New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-18
WESTMINSTER NOTES.
MR.. BALFoUR AS A MAN OF ACTION
CANDIDATES FOR THE FOREIGN OF.
FIcE-wHY HOME RULE FAILED.

Salisbury's health broke down in the Foreign
Office, and he has made the most Of 1t. A man
Of action was needed after a long series OF dis
appointments and failures in diplomacy Mr..
Balfour has understood what the English people
wanted in the Far East. It was neither new
phrase nor q menace Of war; but a counter
stroke which would restore English prestige IN
China and enable them to assert that they had
not been outmanonuvred by their rivals. Wei
Hal Wei is a new base which readjusts the ball
ance Of power Of Northern China and leaves
England in a commanding position between Ger
many and Russia. The lions claw Is as strong
and as tenacious the Emperors mailed f1st
and there is an anchorage In the CUR OF Pe-Chi-
Ii for a fleet which will enforce the principle OF
the open door at Port Arthur and Taiien-Wan.
This Is the change Of policy which Mr. Balfour
has brought about in the course OF few weeks
It has greatly increased his own prestige as
political leader who knows instinctively what
the English people want.
Mr. Balfour Is a Scotchman and has logical
mind When he made his speech yesterday be-
fore a crowded House. he undertook to prove
that there had been continuity OF action and
policy in the Governments treatment OF the
Chinese question. He too keen a reasoner
not to know that he had bad case. and hence
his delivery was halting, his style lacked lucid
ity and his argument was ineffective. From
a logical point OF view 1t was as poor speech
as he has ever made. He was attempting some
thing which was clearly impractcabie The
Government had followed one line Of action
continuously for a long period, and had suddenly
departed from it fortnight ago. and taken up
a sharply divergent course. The two policies
were antagonistc and Incompatible, and could
NOT no reconciled Sir William Harcourt
summed up the whole matter with logical pre-
cision when he described the first policy as one
OF equality OF commercial advantage based on
open ports and the new departure as involving
compensations for disadvantages by acquisition
OF territory. England at the outset had asked
for nothing except the open door and In the
end had leased a port and naval station on equal
terms with Germany and Russia. The new
policy had been adopted In the face or the fact
that both Germany and Russia had respected
the principle Of the open door.
A cynical courage like that which Lord Bea-
consheld possessed Is required when one poiicy
has failed and another has been rendered neces"
sary by altered circumstances. 1t was enough
for him 10 say with contemptuous smile that
"a good many things had happened" and then to
Justify the change Of policy on new grounds OF
fact Mr. Gladstone was never able to resist the
temptation to split hairs over the question OF
continuity OF Government policy Mr.. Balfour
upon one of his old speeches. but 1t was a futile
endeavor. which neither convinced nor deceived
any one on either side of the House After re-
hearsing a series OF successes for the principle
OF commercial equality and freedom he abrupt
" confessed that the policy had failed and that
an alternative one had become Indispensable
The balance OF power In the Gulf OF Pe-Ch'-L
had been disturbed by the Russian acquisition OF
Port Arthur as place Of arms. II had become
necessary to restore equality OF position by Sc
curing for Great Britain the control OF similar
fortified naval station commanding the APP
proaches to Picking This had been done In or
der to have an adequate safeguard for British
commercial interests in the future.
THE WEAK POINTS EXPOSED.
Such a speech as this vulnerable al many
polnts Sir William Harcourt and Sir Edward
Grey at once put their fingers on the weak points
OF the argument They described the new de-
parture as a policy Of rival occupation ana I'M
mediate partition. based upon fresh European
concert with China in the place OF Turkey. Sir
Charles Dixie went further and subjected the
Government to destructive criticism for acQuir"
ing an inferior naval base not readily defensiole
and recurring a large garrison. and then repre-
senting Il to be place d'armes like the Cyprus
OF Lord Beaconsfeld's glowing rhetoric. Mr..
Curzon nor Lord Charles Beresford materially
strengthened the Governments argument. From
a strictly controversial point OF view all the
honors OF the debate carried of by tho
critics OF the Government benevolent and tenn
perate as they were in spirit. At the same time
in spite Of his Illogical argument Mr. Baifour
was the hero Of the House. Every one knew
that he had the country him. that the first
policy OF maintaining the iDtegrity Of the CHI
nese Empire by high sounding and virtuous
phrase had broken down. and that an alterna-
tive course had been eagerly desired and would
be enthusiastically welcomed.
This is the plain truth. Not the Forwards
alone-"Jngo'' Is a stupid. wornout word for
which I have no liking-but the mercantile
classes and the most sober-mnded people in the
kingdom as well. have been dismayed and dis
contented while Lord Salisbury has been work.
Ing In the dark and accomplishing nothing. They
have wanted less diplomacy and more action.
They have been Inundated by the knowledge
that Germany Russia and France were acQuir.
Ing commanding positions and enlarging their
spheres OF influence In China, while England
was ringing the changes upon a fine phrase ana
allowing herself 10 be outmanPuvred at every
turn. The new policy Is open to criticism at
many points. and its bearings upon the relations
OF England to rival Powers undetermined
and fraught with danger and difficulty. II Will
meet none the less with the hearty approval Of
the English people. who are making great sacri-
fees for the maintenance OF their supremacy In
Sea Power. and are not content with a phrase
full. round and philanthropc as it may be. Mr..
Balfour has at least done something In China.
and not only his own followers in the Commons.
but the English people, are grateful to him and
credit him with having an instinct for leader.
ship.
This signal success leaves Mr.. Balfour q for.