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Show BALFOUR POURS OIL ON ENGLISH WATERS LONDON, June 11. By a dextrous ""&p4 extraordinary speech. Premier Balfour last night temporarily smoothed over the difficulty in the Cabinet, relieved Colonial Sec-, retary Chamberlain of any necessity neces-sity for resigning, and for the moment mo-ment averted, a crisis. Mr. Balfour accomplished ac-complished this without committing the Government either to protection or free trade, though the effect of his speech will generally be taken to mean that the tariff Issue Is to be reUeved for the present. Henry Chaplin's amendment, which gave rise to the most interesting debate de-bate in the present parliament, was defeated de-feated by the majority of 396 votes, composed of Unionists, Liberals and Irish members. The minority who supported sup-ported Mr. Chaplin's amendment were almost all followers of the Government, Govern-ment, while many of the Conservative party, abstained from voting. . - It was half past 10 o'clock last night when Premier Balfour sprang to his feet to reply to the taunts of the opposition oppo-sition and sppeals from his own party. The Premier was loudly cheered. He statement met with loud applause), did not regard it as a fetish, and he had an absolutely open mind regarding the necessity for any alterations in a system sys-tem which waa founded to suit conditions condi-tions of fifty years ago. He refused not only to make a statement state-ment of any finality upon such an important im-portant question, but he also refused to compel his colleagues to conform to a standard of opinion upon which himself him-self bad an open mind. He admitted that differences of opinion existed within with-in the Cabinet but these were not serious se-rious enough to cause the resignation of any member. Mr. Balfour made an Impassioned plea, enforced by the precedents of friction fric-tion in Mr. Gladstone's Ministry, for allowing al-lowing the Premier to retain an open mind upon a question so difficult and so superior to any party Issues. The speaker did not believe the country would ever return to the old protection system, and no tax on food was ever imposed without the full assent of the working classes. They were confronted, confront-ed, however, continued the Premier, by three great phenomena huge tariff walls against the United Kingdom, the growth of trusts, and the desire of the colonies for closer fiscal union with the Cabinet, brought forth constant cheering. cheer-ing. Throughout Mr. Chamberlain sat beside the leader of the House, beaming with satisfaction. . Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. the Liberal leader, briefly replied, appealing for an opportunity for the public to more fully discuss the issue raised. He said one member of the Government was prepared to make a revolution in the country's fiscal system, a question on which the next general elections should be decided. This appeal elicited no response on the part of the Government. Govern-ment. The members of the House trooped into the lobby to vote against Henry Chaplin's amendment, the general comment com-ment being: "Balfour has saved Chamberlain." Cham-berlain." The Colonial Secretary, himself jubilant, jubi-lant, said: "Our friend, the enemy, is nonplussed this time." With the exception of some Irritable comments, the Unionist party Is greatly great-ly relieved by the outcome of the debate, de-bate, all the members expressing gladness glad-ness that the crisis was passed, at the same time believing that the same Cabinet could not long continue to embrace em-brace such opposition on the fiscal policy of Great Britain as Cojonlal Secretary Sec-retary Chamberlain and Chancellor of the Exchequer Richie. had scarcely begun to deal with' 'Mr. Chaplin's amendment before he was Interrupted with a hurricane of applause ap-plause at the entry of Mr. Chamberlain, who had been absent hitherto throughout through-out the evening. The Colonial Secretary Secre-tary dropped into his accustomed place. The house was packed with Peers, members of the House and spectators, as it has not been since the days of ' home rule. In a whimsical vein Mr. Balfour explained ex-plained that the only reason that the scorn tax was put on was because the Government wanted money, and the only reason it was taken off was because be-cause the Government wanted money no longer. Reverting to the charges l of vacillation made against him. the Premier took on a tone of unusual vehemence. ve-hemence. He declared that he himself, though a believer in free trade (which mother country. These factors could not be Ignored. He maintained that the method of starting a public discussion was the only way to deal with these phenomena, though he did not commit himself to Mr. Chamberlain's more advanced programme. pro-gramme. It would be folly and rashness, rash-ness, be said, to Interfere with the great system which had been in operation for so many years without the most careful examination and without due regard for history and the traditions of the past, while at the. same time they could not ignore those new problems which the ever-changing face of industrial indus-trial life presented for decision and the action of statesmen. This non-committal speech and appeal, ap-peal, made with all the eloquence and magnetism which Mr. Balfour wields o successfully, for an opea mind in the |