The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-07-16

one like myself, who have been an
ardent opponent for thirty years of all
Mr.. Balfour's policies.
Raised Tariff Reform Cry.
Words like traitor and sneak"
are among the many phrases applied
to him ruthlessly. @
One of the reasons for this dread of
Mr.. Balfour is the feeling that he
dished Mr.. Chamberlain when that
gentleman raised the cry of tariff re-.
form six years ago. It is alleged that
Chamberlain's expectation was that
Balfour would Immediately have
general election on protection, where
as Mr. Balfour calmly holds Office for
nearly two years, ignoring all Mr..
Chamberlain's hints and even COM
mands. =
The object of Mr.. Balfour, his pro-
tectionist enemies say, was to wear
out Chamberlain and tariff reform.
Perhaps more charitable and truer
view is that Mr.. Balfour, tired of
Chamberlain's dictation, was anxious
to show him and the world at large
that he did not need him and could
govern without him. Anyway, the
feeling between Mr.. Balfour and the
Chamberlainites is there, and the feel
ing is also increased by the fact that
Mr.. Balfour's waiting game succeeded
so far as to outlive Chamberlain's pow
er of work.
Mr.. Balfour then, whenever he en-
ters into. any transaction, is immedl-
ately suspected by the reformers Of
trying to sell them Hence ever since
the conference began there have been
fierce notes of warning in the columns
of the Morning Post, the ablest and
most powerful Of the reform organs
Mr.. Balfour, though not named, has
ever and again been told that there is
one thing he cannot give away and
that is tariff reform. And every move
on his part is watched with suspicion
and distrust in the minds of a large
number of his followers.
He has another section of watchful
critics in, the sbackwoodsmen. This
new and potent force which has come
into existence since ths opening of the
budget fight is very Festive. fComing
rarely to the house of lords, they new
ertheless value their privileges highly,
and they look with regret and suspi-
cion on the various proposals-some
Of them coming from their own lead
ers-which suggest that the powers
and privileges should be curtailed.
In some proposals they even doomed
to extinction. Sir Edward Grey, for
instance, one of the most powerful of
the Liberal ministers, is in favor of
an entirely elective second chamber.
Lord Rosebery. more moderate, pro-
poses only a limited number of lords
should have the right to sit as legis-
lators in the house of lords.
And one of the many suggestions
before the conference is on these lines
namely, that conference take place
between the two houses in cases of
difference, but that In these confer
ences only limited number of the
peers be allowed to take active part
Mr. Balfour, if he accepted any such
proposition, would certainly have to
face revolt Of the backwoodsmen.
Mr.. Asquith, on the other hend, :s
not much trusted by the fighting sec
tion of the Radicals. Beginning life
as a Radical, Mr.. Asquith is supposed
to have been dangerously moderated
in opinion by the experience of the
last twenty years.
Liberal League Split Party.
And Mr.. Asquith is regarded as no
better than a Wing. 1 think that
these judgments on Mr.. Asquith are
unjust. Nor is he persona non grata
with the Irish Nationalists and still
less with the Irish people.
He was for many years a membe,
of the Liberal league-an organization
within the Liberal party which was Or
ganized by Lord Rosebery and fol
years split up the party. Especially
on two occasions was this the case
during the Boer war and home rule
On the Boer war the majority of the
Liberal Leaguers were in favor Of wal
and always supported Sir Henry
Campbell Bannerman and still more
Lloyd-George in their attacks upor
the Tory government which carried
out the war. On home rule Lord Rose
berry has frankly and completely gone
over to the Unionists. The majorit,
of the Liberal Leaguers, however, wer,
content to transform Gladstone's pol
icy of complete and immediate hom,
rule into step by step home rule-b!
inof ol1poopts Thio was ooora% n