Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-02-13
CONSERVATIVES
HEAR BALF0UR
FORMER PREMIER SPEAKS AT.
BANQUET
Speech Confined Mostly to Fiscal
northumberland Recent Elec-
ton Is Not the Final Verdict
Against Financial Reforms
BY Associated Press

DN ASSpClHteu ITeSS,
LONDON, Feb. 12.--Former Premier
a. J. Balfour vas the principal speaker
at Il banquet given tonight by the Con-
servatives of the city of London to Sir
Edward Clark and AIban Gibbs. There
were 300 gentlemen present. including Il
number of the most prominent mon of
the city. Mr.. Gibbs and Sir Edward
Clark responded briefly to the toast
"Our Guests"
Mr.. Balfour, whose speech had been
anticipated with intense interest as his
reply to Joseph Chamberlain pro-
nounciamento, spoke at great length,
conhning himself mainly to fiscal qucs-
lions. Mr. Balfour maintained that the
result Of the general election could not
be accepted as u final verdict against
fiscal reforms. But he declined to
argue the question of protection against
free trade, but maintained that the
policy he has hitherto advocated is alto
gether apart from the controversy. Mr..
Balfour said his policy was designed,
so far as might be, to diminish the
burden on British industries which is
due to the tariffs other industrial coun-
tries have imposed. In countries where
hostile tariffs did not exist it was the
and at the same time preserve the in
terests of the British colonies on an
equal footing. 1t was, he said policy
intended to maintain an increased for
eign market for British manufactures.
Protection was an attempt to keep the
nome market against equal compete
ton from foreign countries.
Mr.. Balfour said the sentiment favor
ing his policy was not decreasing, but
increasing, and unless it were carried
out he beived as the world became
more and more industrialized and as
as civilized nations brought more and
more the weaker nations under con-
troll, the question of markets for Great
Britain would assume proportions
which could not be ignored. The world
saw great nations using not only diplo-
matte but their whole military and
naval force in order to push their
commerce To fight for British mar
kets might again be inevitable, but
fighting is a barbarous method where
negotiations might succeed, and nego-
tiation never could succeed unless it
was backed by some power of dealing
with countries with whom we might
be negotiating if the latter asked eX-
travagant or impossible terms.
Mr.. Balfour said he viewed the in
dustrial conditions in the United King
dom with the greatest alarm. He said
possibly nations which built up indus
tries behind tariff walls were acting
foolishly, but nevertheless they did it,
and the result undoubtedly was inju-
rious to the United Kingdom. Mr.. Bal
four asked was it possible to carry out
retaliation unless a general tariff
formed part of the scheme. He de-
clined to commit himself on that point.
but he said what the country had to
make up its mind to was the question,
Was the end at which we are aiming
worth making a sacrifice for?
The cause of tariff reform, Mr.. Bal
four said, must be delayed some years,
but in the meanwhile 1t was the duty
of the opposition to the present govern
ment to point out the mistakes of the
latter and direct the country along
the best lines looking to the future of
the country
Continuing Mr.. Balfour said that
never had a government been returned
with a larger majority without a cause
which it wanted to carry out and with
out any great personality to guide it;
but he was ready to concede the pres
ent government even longer life than
five years.
In conclusion Mr., Balfour welcomed
the Workingmer in parliament, but said
he doubted If the present labor repre-
sentation was destined to introduce
legislation beneficial to the country or
which the Unionists could support.