THIRD MARQUESS OF SALISBURY 291
the Liberal Unionist leaders, who had drawn closer to the Conservatives during the past three years, and with their aid he formed the strongest and most successful Government of modern times. He again went to the Foreign Office, while Mr. Balfour led the House of Commons, Sir Michael Hicks-Beach was Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Duke of Devonshire, President of the Council, Mr. Goschen, First Lord of the Admiralty, and Mr. Chamberlain, Colonial Secretary. Mr. Balfour's brother, Gerald, was Secretary for Ireland, and the Government con- tinued their Irish policy by two excellent measures, the Irish Local Government Bill (1898), and the Bill which established the new Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction in Ireland (1899). They also passed a number of other useful Bills, the most important being the Workmen's Compensation Bill of 1897.
Lord Salisbury's share in initiating and carrying through domestic legislation cannot at present be determined. It is certain that the Foreign Office occupied the greater part of his time. Indeed, the experience of these years is enough to prove that no Prime Minister should, in the future, be his own Foreign Secretary. The duties of that office are too arduous and too engrossing to be combined with the adequate supervision of the work of the Cabinet as a whole. It was at this point that Lord Salisbury failed. Instead of being personally responsible for every department of State, he allowed his colleagues to go their
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