Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-06-25
THE BRITISH CRISIS,
HarcOurt and Balfour Talk to Com.
mOners on the Subject.
Probability Of Early Dissolu.
J tion Of Parliament.


mons was crowded with members and
visitors at tho opening Of yesterdays sit
ting. Upon tho appearance Of Mr.. Ban.
nermap secretary OF state for war, the
Liberals gave him an ovation. The Irish
members sat silent.
Sir William Harcourt made a briei
statement saying that as the adverse vote
on Friday was In effect IA vote Of want oi
confidence In the secretary OF state fol
war, with whom tho government had asso
ciated themselves, they had therefore
placed their designations In the hands OF
the queen, who had accepted them.
The government, he said, would hold
office only until their successors had been
appointed, and he, therefore, would move
that the house adjourn; but 1t was indi-
spensable before this was done that the
Behring sea bill be passed In order that II
might receive the royal assent.
In quitting Office, Sir William said he
desired to tender TO the gentlencn with
whom he had had the honor Of acting his
grateful thanks for their constant and un.
failing support. He also desired to 40
knowledge the courtesy which had In.
variably been shown to him by his politi
oal opponenta
Mr. BalfOur appealed to the members OF
the opposition for an expression OF theis
sympathy. Whatever they might think
of the policy which has been pursued by
the government, all of their political op
ponents recognized tho chancellor of the
exchequer as one Of the greatest orna
ments Of tho house, and one who ever kept
the dignity Of the assembly In view.
Mr. Balfour thought that the proper
constitutional course to adopt would have
been to dissolve parliament. For gov.
ernment in the position Of the present one,
to resign II was practically equivalent to
determination on their part to put the
burden of office upon the opposition. II
was not in accordance with the best ira
ditions Of the house.
At tho conclusion Of the remarks Of Mr.
Balfour the Behring sea bill passed its
third reading, DR.. Tanner alone objecting
on the ground that he would object to the
passage Of any bill by the house while the
Irish land bill was dormant. The house
then adjourned.
Interesting Data.
The full house of commons consists OF
$40 members The vote by which the gov
ernment was defeated was 1872 to 125-a
total Of only 257, or much less than half q
house. The Gladstone government started
in with q majority Of 40 nearly three years
ago. To I'LL vacancies caused by death,
resignation and promotion to the house OF
lords, W by-elections have been hold, the
results Of which have steadily pulled down
the government majority until 1t has
fairly vanished, when the disaffected
among the original supporters Of the gov.
ernment vote with the opposition, or
even when they merely abstain from vot-
ing.
In these by-elections the Liberals have
lost nine seats-Huddorsfield Grimsby,
Linhthgow, Hereford, FOrfar, Brigg, Mid.
Norfolk, Walworth and Inverness; and
have gained four-Walsall, Pontefract,
Hexam and Colchester; while one mem.
Der, Il. II. Bolton, has changed sides with.
out reelection. The recent vacation OF
his seat for Cork by William O'Brien,
anti-Parnellite, on account of bankruptcy,
has still further reduced the ministerial
majority. The state Of parties In the house
at present is as follows.
Liberals. ..........2S Conservatives. '''Ha
Less Speaker. Liberal. Unionists. s
a7 Total opposition ...aal
Anti -Parnellites 80. II 341
ParnelllteS.. S........"
= Majority. ........... ~
TOTAL. .o4I
This nominal majority of 20 is at any
moment subject~to reduction to II by tho
abstention from voting of the nine Par.
nelltes, and to still further reduction to
eight by the hostile action of this group.
The Redmond faction having. practically
deserted Rosebery, and Keir Hardie hay
ing resolved to act Independently Of par
ties, the positive Liberal majority in tho
house of commons was reduced to IL, and
If the Scotch members should desert the
Liberal banner. as they have threatened
to do, the Gladstonian majority would be
dissipated entirely. On Liberal votes
recently the majority has ranged from 20
down to eight. 1t has boon as low as five
and two, until Friday, when it was wiped
out entirely, the vote standing: Conserya
tives, 1872; Liberals, 1875.
Dissolution at Hand.
Thevarious Conservative agents through.
out the country have received the official
notice to prepare for an immediate disso.
linton Of parliament
The Times, The Post and The Daily
News agree that Lord Salisburys accept.
ancc of the task Of forming ministry Is
conditional on the Gladstonians not op.
posing votes Of supply and an early dis.
solution Of parliament. The Times and
The Daily News further believe that
no such assurance has been given, and
that therefor the issue Is doubtful.
Mr.. Gladstone dined with Lord Rose.
berry. the retiring Liberal premier, last
evening. Mr.. Gladstone remained discuss.
Ing tho situation with Lord Rosebcry until
nearly midnight. Tho party was joined
by Mr.. Asquith, tho homo secrets tary, and
Lord Tweedmouth, lord Of the privy seal.
Dr. Seaman on Trial.
DETROIT, June 20.-Dr. Dennis j. Sea.
man was placed on trial yesterday after.
noon, charged with committing q criminal
operation on Emily Hail. from tho effects
Of which she died Feb 3. The specific
nhnrno In ain 0hfAr fEhla Ia -