The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-12
PREMIER BALFOUR.s BACkDOwN.

Premier Balfour's speech in the House Of
Commons Wednesday night was an almost
laughable ending of what threatened to be
one of the greatest struggles in British poll
tics of modern times. The clouds gathered
in great volume and blackness, the light
ming played in the way Of significant
speeches from the premier and from Mr..
Chamberlain, the press thunders roared and
the hosts were marshaling on both sides
for struggle and fight to the finish over
proposition to abandon the traditional Brit
ish policy of free trade for protection and
preferential tariff rates for the colonies.
The dispatches intimated that Mr.. Cham
berlain would probably resign, that Parlia-
ment would be dissolved, and the late pre-
mier. Lord Salisbury. said There is no
telling what may happen" Well. it has all
ended in smoke. or, old hunters used to
say, I'm "a fash In the pam" There was a
little explosion of oratory, but the gun did
not go off. Mr.. Balfour's speech was prob
ably bold a change of front and as
adroit a piece of special pleading as was
ever heard In Parliament. 1t shows him to
be a very resourceful man. a skillful leader
and great In covering a retreat. There can
be no doubt there was an understanding be-
tween him and Mr. Chamberlain regarding
the proposed new departure and that he IA
vored precipitating the tariff issue. The
speeches of both of them, delivered at the
beginning of the discussion, showed this.
Mr.. Balfour deprecated waving the ragged.
moth-eaten flags of either the protectionist
or free-trade side in the controversy. now as
far removed as the poles from the contro-
versy of half century ago." and said 1.-The
time had come when it should be publicly
discussed whether the doctrine that tariff
duties should never be imposed except for
revenue must not be abandoned" When
Mr.. Chamberlain followed the same line.
but more outspoken, Ii was natural to con-
clude that the dominant men in the Minis
try had decided on a change of policy. The
press and public in England and the colo
MES so construed IL. Mr.. Balfour's last
speech was In tone of SURPRISE as much
as to say. What is all this racket about,
anyhow? Nobody proposes to abandon free
trade" He said he was a believer In free
trade. though he did not regard 1t as a
fetish and he had an open mind on the SUBJ
ject. He could not go as far as Mr.. Cham
berlain had. but-and he appealed to the
English sense Of fair play-you must allow
! Ministry little independence of opinion
and freedom of discussion. He admitted that
differences of opinion existed within the
Cabinet, but these were not serious enough
to cause the resignation of any member of
the Cabinet. 1T would be folly and RASH
ness" he said, Ito interfere with the great
system which had been in operation for so
many years without the most careful ex-
| animation and without due regard for his
tory and the traditions of the past And
this less than two weeks after he had
sneered at the ragged. moth-eaten flag
of free trade and declared that the time had
/ come when 1t should be publicly discussed
whether the policy should not be aban-
| doned. The premier has pulled Mr. Cham
berlain out of the hole sawed the Ministry
defeat. nailed 1.-The ragged, moth-eaten flag
Of free trade" to the mast, instead of haul
| ing il down. and has called sudden halt
TO the campaign Of education which was
opened only a fortnight ago 1t takes a
| great man to back down so completely
without making himself ridiculous. Mr. Bal
four may consider himself fortunate if Brit
| ish cartoonists do not make lot of fun OF
/ him.