The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-07-15
HORSEBACK ALSO RESIGNS
BRITISH CHANCELLOR OF EX- CHEOUER FOLLOWS SALISBURY.

| 4 His Resignation a Surprise, and May
 Have Been Caused by Dread of Cham-
 bsrIaIn's Increased Infiuencs-R. ".
 Hanbury May Succeed Him-A. J. Bai-
 four Assumes Duties of Premiership.
 London, July l4-Sir Michael Hicks Beach has resigned as chancellor of the exchequer.
 The resignation of Sir Michael Hicks Beach caused intense surprise. It was generally taken to be almost more i'm l portant than Lord Salisbury's relin- punishment of the premiership, and was regarded in some quarters as being di- rectly due to the more important voice that MT. Chamberlain will have in the new cabinet.
 | Several other changes are likely to occur, including the retirement of Earl Cadogan, the lord lieutenant of Ireland, and the elevation of George Wyndham. the chief secretary for Ireland, to a seat l in the cabinet.
 l Speculation is already rife as to who will be Sir Michael Hicks-Beach's suc- cessor. The name of R. W. Hanbury, president of the board of agriculture, is ! frequently mentioned.
 | In formally announcing Lord Sails bury's resignation in the house of lords the Duke of Devonshire Oord president of the council and leader of the liberal unionists) added that his lordship had also retired from the government lead ership in the house of peers and desired that he (the Duke of Devonshire) should take up that position.
 | Rarely has a change of premiership been effected with so little dislocation to business, either public or private, as accompanied the transfer of the seals of office from Lord Salisbury to A. ]. Balfour. The occurrence had no effect l whatever on the stock exchange. The only other change in the cabinet thus far announced is the chancellor | ship of the exchequer, though others are foreshadowed.
 MT. Balfour, in addressing the first meeting of his followers at the foreign | office this afternoon, informed them that he could not count on the contin- | ued assistance of Sir Michael Hicks Beach, but could count on the latter's good wishes.
 The public showed little interest in the party meeting, which was sum- mOned for noon and the members of parliament gathered in Downing street almost unnoticed. The new premier. | when he entered the conference room of the foreign office, accompanied by the Duke of Devonshire, Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Lord Londonderry and others, received quite an ovation, all present standing and loudly cheering him. When Mir. Balfour rose to address the | meeting all again stood up and cheered the new chief
 When quiet was restored Mir. Balfour referred to the loss of the services of the chief who for nearly fifty years had been engaged in active political life. No one, he said. would grudge him his we'll earned repose, though his loss was irreparable.
 T do not flatter myself" proceeded the new 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 has desired me to do my best to take that position that I have asked you to meet me to-day. l have accept ed a great task and heavy responsibil- ity, certainly from no overweening be- lief 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 inl- portant qualification leader can have, namely regard for and confidence in those with whom he works. T have not had the opportunity be- fore of consulting you, but have, of course. consulted those with whom I 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. indeed the terrors or difficult ties, I ought perhaps to say of the task before me are greatly mitigated
 1T cannot now promise myself that I shall have the continued assistance of all my colleagues. One of the most im- portant of them. with whom I have been associated all my political life and who has occupied, and deserves to oc- cupy the highest post in the house of commons and state. has told me that I cannot count on his further assistance. I mean the chancellor of the exchequer. But though I grieve to say I cannot count with any assurance on his further assistance, I can count with absolute confidence on his good wishes in the la- bors that are before us"
 At this juncture Sir Michael Hicks Beach. amid applause, signified his assent by crying heartily, Hear! Hear"
 Hicks-Beach, addressing the meeting later, explained his resignation as due to a desire to retire from public life, which he had expressed to Lord Salis- bury some time before, but consented, on the latter's solicitations, to remain in office to the end of the war
 A message from MT. Chamberlain promised cordial support.