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Show Little Short of National Disaster. Previous to this campaign, says William Wil-liam T. Stead, in a cable to the New-York New-York American, the British people thought they had in Mr. Balfour a statesman of the first rank. This has been shattered by the melancholy-spectacle melancholy-spectacle which he has afforded by his speeches during the campaign. They have been lamentably lacking in every respect. They have shown neither courage, wit. nor eloquence. They have shown an almost inconceivable Incapacity to expound a definite policy, to explain his own position or even to rouse his own followers to enthusiasm. Balfour has not faced a single vital question. He has left the country en- tirefy in the dark as to the policy he j would pursue if he were returned to power. And on the one serious danger I which threatens England abroad he ! i has spoken in suc h a way as to in-I in-I crease the menace without affording the nation any clear guidance as to i how he would strengthen it against its ! possible foes. His reference to a possible war be- ' tween Germany and England has excited ex-cited the liveliest feelings of resentment resent-ment and alarm in Germany, feelings which might find disagreeable vent if the electors had made him once more first minister of the crown. Carping! criticisms of ministers who have faced the dissatisfaction of their most active ac-tive supporters in order to maintan the supremacy of the fleet have been received re-ceived by no clear declaration of his determination to support him if they decided to adopt the standard of two keels to one. He has repeated fantastical nonsense non-sense about Germany being determined to set a policy of tariff reform, and. while insisting upon the need for more ships, he actively supported the lords in depriving the government of the means to pay for them. Such heedless rhetoric, such unworthy recrimination, such inflammatory alarmisms are scandalous in a man who has been once and who aspires to be again first minister of the crown. The Germans are not worrying their heads much about the English. |