The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-07-18
NEW PREMIER SPEAKS AND IS
LOUDLY cHEERED,
MEETS GREAT RECEPTION
Expresses Belief That He Will Have
Regard and Confidence Of
His co-Workers.

London, July 14-Sir Michael Hicks
Beach has resigned as chancellor of
the %exchequer.
Perhaps never has a change of pre-
miership been effected with SO little
~dislocation to business, either public
or private, as accompanied the transfer
of the seals of Office from Lord Sails
bury to A. ]. Balfour. The occurrence
had no effect whatever on the stock
exchange. The only other change in
the cabinet thus far announced is the
CHARACTERISTIC Of the exchequer,
though others are ~foreshadowed.
The public showed little interest
in the meeting of Mr.. Balfour's follow
ers which was summoned for noon.
The new premier. when he entered the
conference room of the foreign Office,
accompanied by the Duke of Devon
shire, Sir Michael-Hicks-Beach Lord
Londonderry and others, received
quite an ovation. When Mr.. Balfour
rose to address the meeting all again
stood up and cheered the new chief.
Mr.. Balfour referred to the loss of
the services of the chief, who for near
ly SO years had been engaged in ac-
tive political life. No one, he said,
would begrudge him his well-earned
repose. though his loss was irrepar-
able.
81 do not f1atter myself" proceeded
the premier. that the gap he has
left can be filled, but the place he
has left must be occupied and it is
because the king desired me to do my
best to take that position that l have
asked you to meet me today.
Il have accepted a great task and a
heavy responsibility. certainly not
from overweening belief in my own
capacity, but because I am sure, or at
least. have every reason to believe,
that in attempting to carry on this
work I will have the most important
qualification any one can have, name
w, that regard and confidence of those
with whom he works."
Tribute to Salisbury.
After a warm tribute to Lord Sails
bury by the Duke Of Devonshire, Sir
Michael Hicks-Beach rose and said.
there was no one whom he would
more gladly or more readily have ac-
cepted as leader of the party than the
man he had followed as leader for
more than seven years.
But Lord Salisbury's retirement was
a break with the traditions of his past
political life. Two years ago he had
begged for personal and for political
reasons to be relieved from office, but
he had consented at the instance of
Lord Salisbury to retain it to the end
If the war.
Mr.. Balfour had been good enough
to express the desire that he should
continue to act with him as his col
league, but had admitted that the re-
quest and circumstances mentioned
required consideration. He could only
say that if for the moment he retain
ed the office of which his tenure could
not by any possibility be long, it
would be because he desired to show
that he entertained as fully as any of
them, a spirit of loyalty to their new
leader and a desire to give him,
whether in or out of Office, his best
help in the administration of affairs.
j. Austen Chamberlain, financial Sec
rotary to the treasury said:
my father bids me to say to you,
Mr.. Balfour, that you will find in him
a colleague equally attached to you
by private friendship and pure regard
and that in Offering you his support
he feels he may speak also in the
name of the whole liberal unionist
party of the house of commons"
After Mr.. Chamberlain had deliver
ed his message the conference dis
persed.
On entering the house of commons,
subsequently, Mr.. Balfour met with
a great reception, not only from his
own supporters, but from the mem
bers of the opposition.
The resignation of Sir Michael
Hicks-Beach caused intense surprise.
It was generally taken to be almost
more important than Lord S~alisbury's
and WAS regarded in some quarters as
being directly due to the more i'm
portant voice which Mr.. Chamberlain
will have in the new cabinet.
John Redmond, leading member of
the Irish party in the house of com
mons. said to a reporter of the Asso-
ciated Press: +