Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-03
PARTY PRESS ANGRY At HIS TACTICS
Evidently Not in Sympathy with the
Doctrine Of Chamberlain.
FEARS 70 ARTAGoalzE IT, HOWEVER
Doubts Ability to Keep Party from Going
with the Proteotionist.
TtRlrF RtFoaWERs BOUND TO FORCE HAND
pnIfo.r Well Known Ability as a
DodRer Expected TO stand Hin
IN Hand when IL Comes
to Pinch.

IN Hand when IL Comes
to q Pinch.
LcHDON, Dec. 2.--CSpecial Cablesran 10
The le4)-Mr. Balfour in his recent
spe ,ches, appears to be attempting the
rather dangerous political practice of try
ing tc dodge in between the raindrops'
IIjs enunciatons upon all subjects-espc-
olaIly upon fiscal policies. reall, amount
to nothing, so his enemies declare. Per
haps it is a fact that he has succeeded
IN dodgiug issues In more different ways
than any. man who mas hitherto been
premier has ever attempted IN the past.
Mr. Bafour has had a vast deal Of eXpe-
rience IN Parliament but he has had little
OF that experience in dealing with the
people which made men like Lord Bedcons-
field, Lord Salisbury and Gladstone so
eminentiy successful. Ii is one thing Tor
the prize minister to stare a man out OF
courtenance in Parliament by an elegant
twist of the wrist while handling monocle
ard quite another thing to succeed IN star
iag an entire nation out of countenancc
The cold cynical smile. the single cutting
word of the synic on the part OF the prime
minister has more than once fioored mem
bers of the opposition. In Parliament the
prime minister appears TO think that 1t
Is not what man says but what man
does not say that counts In the making
q" his career a politician and public
man Possibly this is true so far a. Par
lament goes, but in dealing with the tens
of millions of people in the United King
dom the taking OF the general public into
his confidence, as Gladstone often used TO
DO. would count for far more towards the
maintenance Of conservative majority in
Parliament than all of the clever, sarcas-
tic sayings that the brain of a Baifour
can devise. II Mr.. Balfour does not learn
the art Of apparently making a clean breast
to the average Englishman every once in
awhile his career a statesman is GER
tain TO be cut short and his sphere Of in
fiuence in the world Of politics greatly cur
tailed.
Party Papers DIsgusted.
The Morning Post the Standard and Tho
Express make no concealment Of their dis
gust at the continuance by the prime minis
ter of the game of ambiguity in which he
mas been engaged 80 long. The Times aud
the Telegraph try hard to make the best of
Mr.. Balfour's speeches, but it is plain that
they are just as much disappointed as the
other papers which have the courage to eN-
press their sentiments. The reception Of
the Newcastle address, for instance by the
conservative delegates was chilling in the
extreme. All of the tory descriptive writer's
concur in that. When Mr.. Balfour entered
the hall he received great demonstration;
when he rose to speak that demonstration
was repeated, hut when he had been speak
ing some time and when he had commenced
10 deal with the fiscal question his audience
grew silent, its enthusiasm evaporated and
II made no attempt TO hide its chaRrin at
the hewildering mess Of shifts and ambigui-
ties he placed before them Some of them
apparently had hoped against hope that no
Tas going TO come out once and for al
definitely on Nr. Chamhcrlains protective
tariff side OF the fence, They were do
ceivcd.
There has been, Of course. no pretence ot
continuity in his fiscal declarations. Per-
, haps II Mr., Balfour lacked one thing more
than he lacks another he lacks continuity.
Apparently he is an opportunist in his
eeaiirgs IN these matters Of tariff and taxa
ton. Each fiscal declaration appears to
have been framed to suit what he thinks
10 be the exigencies of the moment
Chamberlain Might Triumph.
The ono thlng apparent from his more re,
cent actions is that he does not believe in
Mr.. Chamberlain's policy He sees that II
has helped to bring ruin on the conserva,
\ tive party. but TO all appearances his de,
sire 10 hans on to office and to the leader
shtp prevent him from stating his own con
viction honestly. There are those who as
sert that even here there is method IL
his madness. II he should come out In IN,
open It might possibly happen that Mr.
Chamberlain would sweep the party ava,
from him. To those who know the Englan,
of John Stuart Mills and Golden and Johr
Bright and Gladstone this might appear alb
surd in tho extreme. Undoubtedly Their
exists in the United Kingdom a deep-seated
historical tradition in favor OF free trad
which amounts 10 a worship almost lik
that Of a fetish. But there are clever poll
ticans who view the matter otherwise
The average man, II would seem, appear
To argue that Mr. Chamberlain being in I
protective tarff manufacturing district
takes on color from his environment an,
breaches policy Of protection for the pur
pose of maintaining and increasing his hoI
on the industrial centers, 1t is safe TO sa,
that Mr.. Balfour himself would gladly wei
come straight, clean-cut fight upon II
subject of free trade against protection. III
probably would not care II Mr.. Chamber
lain should wake up TO fnd himself in I'll
anomalous position OF leader of the liberal
on high protective tarin issue All thi:
of course, is nonsense and impossible whe
one comes TO consider the individuals an
the party lines and the party history her
III 4-hbiahut anu Is mentioned merely 10
the purpose OF illustrating how far thing
have swung from their natural and norma
position.
Lord George Hamilton and the othe
ministers who were turned out OF the ca
net when Mr. Balfour thought that NJ,
Chamberlain was on the winning hors,
must have read with grim Amusement.
not amaEement his counsel to his follow
4 ers not TO discuss a topic which could onl
lead TO dssension. Apparently he did nr
mind sacrificing these ministers on aecouT
OF their views on the subject. but now the
are implored not to discuss it lest IL miEf
raise discord.
II one may Judge by the political straw
which show, as a general thing, which wa
the wind Is blowing. there has been a A,
cided slump In Balfourism as a polite,
commodity. Even his party appears
have found him out, ana one can we'll syn
pathize with its preference for beinE Il
CONTINUED on Second PsEsl