The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-30
ANTAGONISTS AT CLOSE QUARTERS.
An Anomalous State of Affairs in the Present
English House of Commons.

An Anomalous state of Affairs In the Present
English House of Commons.
Gable Special
In the Commons this session one sees a curious
sight. AS most of your readers know. what is
called the front opposition bench-the bench
which faces the Treasury bench, on wi Min
listers Sits usually occupied by membo the
government which has latest gone out OF tice
Men who come into Office occupy the Treasury
bench, while the men turned out occupy the
front opposition bench. This time, however
Harrington and Chamberlain who helped to turn
out Giadstones government, insisted on the right
to sit on the front opposition bench, on the
ground that they are still Liberals, still mem
bers of Gladstons's party in their general princi
pies, and were members of Gladstones govern
ment. The result of this resolve has been that
men ranged side by side on the same bench get
up and denounce each other with all
the fervor of political rivalry, fury and
personal hate. Chamberlain stands up just be-
side John Morley and rattles at Morley as if the
two had been lifelong opponents. Harcourt
gets up and declaims away vigorously and vehe-
mently at Chamberlain. who Is sitting on the
same bench, and just under his eyes. remem-
ber Disraeli once humorousy complaining to the
House of Gladstones energy of invective, and
observing. amid the delighted laughter of the
very solid piece OF furniture stood between
the right honorable gentleman and himself.
That solid piece of furniture was table placed
between the Treasury and the opposite benches,
and big dispatch boxes. But now, in the new
division of parties, the protection of solid piece
of furniture is not always of any avail.
If in some future debate Chamberlain should
sting Harcourt into unconquerable fury, there is
no barrier between the two men-nothing to
prevent Harcourt simply falling with all his vast
bulk and weight upon the slender form of the
helpless Chamberlain and crushing him out Of
existence. Once in the course Of his speech, on
Thursday, Chamberlain was interrupted by
some remark from former colleague in Office.
Henry Fowler. Chamberlain got angry, and
looking sharply at Fowler, who was sitting on
the same bench, quite near, said the remark was
nonsense Suppose, now, that Fowler had lost
his temper; what barrier was there to prevent
him from addressing his remonstrance to Cham
berains left eyef Something will have to be
done. | think in days long past it used to
be the way with the men of the different parties
to sit side by side. Many time did Sir Robert
Walpole and Pulteney pitch into each other
from the self-same bench; but generation
has never before seen anything of the kind 1t
adds immensely to the oddity of the whole condi-
tion of things. Perhaps when Chamberlain is
backing up the Tories and denouncing the Irish
Nationalists when Harcourt is laundering for
home rule and speaking as if he rather pre-
ferred Parnell to his own brother, it is but
natural that there should be some curious
novelty also in the outward aspects of the de-
bate.
Harcourt is strange man. He made a very
powerful speech last night. do not know that
he ever spoke powerfully before. Probably
he is spirited on by fresh hope of the success
sion of the Liberal leadership, which at one time
seemed lost to him forever Now that Harting-
ton, Chamberlain and Dixie are out of the way,
his chance shines again. This probably animated
him with added power. | wish any one could
think that Harcourt is sincere, but if any one
does think anything of the kind, l certainly
never heard any one say it,