The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-27
PARTY PULL GONE In ENGLAND
PERSONAL STRENGTH LOOKED
FOR IN GOVERNMENT.
Apprals to Prominent NOn.Party Men TO
Take once without Regard 10 Their
VIews-GOod Man at Head Of war
ONCE May Save Balf0ur for Time.
Special Cable Despatch TO The SUN.

rarsonal direction Of King Edward, Prime
Minister Balfour has been engaged through
ant the week at Balmoral Castle in putting
the party system of government to bed.
II is a system which has dominated British
politics for over two centuries, indeed,
since the Wings brought the Dutch William
III. over in 1858 as constitutionally Inn
-ad sovereign to replace the untractable
Suars.
Legislative programmes have always
been subordinated to the free play OF the
party system. The country always had
an alternative government in the ranks
of Parliamentary opposition. Three FAC
tors, Mr.. Chamberlain, the war and the
King, acting simultaneously and In the
same direction, have now broken this ira
dition, and to-day Englishmen are con-
tempating with varying feelings the spec
tacle of their phlosophic Premier beseech-
ing men Of radical politics or no politics
TO ioin his administration. 80 that he will
he able to tell the National Union Conserva-
tive Association at Sheffield next Thursday
that all is we'll with his Government.
The circumstances OF Englands present
crisis are regarded so seriously that party
men and party organs acquiesce In tne
naradoxical situation without apparently
feeling it's irony. The Tory Standard and
the Jrnionist Times join in imploring Lord
Miner to enter the Government and give
1t some personal strength, although II ls
nublic knowledge that Lord Miners only
experiment in party politics was to stand
MS Radical for Ealing in 1885 and to be
defeated by the former Cabinet Minister
Lord George Hamilton.
The same interests advocate Nlscount
Esher, who this week has been the guest
NJ the King, to succeed Mr.. Brodrlck IN
the War Office, yet Lord Esher's only party
record is that OF having been long the private
secretary of Marquis Of Harrington. now
the Duke of Devonshre, when the latter
was the nominal leader OF the Liberal party
during Mr. Gladstone's temporary retire.
ment.
Other office-holders whose claims to
promotion are chiefly canvassed are Mr..
Austen Chamberlain, Mr.. Arnold-Forester
and Lord Selborne. All belong TO the
Liberal Unionist wing OF Government
supnorters. although the regular Conserva-
tiyes outnumber them six to one in he House
of Commons
few years ago there was great out
cry from the Carlton Club and Conserva-
tive associations throughout the country
at the misrepresentation ofLiberal Union
lists in Lord Salisbury's coalition Ministry.
Instead Of any such protest to-day there
ia an almost despairing appeal to prom
inent non-party men, such as Lord Cromer
and Lord Kitchener, to take office in Minis
try with whose legislative schemes there
Is no reason to suppose they have any SYM
pathy.
Ali this wiping out Of old lines, in which
the King is undoubtedly taking promi-
nent part, is in the name OF the new ma
tiopal watchword, efficiency. 1t has been
dinned into Britishers' ears for the past
four years that they have been cursed with
amateurishness in education, in industry,
commerce, sport. war and public life.
They have latterly shown signs OF be-
Iieving these jeremiades. and the result Is
the unanimous call to-day for personally
CAPABLE men at the head Of great min
isterial departments, where formerly rou-
tine party men sat undisturbed.
While it is possibly true that the King
has no views on the tariff question, ne is
outspoken on the question of army re-
forms 1t is a case of rather late con-
version, for it is well known that he was
Bullerite in the controversies which
ragged around that warriors Natal cam
paipn. and the officers who were his per-
sonal ntimates when he was the Prince
of Wales certainly did not achieve re-
nown for professional efficiency in the
war.
However, the immense mass OF humiliat-
ing evidence published in the War Com
missions report has done its work, and
King Edward is now an active reformer'
The significance of Viscount Esher's
visit is that he drafted a scheme OF re-
organization which was added to the re-
port of the commission, OF which he was
a member. II is on the same lines as Secre-
tarv of War Roots new system for the
American army Viscount Eshers scheme
is to abolish the offices Of Secretary for
War and Commander in Chief and sub
stitute therefor a board of war, like the
hoard of admiralty. which shall rule the
army lust as the naval board rules the
navy.
If Mr.. Balfour is able to secure a sue
cessful administrator OF the War ONCE
it is possible that his Government Will
survive even the next session of Parlia-
ment, despite the fact that the majority
of his followers are wabblers on the fiscal
question,
The Rochester election with its increased
Tory majority has given real comfort to
the Government. The winning candidate
strongly advocated a tariff inquiry while
not committing himself to taxing any par
ticular commodity at present. The con-
fusion among his leaders did not result in
losing the seat, over which Government
supporters sent up great sigh of relief.
Moreover, Mr.. Chamberlain's tactics re-
main as strong and confident as ever. He
is busy answering letters and telling in
ouirers that each must adduce arguments
in favor Of the preferential tariffs. He
has given active general support to the
Government while he wages his own cam
paign Of fiscal education.
A recruit emerged to-day from an unex-
pected quarter The Clarion. which Is the
largest circulated Socialist weekly in Eng
land, declares against free imports and in
favor of protection. 1t says:
1T is no more free trade to tax tobacco
or lace than to tax sewing machines and
wheat. 1t is not question of principle or
of morals, but Of expediency and figures.
As the greatest danger to Mr.. Chamber