The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-07-18
rs THE BELIEF OF 7. =. o'con
NOR, M. p.
BALFoUR VERY POPULAR
Has Had Much Experience With Ire
land and Old Animosity
Has Disappeared.

New York, July 14.-Thomas P.
O'Connor, M. p, in an interview, sum-
med up the resignation of Premier
Salisbury and the appointment of Mr..
Balfour as follows:
THE resignatio of Salisbury was an
expected coincident with the corona
tion of King Edward, but when the
coronation did not take place, there
grew up a belief that perhaps the
premier's resignation was indefinite
ly postponed. Old men cling to pow |
er and it was supposed that Lord
Salisbury was not free from the weak
ness of SO many others. This prospect
did not quite satisfy his colleagues.
Lord %Salisbury's health has been
VIGOROUSLY Indifferent, especially
with activity, either of mind or body,
and there were whispers that he was
sometimes overcome by sleep in the
midst of a momentous cabinet meet
ing and that he only awoke when the
d%iscordant voices of Joseph Chamber
lain, the colonial secretary, and Sir
Michael HicAs-Beach, chancellor OF
the exchequer, the two chief oppon-
ents in the cabinet, reached an un-
usually high pitch. Once or twice,
too, lately, in the house of lords, he
has shown a want of grip that was
pitiable. For instance, when the
terms of South Africa had to be an
nounced, he calmly asked the house
of lords whether they desired to hear
the words of Lord Kitchener's dis
patch as though the communication
was really of little or no importance.
Opposed to Each Other.
"Probably his resignation has now
been influenced partly by the desire
to make sure of the succession being
in the Cecil family and still more with
a view to preventing the accession OF
Mr.. Chamberlain. No mar could be
more adverse than is Lord Salisbury
to supreme power being in the hands
of so impulsive, restless and arrogant
a politician as the colonial secretary.
Though they had been made political
bed fellows by necessity Lord Sails
bury and Mr.. Chamberlain remained
apart and were frequently opposed to
each other. In addition, the acces-
sion of Mr.. Chamberlain might in
yolye the immediate dismissal of Lord
C%ranborne, under secretary for the
foreign office and the Earl of Selborne,
first lord of the admiralty, one the
O and the other the son-in-laW OF
Lord Salisbury.
TT is doubtful, in any case, whether
the rank and file of the tory party
would have accepted Mr.. Chamber
lain willingly. They use him but &c
not like him. There is a section OF
Young tories who do not like Balfour,
thinking him slack, decadent and lax
Still he is the darling of the old-lne
tories, and his appointment will be
more popular with his political op'
ponents than with his present friends
"Mr. Balfour remains the most pop
ular figure in the house of commons
and his very faults help him in this
respect. If he be indolent, he is alsc
courteous, tolerant and broad-minded
and he will not insult other nations
as Mr.. Chamberlain has done. His
tongu is we'll under restraint and ne
has all the instincts of a gentleman.
Will Help ireland.
81 regard the change a benehcl
one to Ireland in the long run. MI
.Ra,four has had much experience O.
Ireland and although he is not yet
home-ruler, all his old animosity ma
disappeared and he is just the man t
a solution of the long stand
ing difficulty. But Mr.. Balfour doe
not come into Office at a very happ.
moment. The educational bill, whlcl
he is plotting through the mouse .
arouses tremendous re
ligious passion on both sides ana !
Is doubtful if he will be able to carr
it hrough without such concession
to his opponents as will exaspefat
some of his political friends. In
aftermath On the war has also com
and the majority of the government
though large, is wanting in cohesion
But it is useless specializing fu'
ther, the unexpected IL. always tn
dominant feature in English politics