Mr. Balfour, after a long silence, at last made a public appearance on Monday, when he addressed a great meeting of his constituents in East Manchester. His remarks on the Far Eastern crisis were, however, characterised by the most careful reserve. He declined to express any opinion on the chances of peace war, or on the merits of the questions"in dispute between Russia and Japan; all he would do was to express a fervent hope that peace would be maintained, and to declare, though he hoped the declaration was' unnecessary, that Great Britain would carry out to' the full all her treaty obligations to her ally. Some opponents of his Majesty's Government are blaming them for not taking active measures to preserve the peace between the disputants; but the blame is passed altogether in the dark, as no one knows what steps Lord Lansdowne has taken, or what. steps it has been possible for him to take, in this direction.
Fiscal It must be confessed, too, that less interest has been taken in the Prime Minister's remarks on this question than in what he had to say on the fiscal question, On this subject he had no new departure to announce. His speech was indeed an elaborate defence of the policy he has adopted—a policy which has been described by Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman as an attempt to walk on both sides of the street at once. That, says the "Times," is Sir Henry's way of describing the sound policy of walking in the middle of the street. It is' obvious, however, that except as a temporary' expedient there is no room for a middle course between the " whole-hog".'policy of Mr. Chamberlain and the Free Trade policy of to-day. Mr. Balfour denies that his attitude is the result of cowanlico or of opportunism in the bad sense of the word; but he considers it his duty as leader of the Unionist Party to keep the party together, and with this view, while still acknowledging his sympathy with Mr. Chamberlain's objects, he counsels the ex-Colonial-Secretary to "go slow," and reiterates his declaration that the food taxes which are essential to a system of colonial preferences form no part of the policy of the Government. He warns Mr. Chamberlain and his supporters that "they must not endeavour, in a rush of enthusiasm, to effect a change' which would not stand the test of time, not because it is intrinsically wrong, not because it is based on unsound principles, but because it has not behind it that body of fixed sentiment and affections which is the only sure basis of any great reform."
Mr. Chamberlain's Conmnission.
Meanwhile Mr. Chamberlain's Commission is getting to work. Its deliberations were opened to-day by Mr. Chamberlain with an elaborate speech. Last night as a preliminary, Mr. C. Arthur Pearson, the enterprising proprietor of the "Daily Express," entertained the whole body at a sumptuous dinner at the Hyde Park Hotel. Two days previously the final list of commissioners was published, the most notable names among them being Sir Charles Elliott, Mr. Vicary Gibbs, and Sir, W. Percival. Mr. Chamberlain described the body as a "business commission for business men." On the other hand Mr.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.