New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-28
THE BRITISH CABINET.
5fr. BaIfour's Dilemma Seen for The
Tribune Through Trained
Liberal Eyes.
~ HENRY II. LUCY.
London. August II.

TO-DAY brings relief TO many None have earned
,,ae+ IN fuller measure than the Prime Minister
,s-t from the ordinary labor OF his Office. over
-+e,,,,;ra lncessant the session just closed has
.,r Mr. Balfour been one Of exceptional storm
.rd stress Midway in its course there sud
sa7lv burst over It the thunderclap OF the Colo
-ial secretarys speech at Birmingham pro
claiming a crusade against Free Trade Ihat
rs certainly Il surprise TO some Of his col
leagues In the Cabinet. To what extent the
pine Minister was privy 10 it is a personal
-,atter into which We have no call 10 pry. IT is
.s.orable 10 conceive that he would not vol
..s~ concessions Of ecstatic delight in the
rraspect. Sufficient unto the day are the cares 1t
b-fnzs 20 a Prime Minister To have added TO
tis burden the load Of an extraneous undertake
ing which IN far reaching consequences equals
~ -1adstone's excursion into the field Of Home
p,1e is not an arrangement he would volun-
EARLY Geek. But needs must when Somebody
drives.
The difficulties OF the situation were increased
~, certain intricacies inherent to it. The Colo
mai secretarys Birmingham speech was
,ro,,,nrlv followed by schism in the Cabinet
Eractlv what passed behind the closed doors
.n5 The double windows Of the room in Downing
s+-ser will not be known TO the present gen
,-a,fo- P1t 4 crowded House Of Commons wit
-esse5 the dramatic scene that followed on the
memorable meeting. and was enabled, with
something more than common certainty, to con-
sarture what had taken place. When the Chan
~eIor Of the Exchequer stood at the table and
read from & scrap of paper the declaration that
~, what had been said the Colonial Secretary
EXPRESSED his personal views. not those OF the
cabinet as d whole. it was clear that the Dig
fight" had already begun. While the Chancellor
of the Ezchequer. not usually nervous man.
f1-rnbled for his eyeglasses and stumbled over
the reading Of this mean looking state paper. it
was noted that the Colonial Secretary. aban-
dozing his accustomed seat in friendly con-
tiguity to the Prime Minister, had found a place
ST the lower end Of the Treasury bench, among
the under secretaries There with folded arms.
paIe. sternly set face, he sat and seemed not
10 listen while the chamber was filed with the
jubilant cries Of the Opposition. who fondly
fanced they were witnessing the fall Of the
great minister.
Nj. Chamberlain is not man hurriedly TO &C
oept defeat He possesses in supreme degree the
quality attributed TO the Englishman of not
knowing when he is beaten. Al the outset he
had received a check Influential colleagues in
the Cabinet refused TO be tied TO his chariot
wheels in this new surprising dash against the
sacred citadel Of Free Trade For while the
break up Of the Cabinet seemed inevitable. In
commonly like Mr.. Balfour's work-suggested
via media. Don't let US quarrel" it was said.
Don't break up the Cabinet and let the COM
mon enemy in. OF course Chamberlain does
not propose 10 take action during the existence
Of the present Parliament. He has his eye fixed
on the electorate, and between Ourselves) may
probably think. now the cry is no longer
available, it Is Indispensable we should run on q
new. broad track obscuring some undesirable
bypaths in our past career. When we and
other governments are in difficulty on partic-
ular question raised in the House Of Commons
We propose a royal ----7ission. which tempo
rarly shelves the difficulty, giving us time TO
look round Let us have inquiry which will
suit our present purpose"
To this compromise the Free Traders in the
Cabinet consented. It could do no harm, and
would at least afford breathing space. If it was.
indeed. AIr. Balfour's device, he has paid high
for its adoption. Day after day during the last
two months Of the session he has been pestered
with urgent questions about the inquiry. He per-
sonally bore the brunt of the attack. Mr.. Cham
berlain almost ostentauously withdrew from the
Treasury Bench when the question Of the hour
was approached. Whenever the Opposition made
attempt TO approach the forbidden subject on
side issues his seat was conspicuously empty.
The Premier sat alone. his accustomed smiling
equenimity changed 10 an aspect Of temper.
Early in the struggle he hit upon the expedient
% declining TO give information OF any kind with
respect TO the inquiry Mime. Humbert confront
ing the President Of the Assize Court was not
more monotonous or more angry in her refusal
forthwith &c disclose the whereabouts Of the
millions shat had elude1 the custody Of the safe
Wait Cor a Jew more days" she repeated, "and
you VIII doubt US no longer" Wait till the re-
suit OF the Inquiry IS printed and circulated and
al hon o.
fullest reply to reiterated interrogation. For the
most part he sharply answered that he had
nothing 10 say.
The situation was aggravated by two counter
Influences On the one side was the Colonial
Secretary, bresk'ng she implied truce by the en-
ployment Of an agency in Birmingham TO pub
ish on scale Of almost legendary magnitude"
IS Lord Hugh Cecil put it, leaflets designed to
convert the electorate 10 his new fiscal system.
sing the prestige Of his position" TO quote an
Other epigrammatic sentence of Lord Hugh's
spoken in the House Of Commons. he claims ali
the freedom Of private individual" On the other
hand was the Duke Of Devonsaire from time
10 time making embarrassing declarations in the
House Of Lords. Opposition Peers. enjoying their
privilege Of questioning Ministers on the burn-
Ing question OF the day met with a different
reception from that accorded 10 their allies in
the Commons. The leader of the House. brought
Up from youth amid the Parliamentary tradi-
lions that require Minister OF the crown 10
'eply 10 reasonable interrogations frankly re-
sponded 10 invitations 10 state what he knew
about the inquiry. 1t certainly did not amount
20 much Story. Cod bless you, he had none To
tel But he was ever careful TO insist that the
Ministry as q whole were not committed IN
approve system Of preferential tariffs All
that vas settled was that there should be in
Quiry, and he undertook that at the earliest DOS