Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-08-29
MR.. BALFOUR REFORMED IDLER.
Rise OF the Lazy Man Who is the Premier Strong WIN
Overceme Incidence.
alnrnnnnr nf1nNrn 77TLnuIu

high up in IT, lie used TO be captain
Of the oldest and most famous golf
club IN the world--the Royal and
Ancient Golf club Of ST Andrews
and he is still the president OF the
National Cyclists union OF Great Brit
ain. The head caddie on the ST AM
drews links is fond Of remarklng re-
gretfully that q splendid golf profess
slonal was lost IN Mr. Balfour when
he turned his attention TO statesman
ship,
When Mr.. Gladstone was alive menu
beers OF the house of commons used to
wonder whether he or Mr. Balfour was
fondor of petting children. Although
political opponents, they we're intimate
friends. Both liked literature better
than the rough and tumble OF politics,
and they were bound together also by
their fondnesR for children, especially
for Dorothy Drew, Mr.. Gladstone's pet
grandchild.
In earlier years they both petted
Lady Sybil Primrose, Lord Rosebery's
daughter. whom Mr. Gladstone nick
named The suffrage babe" because
she was born OF time when a suf-
frage bin was agitating parliament
An English writer who has met Mr.
Balfour on several occasions tells with
pleasure Of the first meeting. 1t was
at great conservative demonstration
IN Kentish park In 1891 Mr.. Bal
four was the principal speaker, and the
writer was then little boy selling pro-
grams for the good Of the cause, as is
the habit Of the sons OF Primrose
league danes.
Greatly daring the boy stopped Mr.,
Balfour as be was walking through the
park TO the platform TO make his
speech and asked him to buy a pro-
gram. Mr. Balfour took one and paid
40 times the proper price,
I'm glad to see you helping our
cause so young, my little man." he
sad. pattlng the boys head. What
are you going to be when you grow
up2"
oTd like to be q great man In parlia-
ment like you, sir" the youngster re-
piled.
'Dont your exclaimed Mr.. Balfour.
laughing, There's no fun IN II. Ia
rather be boy like you"
Some OF the organizers Of the meet
ing came up and told Mr. Balfour that
tho people were waiting to hear him
sneak. but he waved them aside.
Cant you see I'm trying 10 strength
en- the faith of young disciplef' he
said.
Then he asked the boy all about his
home life and his schoolmates, and gave
him some sound advice on school prae-
tise,
Don't get into more fights than you
can help, but Il you have TO fight let
the other boy knock you blind and
silly before you give In. That's the
only way to get on and have a good
time"
Ten years afterward when the boy
was working on q London newspaper,
he had occasion to call on Mr.. Balfour
az his office In Downing street.
do YOU remember buying a program
Of me at southwood in 1882" he asked.
why yes" said Mr.. Balfour, "and
are You the boy for whom / kept the
meeting waiting? Don't you think now
that | was wise In telling you there
was no fun in politics."
This Is an example OF Mr. Balfours
wonderful memory. AS with most alb
sentmlnded men, his memory for
events Is remarkably good when they
are talltu 10 MS ulteHAlOil.
Mr.. Balfour's most striking oharac-
terlstlc, perhaps, Is his even temper,
Nothing seems TO rufile him. In the old
coercion days he would sit for hours
on the treasury bench OF the house OF
commons with pleasant smile on his
face while the Irish members were
comparing him unfavorably to Nero
and Herod and saying that II they
saw him in the company of Ananias
and Sapphire they would consider him
to be in the bosom OF his family.
other Conservative members would
Jump up angrlly and interrupt, but the
man attacked never showed a trace OF
annoyance. His friends say that only
once has Mr. Balfour been known TO
show anger In public.
Some young Tories snowballed Mr.
Gladstone when he visited Dover dur
ing the last years of his life, Mr.. Bal
four had to address Tory meeting at
Dover soon afterwards, and he took
occasion to denounce the outrage In UNI
measured terms. His language, usually
50 calm and philosophical, became a
torrent OF passionate invective, and
before he had finished he had lost con-
troll of himself
Il believe he would have wrung the
necks of those young fools II he could"
said the chairman OF the meeting after
ward.
Though Mr.. Bafour has never mar
II led, his whole life and character have
been nodded by a woman--his sister,
Miss Alice Balfour She is an ac-
complshed. high minded woman, who
Yields great influence In English po-
litical circles.
II is said that Lord Salisbury used
often to ask her advice and lean upon
her judgment. Probably she persuaded
him to give her brother the great
chance Of his life as chief secretary for
Ireland. II Is generally agreed that
she has kept him In political life, con-
quered his natural Incidence and made
practical successful statesman out
OF the philosopher who wrote two big
volumes to explain that nothing is
worth worrying about or striving for
New York Sun.