The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-06-12
PREMIER BALFouR COMES TO
THE RESCUE OF HIS COLO
NAL SECRETARY.
WITH A DExTEROus SPEECH
DIFFERENCES sMooTHED OVER
WITHOUT COMMITTING THE
GOVERNMENT.

London, June 11.-By a dexterous
and extraordinary speech, Premier
Balfour at night temporarily smoothed
over the differences in the cabinet, re-
lieved Colonial Secretary Chamber
lain OF any necessity Of resigning and
for the moment averted a crisis which
threatened the Unionist paSty. This,
MI. Balfour accomplished without
committing the government either to
protection or free trade, though the
effect Of his speech will generally be
taken to mean that the tariff issue is
to be shelved for the present.
Henry Chaplin's amendment, which
gave rise to the most interesting de-
bate Of the present parliament, was
defeated by the overwhelming ma
jority of 1876 votes, composed OF
Unionists, Liberals and Irish mem
bers. The minority, who supported
Mr.. Chaplin's amendment, were al
most all followers Of the government,
while many others of the Conserva-
tive party abstained from voting.
Replies to Taunts and Appeals.
It was 1890 o'clock at night when
Premier Balfour sprang to his feet to
reply to the taunts Of the opposition
and appeals from his own party.
For two days the house of commons
has rung with echoes of ~dissentions
within the cabinet and dissatisfaction
without.
The premier was loudly cheered. He
had scarcely begun to deal with MI.
Chaplin's amendment before he vas
interrupted with a hurricane OF APP
plause and ironical cheers at the en-
try Of Mr.. Chamberlain, who had been
absent hitherto throughout the even
ing. The colonial secretary dropped
into his accustomed place. The house
raj now packed with peers, members
of the house and spectators al 1t has
not been since the days Of home rule
and they waited and listened in in
tense expectation.
In a whimsical vein Mr.. Balfour
planned that the only reason that the
corn tax was put on was because the
government wanted money and the
only reason it was taken of was be-
cause the government wanted money
no longer.
Balfour Becomes Vehement.
Reverting to the charges OF vacilla-
ton made against him, the premier
took a tone of unusual vehemence. He
declared that he himself, though a be-
lever in free trade, which statement
met with loud applause, did not re-
gard It as a fetish, and he had abso-
lutely an open mind regarding the
necessity for an alteration in a sys-
tenn which was founded to suit condi-
tions Of fifty years ago. He refused
not only to make a statement of any
hnality Upon such an important ques-
ton, but he also refused to compel
his colleagues to confirm to a standard
of opinion upon which he, himself,
had an open mind. He admitted that
differences of opinion existed within
the cabinet, but these were not serious
enough to cause the resignation Of
any member.
Mr.. Balfour made an imprisoned
plea, enforced by the %precedents of
friction in Mr.. G~ladstone's ministries,
for allowing the premier
To Retain an Open Mind
upon a question so difficult and so SUI
perior to all party issues. The speaker
did not believe the country would eve
return to the old protective system,
and no tax on food was ever imposed
without the full assent Of the work
ing classes.
They were confronted, however,
continued the premier, by three great
phenomena: Huge tariff walls against
the United Kingdom; the growth OF
the trusts and the desire of the colo
MES for closer fiscal union with the
mother country, These factors could
r. - 49, ~ s-r 5000 Xii IT, ~sn sr~l %I1&
the method Of starting a public dis
cussion was the only way to deal with
these phenomena, though he did moi
commit himself to Mr.. Chalnberlain's
more advanced programme. It would
be folly and rashness, he said, to in
terfere with the great system which
had been in operation fer SO many
years without the most careful ex
for history and
The Traditions Of the Past,
while at the same time they could moi
ignore those icy problems which the
ever-changing face Of Industrial life
presented for decision and the actor
of statesmen.
This non-committal speech, and ap
peal with all the eloquence and mag
netism which Mr.. Balfour Yields sc
successfully. for an open mind moi
only in the cabinet, but in the Union
lists party, brought a constant salve
of cheers. Throughout, Mr.. Chamber
lain sat beside the leader of the
house, beaming with satisfaction.
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, the
Liberal leader, briefly replied, appeal
ing for an opportunity for the house
to more fully discuss the issue raised
The members of the house trooped
into the lobby to vote against G
Henry Chaplin's amendment. the gen
eral comment being "Balfour has