The Press. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1903. MR. BALFOUR'S CABINET MAKING

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11748, 24 November 1903, Page 6

The Press. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1903. MR. BALFOUR'S CABINET MAKING

The difficulties of an English "Premier ore vividly described in Mr. Morley s "Life of. Gladstone." Even that great and masterful leader had nine of his colleagues threatening him with their resignations at one time, and it needed all his tact and force of character to keep things going with even an appearance of smoothness. This helps us to realise how very difficult Mr. Balfour's position must have, been towards the end of last session of Parliament. Making every allowance for his difficulties, however, some of the facts which have com. out are not easy to reconcile with the character which Mr. Balfour has always borne as a man of tbe most scrupulous honour and the most refined sense of what iB duo to one's political colleagues. Mr. Chamberlain's resignation, it is quite, clear, was agreed upon between that honourable gentleman and the Premier, but did not take effect for several days afterwards. In the meantime, the fact was kept a profound secret from all the rest of the Cabinet, with the exception of the Duke of Devonshire. Mr. Balfour was naturally most anxious to keep the Duke within the Cabinet, and.so he told him in confidence what Mr. Chamberlain intended to do, and assured the Duke at the same time that he (Mr. Balfour) did not intend to support the taxation of food, or, in fact, to propose the reversal of the English policy of/free trade. This confidential disclosure had the effect of keeping the Duke in the Cabinet for some time longer—until Mr. Balfour, in fact, spoke at Sheffield, and went, as the Duke thought, beyond the letter and the spirit of his promise. The most extraordinary feature about the affair, however, is that the secret of Mr. Chamberlain's resignation was withheld from Lord George Hamilton and Mr. Ritchie . until after their own resignations had been accepted, although had they known that Mr. Chamberlain was leaving the Ministry, and tlie extent to which Mr. Balfour had consented to modify his policy/ they would both have been quite content to remain within

the Cabinet. Lord. George Hamilton stated this explicitly in subsequently addressing his constituents, and added that hi knew nothing about Mr. Chamberlain's resignation until he saw it announced in the papers. Mr. Ritchie made a similar! statement. It is impossible to escape the conclusion that Mr. Balfour, while desperately anxious to retain the Duke of Devonshire, wm not o_iy indifferent to the departure- of the- other two, but actually wished to facilitate their resignation. We are not surprised that even some of Mr. Balfour's supporters are pained and astonished at such n proceeding ia regard to hia colleagues, whom, one would think, he was bound to treat with every confidence in a matter of so much moment. That both Lard Qeorgs Hamilton and; Mr Ritchie fee] that they, had been jockeyed, out of thei Cabinet by a trick goes without eayl-g. • ' . -~,,■

But this does not bf any means exhaust tlie elements of surprise in regard to tho remarkable political changes which havo taken plaoe. it appears from Mr Ritchie's speech to his constituents that there was a near approach to a. crisis in May last. Mr Chamberlain then urged Very strongly that the shilling corn doty should be kept on, and preference given to the colonies. Mr Ritchie, feeling thai this was only ths beginning of a protective policy, which was oertain to grow to much larger dimensions, absolutely refused to agree to the preference idea- Tho Cabinet was to withdraw the shilling duty altogether. Mr Chamberlain agreed for the moment, bub, "subs-qu-ntly, as we know, went down, to Birmingham, launched his fiscal programme—without consulting his colleagues, it is stated—and so brought about the most memorable political contest of modem times. There is no question, we think, that the Ministry, as reconstructed by Mr Balfour, is merely a Cabinet of caretakers, put together in the hope that it may last until the political situation has been; cleared up, when a fresh . arrangement will be made. /We said, when the rupture first took plaoe, that the Balfour policy was not strong enough to eaptire the country, and that it was either a case of Chamberlain or nothing. What has taken place since then has greatly strengthened that impression. There is a pretty general belief in England that Mr Balfour and Mr Chamberlain understand each other. Their separation has been wittily spoken of as "a collusive divorce." "The Times" likens them. to. a pair of accomplished whist players, each playing to the other's hand. Mr Balfour, H is. pretty evident, ia to "hold the fort," by means of bis tempor*. ing policy, Mr Austen Chamberlain remaining inside* the Cabinet to help him, and also, it is suggested, to look after his father's interests. Meanwhile Mr Joseph Chamberlain has a free hand to "carry the "country" if he can. Should be succeed we expect him to rejoin the Ministry, possibly as Premier, and his policy will be adopted as the policy of the Government. Should he fall, it will be unquestionably a very heavy blow to his prestige a* a state-man. Not improbably it will mean his political extinction. Mr Chamberlain, then, is playing for big stakes, and he is playing with an amount of dash, courage; and ability that we cannot but admire. J