The Dominion. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1909. AMENITIES OF POLITICS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 679, 2 December 1909, Page 6

The Dominion. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1909. AMENITIES OF POLITICS.

A great many people must havo heard in one form or another the story of the distinguished foreigner whose mental balance was. permanently injured when he saw tho amazing* spectacle of a British Prime Minister chatting with the Leader of tho Opposition at an evening party and congratulating him on the excellence of the scorching speech in which, earlier ip the day, he had held the Go\ernmcnt up to scorn as a band of conscienceless advocates of evil things The stranger had expected a bout of fisticuffs, at the very least, tc follow th" meeting of the rivals It is a thoroughly British characteristic! that political quarrels are held apart from personal relations In some European.countries the rival politicians carry their rivalry into thcii private concerns; not, of course, bpcausc they are more sincere, or more in earnest, than their British friends, but because they mix up their logic with their emotions Politics in Britain are never so hot that the disputants' cannot enjoy each other's company outside tho arena, and it is an excellent thing that the statesmen of Britain do not confound their personalities with tho abstract ideas over which they fight so furiously Were it otherwise, British politics would become a fog of passion, in which tho chance ot finding Truth vvould always be extremely small. It is many years since British politics contained the vim, the violence, and even the venom, that havo kept the nation boiling since the fiist of May. Outside tho ring, however, tho friendships are undisturbed. An impressive public proof of this fact was supplied at the annual dinner of the Cymmrodorion on October 21 last Mk. LloydGeoege is a vice-president of the society, and Me. Balfour was the principal guest

\: In proposing'Mk. BALFpun's-health/ the. Qhanceilor :of the- Exchequer lused.lan-' guage-which-no doubt had a cooling and : healing effect on ; many fierce .partisans on both'sides of the Budget fight.; After. ;referring.to: Me. Balfour as " one of the most distinguished men of the day," Mr; /Lloyd-George proceeded: •..''■/,:'■ ■.■•;; _ " The House of Commons has a special pride in Mr.'Balfour, • a pride, in his. great, gifts, ,a pride in his courage, ft pride in his chivalrous bearing. ■',■ There is no debate in which, he takes part, which ho does not enrich by his .contribution.' He is one of the greatest assets of our House. '..If I. may say. so, he is.ono of 'its greatest, luxuries. For many a weary hoar, which wo perforce spend in that assembly,'is fully, recompensed by i one speech from iho.';guest of the evening. Ho and I 'have-not' always seen eye .'toeye—not on. every-, thing. ;;lt; has been my painful duty, op: one or two, occasions; even to criticise him; it has been my still.moro painful duty to: sit and listen, while he has been criticising me. ■' And I can'assure you, as one who has undergone that painful operation more than once, that thoso who suffer most deeoly the : damage inflicted:by:his blows aro also those who admire most.thoroughly the consummate skill with-which they ore', always dealt." , ,

This goncrous eulogy was sincerely felt, and equally sincere, obviously, was the return compliment of Mr. Balfour. It was not the first time, he said, that he had been rejoiced to recognise' that political differences do not embitter, personal rotations. He recalled that just, seven years before, when Mr. Lloyd-George was leading the forces against the Balfour Government in a great battle, there had been a similar suspension of hostilities :• ■"I was doing my best to defend a Government measure, the Chancellor of the 'Exchequer was exhibiting those great qualities of. Parliamentary dcbate : in ; Opposition, and in independent opposition, which "lie now shows .upon a'.larger theatre. But the same friendly , tolerance was extended to me in the position of critic of legislation. I-well remember that it was towards tho end-of that prolonged .and arduous session, in which -it was my lot to prdpose' a Bill vehemently opposed by the great majority of Welsh i ropresentatives-rand in which the Chancellor of the Exchequer was really- the leading protagonist of that opposi- ' whilst the House was sitting; I was asked to dinner ,by the Welsh members in, the House of ,-Commons. I do not think; there could be a greater exhibition of -the kindly toleranco which overlooks honest differences of opinion than what then took place, unless it be, perhaps, the speech which' -wo have just heard . from the statesman who ..was : then leading , the Opposition as he is now taking a leading part defending the Govern-ment-proposals. r heartily thank him for what he has said. -I think lie has put it far. too highj but at nil events I do not. believe there is any. country; in the world where Such a Speech could be mado on, such an, occasion nnd such a subject exccpt this; country." There are poople in England who regard such incidents as these as fearful revelations of the vilest political hypocrisy, and .who will refuse to 'believe that- Mu. Lloyd-George and Mr. Balfour, can bo in earnest when, fighting, cach. other in. I the E'ouso., But buck people ore'; a

minority, for most of us realise that in the day when party loaders who politic-: ally arc enemies are enemies : pcrsonally as well British politics will/ have no AsQli'lTHS, BALFOTJRS, Morleys' l and. lloseB'erys.' That will bo an evil day for Britain.' ■'