The Irish standard., 1913-01-18
IS ENGLAND FACING L.
A POLITICAL CHANGE?
Tories Coming to Conclusion That
They Have Long Been PURSUING
the Wrong Policy.
Bonar Laws Declarations on Food
Taxes Unpopular With Many
of His Partizans. 4
Brilliant Resurgence of Balfour an
Important Factor in Present
Situation. ~

It is possible that we are OIL the
eve of big Transformation in Eng
lish politics. says T.. p. O'Connor, M.
F., il his special London cable to tho
Chicago Tribune OF Jan. IL.
1t has become abundantly clear
that the tories ure gradually coming
to the conclusion that the policy for
the last seven years has been all
wrong, and that 80 long us thcy per-
sist in that policy there Is no hope
OF their getting back to Office. re-
member tho historic afternoon very
well when Mr.. Chamberlain took the
first step in the House Of Commons,
which sent tho tories down that slip.
perry slope on which they havo been
descending to repeated defeat eyer
since. There was IL solemn hush in
the house ns Mr.. Chamberlain re-
.lcwed his statement already made in
the country that he was ready to rec
ommend to the country a recurrence
to the old policy Of tariff: everybody
felt that thoy were listening to "a pro-
nouncement which would change the
whole history of British politics for
many years to come.
There was no moment. lin the life
of Mr.. Chamberlain which revealed
those strange qualities that haye
made him such u power for SO long
and a power of such jisa ster to all
those with whom he was acting. Tho
cold voice, the palld face. tho thin,
alert form, even tho audacious nose,
all combined to give a picture Of a
man of ,oundless sclf-contidencc,
fierce sclf-asscrtion and a. rashness
that nothing could instruct or could
tame Tho old tory leaders. especially
those who had como over from the
liberal side wllc1 Gladstone proposed
Homo Rule. were aghast. The Duke
of Devonshiro protested, SO did sew
cral others. Ritcllie, then chancellor
OF the exchequer, Lord George Ham,
ilton, ~ strong Ulster tory. threatened
to resign. at least a third Of the tories
in the House Of Commons were ready
to revolt and did form separate Or
sanization. MI. Balfour wobbled, and
his wobbling destroyed the situation.
If he had stood up to Chamberlain
then, the tory party would never have
again adopted tariffs on tho policy OH
which they were to try and win the
country.
For seven years the tories have
been fighting for this hopeless policy
ir the constituencies-they have lost
three elections and now many OF
them begin to believe that they are
going to lose n fourth il they do not
change their tactics. Balfour for sew
on years tried to keep them from fin
ally committing themselves to the
protectionist policy, for seven long
years he do1gcd, he retreated. he sub
tilizcd., he cvaded any distinct utter
nnce-at the end Of the seven long
years people were still uncertain as
to what he really thought. Then the
tories got tired, an active and fanat-
ical group got control Of the mach
Inc; they forced Bnlfour out Of the
leadership after years. Of secret in
triyuc and they insisted upon putting
Bonar Law into his place. Bonar
Law seemed to be just the man they
wanted. FIe is convinced and ex-
trcme high tariff man, he is candid,
straight forward, rather IL simple and
even primordial mind. He has also
some gifts Of speech, can make hard
hits. doesn't mind saying abusive
things-in fact he was just. the kind
of u man to bring back unity of pur-
pose to a distracted party and to re-
new hope in breasts that had been
overcast by frequent defeat
Law Justifiss Early Hopes.
For a while Bonar Law justified the
hopes that had been founded on his
election. He made hard and harsh
speeches on Home Rule, which sent
his party into ecstacies. Outside he
seemed to be liked by the fighting
men Of his party; Lloyd Georges in-
sulance act was unpopular and the
~ ss:isss7is sss7i.