The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-07-20
Makes First Speech as Premier
 Out of Parliament
LONDON BUSY WITH POLITICS
cablnet-Making Is Absorbing Topic of sion-ChamberIain's Ap- polntment Would Have Been
 Waving a Red Rag.

London, July 19.-At the opening of a new conservative at Putnam today, the premier, A. J. Balfour made his first ex-parliamentary speech as premier He said that he believed with the cessation of the war in South Africa a new era of friendly relations between Great Britain and the continental powers had set in and would continue. The views expressed on the continent during the war regarding the British people and British troops had caused surprise and indignation, but the controversies were now closed. He hoped they would never be revived and believed that those who accused the country of wantonly attacking a free people would see in the future of the Transvaal what British ideas of liberty, colonial self gov ernment and purity of administration could do to amalgamate races and make of South Africa what Great Britain had made of so many portions of the world. MT. Balfour is attributing to the person. ality and policy of Joseph Chamberlain, the secretary of the colonies. credit for the approximately good relations with the colonies. said he was hopeful of good results from the conferences of the colo nial premiers.
 Referring to Lord Salisbury the premier said he had left the country at peace with the whole world.
 cablnet-M aking Absorbing Topic.
 Cabinet-making is the absorbing topic of discussion here During the week the public was regaled with more or less shrewd prophecies, but no intimations were given out by the inner circles of the intentions of the premier, Arthur J. Bal four. regarding the successors of the ministers who have already resigned, or as to how far the changes in the minis try may be expected to extend.
 It Is Indeniable that very large sec tion of the conservatives and liberal-un- ionists are strongly dissatisfied with the ministry as at present constituted, and 1t is increasingly apparent that in suite of all the parliamentary eulogies of Mir Balfour, many unionists believe that a government of greater strength and ca- pacity could have been established with Joseph Chamberlain as leader. The opin- ion Is freely expressed on all side by the unionists as well as the liberalist that the interests of the empire nowadays are so vast and complex that they are sorely In need of man of broader and more forceful powers, who should be disasso- ciated from the atmosphere of debate over the details of such measures, tor instance. as the education bill or the question of releasing Patrick A. McHugh, the mem- Der of Parliament for North Letrim, from the penalty of contempt of petty Irish court.
 Would Have Been Red Raq.
 The appointment of Mir. Chamberlain to the premiership would have been A red rag to the Anglophobes, but never theless. there is multitude of govern ment supporters who would have been glad to have him the chief, and the As- sociated Press Is informed from sources of undoubted authenticity that MT. Chamberlain's claims to the premiership would have been recognized as being better than MT. Balfours had he not, whenever occasion presented itself urged MT. Balfour's succession against his own.
 One important and strong point of the late administration which mas not yet become generally known and appreciated and which, 1t is feared, MT. Balfour will not fully inherit, was Lord salisbury's persistent resistance to Emperor Will Hams efforts to entangle In an alliance with Germany. These efforts have been made at intervals since 1890 and are likely to be renewed now that Lord Sails bury has retired.
 The concensus of best informed con- servative opinion points to a list of ap- pojntments something like the following as being the most likely:
 MT. HalsAury, the president of the board of agriculture. to succeed Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, the chancellor of the exchequer.