The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-27
Why Mr.. Balfour Clings to once.

It will be remembered that when
the Balfour Government was beaten
last week by few votes on division
in which only about two-thirds Of the
members took part the House Of Com
mons adjourned to give the Ministers
time to consider what course they would
pursue. They might resign, or they
might dissolve Parliament, or, by sum-
moning their supporters and showing
that they still commanded large major
ity, they might prove their right to
cling to Office. There are presidents
for every one OF these modes Of pro-
cedure, and until Mr.. BALFoUR rose
on Monday to announce his intention
nobody outside of the ministerial circle
seems to have known what would be
done. What he said was: w suis,
~ reste, and his power was demon
strated by an array Of followers which.
had there been an occasion for counting
them, would have given him. it is COM
puted, a majority Of at least ninety.
In spite, therefore, Of repeated victories
at by-elections the Opposition is help
less, so far as the present House Of Com
mons is concerned. The Liberals may
rage, and the Natiopalists imagine
vain thing, but the Unionists will govern
the British Empire for at least another
twelvemonth. So far, indeed, as the
law is concerned they can stay In Office
until the autumn Of 1907. But Lord
BEAcoNsF1ELD in 1880 dissolved Parlia-
ment year before the close Of the statu-
tory term, and it is taken for granted
that his example will be followed.
What is the real reason for Mr.. BAL
FoUR's clinging to Officer The lesson
of the by-elections Is as easily read by
him as by any Of his opponents. He
must recognize, what Mr. CHAMBERLAIN
has publicly acknowledged, that the
installation OF Liberal Government
is almost certain to be the outcome Of
the next general appeal to the con-
stituencies. While admitting the likeli-
hood OF defeat, however, Mr.. CHAM
BERLAIN has always insisted that the
triumph Of the Liberals would be brief
one, and that a second general election
would give the Unionists, who by that
time. he takes for granted. would be
converted to a preferential tariff for
the colonies, firm lease Of power. From
this assumption the Obvious deduction
was that the sooner a dissolution of
the present Parliament should come the
better. For time Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN
did not hesitate to draw that inference,
but now he oonfesses frankly that he
has changed his mind, and concurs with
Mr.. BALFouR in favoring an indefinite
postponement Of an appeal to the iudg-
ment Of the country.
There is at least one disinterested
and allowable motive for Mr.. BALFoUR's
refusal to surrender Office at this time.
The cordial understanding brought
about between England and France by
Lord LANspowNE on the one hand and
by M. DELcAssE on the other has al
ready lost one Of its promoters and
could scarcely afford to lose the other.
II q result OF the interview between
WILLIAM II. and NICHOLAS II. should
be a revival of the combination between
Russia, Germany and France which
existed for brief period in 1895, and
which extorted from japan the retro
cession Of the Liaotung peninsula, Eng
land manifestly would be isolated, 80
far as Europe is concerned. It might
then become for her a matter Of vital
moment to enter into closer relations
with Japan than those which are de-
fined ~ the present alliance. There is
scarcely any doubt that Prime Minister
BALFoUB and the present Secretary for
Foreign Affairs, Lord LANsDowNE, have
both the wish and the ability to tighten
the ties connecting the two island en-
pires. but it Is by no means certain that
q Liberal Government would pursue
a similar course. In 1905 Lord ROSE
Berry declined, it is true, to take part
with Russia, Germany and france in
addressing an ultimatum to Japan,