Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-21
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The Government Questioned on Several m- portant Points-An American Plan
 Adopted for Expeditng Business

| London, Feb. 20.--In the house of com l mons today MT. A. J. Balfour, first lord | of the treasury and the leader of the con- servative majority, proposed drastic al- l teraton of the procedure of the house. Hitherto Fridays have been allotted to discussion of private members bills Henceforth, according to MT. Balfour's | proposal the discussion of the govern
 ments estimates must be completed with l in period including twenty consecutive l Fridays. This alteration involves the | time limit method suggested by Mr. Chamberlain in former years and based | upon the American model.
 l MT James F. Hogan, member for Mid 1 dle Tipperary, asked the government what was the prospect of the return of | Ex-King Mataafa and his banished fol- l lowers to Samoa.
 l Mr. George N. Cursor, parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, replied that l there was no prospect of their return. | MT. Balfour, in reply to a question asked by Sir William H. Houldsworth, member for Northwest Manchester, said l it was not true that Germany had ap- preached Great Britain with view of l the conclusion of the monetary agree ment The British government, he said, was willing to consider the matter of re- | opening the Indian hints if such action | COulu De HlduS part u SdllSldttOIy | scheme of currency reform.
 1 MT. Cursor. replying to a question by | Sir Ellis Ashmead- Bartlett, said that 1 Great Britain regarded Russia's pledge, given in 1886, not to occupy Corea under any circumstances, as still binding. | The Trouble Tided Over.
 l Paris, Feb. 20-In the chamber of depu- | ties today M. Georges Chauncey, repub- | lican member for Saon-Haute, nterpo- lated the government as to statements | made by M. Ricard, minister of justice, l in regard to the appointment of Judge l Poietevin to conduct the inquiry into the | Southern railway scandal, and in connec- I ton with the action taken by the senate thereon. In these statements he declared | that M. Ricard had contradicted himself M Ricard reiterated his former state
 meat=,In which he repeated that he as- sumed full responsibility for the acts on his part which the senate had condemned, ard repeated the explanations of his course which he had made in the cham Der a few days ago.
 M Barthou. republican deputy for the lower Pyrenees, replied to M. Rcard M Ricard answered M. Barthou's l speech, and was followed by EX-Premier Ribot, who dwelt with emphasis upon M Ricard's irregularities, and warned l the cabinet against deviating from their | original programme in order to retain the l support of fomenters of a campaign of | revision, whose general policy had in- l yolved the cabinet. He was convinced, | he said, that M. Ricard's intentions were l just, but the government must stand or l fall upon the vote of the chamber. | The chamber renewed its vote of con | fidenee in the government by vote of l S09 to 105. The former vote Of confidence | taken on February 13 in response to Pre- l mier Bourgeois demand was 326 to 43 1 M. Lassere, republican member for l Tarn ct Garne, moved rider to the vote of confidence that the chamber censure | M Ricard for his statements and acts. The motion was rejected by vote of l 274 to 2S4
 l The debate throughout was excited | and noisy. After the vote had been ta- | ken Prime Minister Bourgeois sent sec 1 ends to M. Raymond Poincair, formerly 1 minister of finance. to demand an expla- | nation of yelled imputation of polit- 1 ical cowardice made by him against M. | Bourgeois. nIstead of giving any expla- l nation M. Poncair referred the two sec I onds of M Bourgeois to two gentlemen 1 he selected to represented him. The four 1 seconds held conference. and it Is be- l leved they will arrange the matter so l that no duel will be fought The bureau | of the senate will meet tomorrow morn | Ing to discuss the action of the chamber l of deputies. and also the action to be ta- ken by the syndicate. The president of 1 the senate is not inclined to give battle. l A long adjournment to enable the quar-
 rel to cool is favored by many, and it is l likely that this course will be adopted. Russia Has Taken Corea.
 1 London, Feb. 20.-A dispatch to the 1 Globe from Shanghai says it is believed | there that Russia intends to establish a | protectorate over Cofea, and that Eng i land and the United States will strenu- ously resist such action. In the meantime 1 the Japanese are making active naval preparations. Russia, according to this dispatch has chartered six Norwegian l and German steamers. which are taking l on cargoes of coal at Shanghai. intended l for the use of the Russian squadron. It
 1, is stated in Shanghai that China will
 1 permit the Russian warships to use
 Chinese ports for the purpose of coaling.
 Danvil,e and Neapolis Consolidated.
 Richmond, Va, Feb. 20.-The proposi-
 I ton to annex Neapolis to Danville re-
 I ceived handsome majority in both
 l places, ndsthe two will pass under one
 l government in July, as provided in the
 act of the assembly.