The Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, M.P.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 5 January 1892, Page 3

The Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, M.P.

* From the character sketch in the November number of the Review of Reviews we extract the following deserip'ion of the Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, the Leader of the House of (.'ommons •' Whatever won for Mr Balfour the right to succeed his uncle as the n«-xt Conservative Prime Minister, it was not demagogy, flattery, or any other homage to the false gods of \ the market-place." Referring to ! the possible new leader of the • Liberals, Mr Stead thus oontrasts them "The difference between the two men may be summed up in one ! sentence, "^ou hear of what Harconrfc says, and what Balfonr thinks i —never of what Harcourt thinks, or what Balfour says Very few people trust Sir W. Harcourt, and those least of all who l declare that they cannot dp without him. Everybody trusts Mr Balfour, < and that is why the Conservatives cannot do without him." "No one makes so great a mistake as those who imagine that Mr Balfour is a cynic. He is a level-headed man, capable of seeing anijl sympathising with both sides in , a debate; he has a keen sense of ' humour, and he can enjoy as much ( as any v one a neat cut at his own expense." j Mr Stead also, two years ago, at the time Mr Balfour was made Irish Secretary, contributed a sketch of Mm to the New Revew and from that, we cull the following items. •• The root of Mr Balfour's success is that although not blessed by even a courtesy title, he is an aristocrat ■ to his finger tips. His friends declare that there never was a more a charming man than Mr Balfour; while his enemies maintain that no v more odious and offensive personality ever affronted the House of Com- ° mons. The charm and the offence are largely due to the same causes. n He is charming to his friends, because he is so thoroughly at his ease that he can put all those around him j at their ease. His temper is un ruffled, his style polished and re- ~ fined He has all the fascination of manner that distinguishes a great noble who is too sympathelic to be haughty and too intelligent to be dull. But to his foes the reverse of the same qualities seems hy no means admirable. His imperturbable good temper is exasperating / beyond- endurance. His easy in- f , souoiance seems intolerably insolent, K and his light-hearted mode of dis- p. posing of his assailants is infinitely ai more aggravating than invective or abuse.

....... He is the man of letters of his oarty. He has an excellent literary taste, and would much prefer discussing books with Mr Morley or Mr Gladstone over a dirider- table. to de« bating politico with them in the Bouse of Commons. From his wrangles with the Irish Brigade he has emerged comparatively unscathed. His geniality is animpaired. His wit ha-? a keener °dge. His capacity to appeal to the leepor sympathies trf a great popular audience has been proved and developed. He is a hard hitter, and always comes up to time. He is not a maker of epigrams like MwMorley, neither is he a professional joker like Mr Labouchere. But when the man in the street reads Mr Balfour's speeches he smiles, and his political opponents turn white with rage.