Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-07-15
PREMIER BALFOUR
Continued from page -

nave tne most important QuduuCatiOn
n leader can have, namely the regard
for and cGnlidence in those with whom
b. works. { have not had the oppOr-
IuAity before Of consulting you, but
I have, of course consulted those with
whom l have been working in the
cabinet these many years. and if the
Kindness you are prepared to extend
to me is at all equal to the Kindness
they have extended to me, then in
deed the terrors or difficulties / ought
perhaps to say, of the task before me
are greatly mitigated. 1 cannot now
promise myself that I shall have the
continued assistance Of all my col
leagues.
'One of the most important of them,
with whom / have been associated all
my political life and who has occu-
pied and deserves to occupy the high
est post in the House OF Commons and
state, has told me that I cannot count
on his further assistance. | mean the
chancellor Of the exchequer. But
though | grievc to say I cannot count
with any assurance on his further as
sistance. / can count with absolute con
fdence on his good wishes in the laho-7
that are before me-
At this juncture. Sir Michael Hicks
Beach amid applause, signified his as
sent by crying heartily. hear. hear!
For myself" continued Mr.. Balfour,
Il have nothing to say. TO all the mem
bers. or at all events to the members
Of the House of Commons which are
listening to me !. have no secrets ana
no SURPRISES. You hafe known me so
well and so long that even were l dis
posed to dwell on this thing there is
nothing ! could say which could Or
ought to alter the Judgment already
long ago formed But If | have moth
inc of personal nature TO say at the
present time, neither have | any pro
noun. .urrt to make. Changes there
mr-. ~. consequent on the great
cl-.r.-. .....r we have met here to de-
plo,- -.tt this is not the occasion On
which either to discuss them or even
think Of them.
AS for the question Of policy I need
hardly tell you that the policy Of the
Tnionist party remains now what it
has ALWAYS been. We have lost the
services of a brilliant advocate to our
cause. We have lost Il man around
whom the sentiments ana emotions Of
the party have for many years crystal
lizcd. Nevertheless, / feel we would
do wrong to despair. do wrong to have
even trc faintcst misgiying in regard
to t. future of the cause hr has 50
long au1 so well upheld. If We pre-
servr Emo unity in the future which has
never been wanting in our ranks i'm --4e
rast, thr inherent vitality Of our cause
viii make up for any weakness in the
arms which have to sustain it
After warm tribute to Lord Sails
bury ~ the Duke Of DeVonshirc. Sir
Michael Hicks Reach rose ANA said
there was no one whom he would have
more gladly and readily accepted as
leader of the party than the man he
had followed AS leader for more than
seven years. Eut Lord Salis5ury's rel
tiramcnt was break with the tradi-
tion- NJ his past political life. Two
years aro he had begged, for personal
ana not for poltfcJIr reIsofis. 70 10 re-
Iieved from office; but he had consent
ed at Lord SaIisbury's instance to re-
tain il to the end Of the war. He now
felt that The moment had come when
such poor services rs he could render
could no longer be necessary 70 the
,Dr...- There were younger men
.Hn t1 ln the work VT least az
A.tI ~. l.t |..r i'. ~ 71 ~
tto H.H efOre told Nh B1ilour
tN.t Fl. ,... Hills strong des,r a. take
M lhe opportunity Of I-tirIl 4 from the
Office NE had 50 long had the honor to
hold. He had explained to him The cir
cumstanCcs which ne thought had
nccessitated that view On his part, Mr..
Ealfour had been good enough to ex-
press a strong desire that he should
continue to act with him as his col
league but had admitted that the cir
cumstanCc mentioned required COnsid-
Grafton. He could only say that if for
the moment he retained the office OF
which his tenure could not by any pos
sibility be lnug it would he because nv
desired to show that he entertained AZ
fully as any of them a spirit of loyalty
to their new leader, and q desire t.
give him whether in or out of office this
best help in the administration Of ar-
fairs.
After further tributes to Lord Sails
bury and approval of the selection Of
Mr.. Balfour as premier. the latter
closed the conference by saying that
il ungrudging service to the interests
Of Che country ana uavty could in any
way make up for the generosity dis
played by those present, that ungrUdg-
ing service was at their disposal. He
counted absolutely not only on the sup
port Of his colleagues present but ou
the whole party throughout the coun-
try, whether Conservatives. UniOniStS
or Liberal UniouistS. that he knew he
was not wrong in putting such trust in
them.
Whatever times were ahead. and they
could not always expect calm seas and
cloudless skies still they would be able
" TO successfully navigate even The most
difficult ocean.
Justin 4. Chamberlain, financial sec
retHty lo t... treasury, said his father
wished h.uf .o say now greatly dis
aprvutal Ha was at tie fact ybat he
coulF NOT be present to welcome Nj.
Balfour to the leadership and say with
what pride and pleasure he would give
all the assistance in his power. Turn
ing toward Mr.. Balfour the speaker
continued:
My father bids me to say to you
that YOU will find in him q colleague
equally attached to you by.a private