided by mean,
sordid motives. The Government was of
the opinion that it was impossible for
affairs to reach a satisfactory condi-
tion while it's Government was founded
upon SO artificial and inequitable a
basis as it is at present, the Uitlanders,
who are vastly in the majority, paying
the greater portion of the taxes, and
not having even the smallest share in
the Government.
President Krueger, Balfour admit
ted, had displayed great generosity,
and he hoped, therefore, that the prom
ised reforms would not be delayed
1Nnc fb-aYo ic
yond question that the Transvaal is
free in the administration of it's inter
nal affairs, but it's external affairs are
subject to the control of Great Brit
ain. Call it suzerainty, or by any other
name, there is no mistaking this fact,
and that foreign interference will not
be permitted.
AT this point the speaker was inter
rupted by prolonged cheers. Neverthe-
less, Mr. Balfour said, he was not aware
that any foreign country was prepared
to dispute the doctrine. This statement
was greeted with renewed cheers.
Touching upon the Venezuelan ques-
tion, Mr.. Balfour said the people of the
United States appeared to suspect
Great Britain of running counter to
the Monroe doctrine. He dilated upon
this doctrine, constituting it to the effect
that the American continent must not
be regarded as field for European col
onization; that European nations were
not entitled to interfere in the domestic
affairs of the New World, and said that
the United States and Great Britain
concurred in this construction.
He was not aware, he continued, that
there had been any change of mind, and
did not believe that it would be possi-
bic to find an individual in the
country who was desirous of an
tagonizing what is known as the
forward policy in America. Great
Britain was content to do the best with
the colonies she possessed, and did not
wish to interfere with other States or
acquire more territory.
He believed that if the Venezuelan
Government had requested British pro-
lection the honor would have been de-
clined by every statesman namable.
He referred respectively to the long
duration of the boundary dispute, to
Lord Salisbury's dispatch, to the prog
ress of compiling documents relating to
the matter here ard to the appoint
ment of a United States Commission
that it would be hard indeed if the COM
mon sense of the Anglo-Saxon race was
unable to settle any dispute without
war. (Cheers)
Mr.. Balfour said he had been deeply
and painfully impressed with the diff
ferent manner in which war is regarded
in England as compared with the
view apparently taken of it by some
War with the United States of America
appeared to himself, and doubtless to
his hearers also, to be enveloped with
the unnatural horrors of a civil war,
which, with any nation, is terror to be
avoided at all costs except diShonor.
Beyond their common ancestry, lam
guage and civilization, he believed, he
said, that the British people had pride
of race which embraced every English
speaking community in the world. He
admitted with sorrow that this feeling,
Judging from the newspaper articles on
the subject, was not shared by large
section of the American people, who
appeared to regard a war with England
as a thing to be lightly INDUCED in-an
exhflarating exercise, a gentle stimulus
This distressing and horrible view, he
declared, he could not believe was the
permanent adoption of any large sec
ton of the people of the United States.
Mr.. Balfour dwelt at length upon the
sentimental aspect of the question, and
said he trusted and believed the day
would come when better statesmen iE
authority, and more fortunate than
even Monroe, would assert doctrine
between English-speaking peoples
under which war would be impossible.
He deprecated the pessimistic view
taken of the future by some, and as
serted his unbelief that public opinion
on the other side of the Atlantic or in
Europe would permit the outbreak of
war.
Moreover he could not see that Eng
land had cause for quarrel with any
nation on the face of the world. Eng
land did not desire anybody's terri
tory and had no wish to interfere with
any existing interests. but If war must
come he did not think she had any rea-
son to be afraid. He did not believe
that there had been a. moment in the
recent history of the empire when it
was a better fighting machine than it
is ct present.
In concluding his speech, Mr.. Bal
four alluded to the increase in the navy,
and said he believed it would not be
called into action, but if by any mis-
chance the people of England should
be called upon to fight for their country
he did not believe the issue of the con-