The San Francisco call., 1906-07-09
HOW SOME OF THE
PLUMS OF BRITISH
POLITICS ARE WON
From "a stan Correspondent.


LONDON. June 23.-As Prime Minis
ter of England the late Marquis OF
Salisbury looked well after his reIa-
tions. Probably Arthur Balfour would
never have attained such distinguished
eminence in public life had he not had
the good fortune TO be the Marquis OF
Salisbury's nephew. But when he sues
ceeded his uncle as Prime Minister hsv
followed his uncles example by doing
his best for his own connections. An
instance in point is the granting OF a
pension OF $4,000 year to his brother.
Gerald Balfour. under circumstances
which have just come to light that in
any other country would be called scan
dalous and in America especially would
arouse a storm of indignation.
At Cambridge Gerald Balfour took
the first class classical tripOs and has
ever since been a shining example OF
the little value of classical honors as
measure of a mans worth in this
work -a-day world. He is SO years old
and has taken advantage of the abund-
ant leisure he has enjoyed to become
an expert with the knitting needle. He
can embrOider. Macrame work also
comes easy to his deft fingers. In era
zy-work he is also an adept. But these
unusual masculine accomplishments
would hardly suffice to keep the wolf
from any mans door.
Fortunately for Gerald Balfour, he
has never had to make a living In any
job that was open to competition. His
brother made him president OF the Board
of Trade, with a seat in the Cabinet and
salary OF $4,000 a year. Probably
that Office had never before been filed
by a man with such little knowledge OF
anything connected with trade. But
that did not prevent Arthur Balfour as
Prime Minister considering the project
of creating new office for his brother.
that of Minister of Commerce. with a
salary of $25,0O0 a year. The scheme,
however. fell through Meanwhile there
had been so much growing over Ger
AIDS incompetence as president OF tha
Board of Trade that Arthur deemed il
advisable to shift him. He made him
president of the Local Governments
Board at the same salary and with a
seat in the Cabinet
When the Conservative Governments
resignation became inevitable the aues-
tion arose what was TO be done for poor
Gerald. who was manifestly incapabls
of earning his own living. There are
a fixed number of pensions open to ex-
Ministers Arthur Balfour found them
all pre-empted- The last one-s6OOO a
year-had been granted to a former
Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Mi
ehael Hicks-Beach. Presumably in an
plying for IT Sir Michael had made the
required declaration that his means did
not allow him TO maintain the position
Of an exMinister. though what that
involves nobody knows. After Sir Mi
chaeI had secured the pension he sold
a piece of property to the Government
for 100000. which was considerably
more than it was worth
There was no chance of zettfno n
pension for Gerald unless Sir Michael
could be induced to give his pension
up He was offered peerage and ac-
cepted 1t. taking the title OF Lord 81.
Aldwyn- Then he surrendered his peD-
sion. although the peerage had NOT
added dollar TO his income. OF course
there Is no direct evidence that thA
oIrer OF peerage to Sir Michael wa -
made conditional on his reliqufshinr
his pension that Gerald Balfour uirhf
get Ii, but few juries would hesitafe
TO accept the responsibility Of finding
that such a bargain had been made
Gerald Balfour applied for the pension
the day after Sir Michael had relin-
quished it. and before the public kneu
anything of his self-denial Arthur Raj
tours last official act as Prime Minis
ter and First Lord OF the Treasury wa.
TO grant the pension to his brother