New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-31
BALFOUR'S FRIENDLY WORDS.
ANGLO-AMERICANU UNDERSTANDING NOT
BASED on TRADE SENTIMENT.

London. Jan 30.-The Right Hon Arthur
James Bafour, First Lord OF the Treasury and
leader of the Mnsterialsts in the House OF
Commons delivered has annual address this
evening to his constituents at Manchester. Af-
ter speaking Of the intrinsic difficulty which
Continental nations find in understanding Great
Brtain's aims" he continued follows:
But there is surely one great country which
by community Of language, religions, blood
origin and even institutions. is well fitted to un-
derstand us. and a country which we should be
well fitted to understand. Need say that the
country to which l refer is the United States?
Some foreign critics. cynical by profession and
training, hold the view that the friendship now
happily subsstng between the English speak
ing peoples on both sides Of the Atlantic is but
the growth Of the moment, and depends upon
transitory community Of interests. They affect
to believe that when this disappears friendship
also will disappear. They hold that if British
trade should feel injured by some inconvenient
tariff Immediately the sentiments so generally
felt at this moment in Great Britain toward
America would vanish like the leaves in au-
tumn.
According to my observations" said Mr. Bal
four, the world Of cynics is always wrong.
believe the cynics wrong In this case. II our
good relations really depended upon those for
tuitous circumstances. while the latter might be
the foundation OF an alliance, they could not be
the foundation Of what is Infinitely more i'm
portant-of that species Of friendship which In
season and out Of season through good report
or Ill., is not TO be shaken by mere circumstances.
1t was in this hall IN 1896 that l first spoke
Of the international relations between the
United States and England-in those dark days
OF the Venezuelan controversy. when public feel
ing In America had been aroused 10y the wholly
unfounded suspicion that we had some designs
OF empire in South America, and when BY a
natural reaction. we felt that our brethren on
the other side Of the water had neither judged
nor treated us with knowledge and fairness. l
then expressed my firm faith that the time
would come when all speaking the English Ian
guage and sharing the Angio-Saxon civilization
would be united with sympathy which no
mere political dlvergences could permanently
disturb
Il felt then though 7 spoke my inmost con-
victions. that must impress my hearers as
something Of a dreamer and deal!st, or as
a prophet only hoping for what he himself can
hardly expect TO see realized But the three
years that have elapsed since have wrought a
surely marvellous change In the relations be-
tween the two countries: a change which be-
Ueve is not destined 10 be reversed; a change
which has brought back these TWO great com
1nu- ties 10 their normal relations. disturbed
as those normal relations were by more than a
century OF unhappy discord' change which,
once made is q change that ought TO be perna-
nent. for It is founded, as ! hope, upon mutual
sympathy, mutual comprehension, and the
mutual belief that each great and free com
n1unlty desires TO see the privileges II enjoys
extended far and wide to all continents and
among all nations.
And II ! am right and that common sym
pathy be implanted deep III the breasts OF these
TWO sreat nations there cannot be a Greater
guarantee for future peace, freedom, progress
and civilization, not only OF this or that coun-
try or community alone. but OF the whole hu-
man race"