Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-15
JOE CHAMBERLA|N'S HAND
Is Seen in the Present Political
Nh.dle
NOW EXIS slG IN ENGLAND
He Is Being ply Criticised by Friends of
enc Government
EDUCAhJS AND IRISH LAND BILLS
Having Been Wrecked by the Conservatives
Places Them in Difficult Position.
Joe and the Land Ring Hand
in Hand.
shv9 AND IRISH LAND BILLS

London, July 14.-The withdrawal Of
the amendments of the Irish land bill,
offered by Mr.. Gerald Balfour, chief Sec
retary for Ireland, is being sharply criti-
cised by friends of the government and
has caused much rejoicing among the
radicals, whose supporters in newspaper
circles are rejoicing over the govern
ment's discontinue. The Times, gov
ernment paper, attributes the action of
Mr.. Balfour to bad management The
Daily News QiberaD predicts that the
amendments withdrawn will be added
to the bill by the house of lords and by
the application of cloture they will be
forced through the house of commons.
The general belief Is that Mr.. Joseph
Chamberlain, secretary of state for the
colonies, Is responsible for the with
drawal of the amendments by his sup
port of Mr.. T. w. Russell, the Ulster
unionist leader, in his objections thereto.
thus inducing MIR. Balfour to resoind
them.
The Standard conservative, which is
also warm supporter of the govern
ment, commenting upon the impossible
ty of carrying through all the measures
which the government has included in
its programme, advises them to drop
these bills forthwith. 1T is hard" says
the Standard, ito massacre the inno-
cents, but there is no kindness in allow
ing them to linger to an inglorious end"
The political situation has been only
partially relieved by the yielding of Ger
aid Balfour to the pressure for modfca-
ton of the amendments of the land bill.
There is continuance today of the de-
mandS of Mr. Russell and others for fur
ther notifications of the measure, while
the-Press and people generally are giving
expression to sentiments of extreme dis
gust at the feebleness displayed by the
government Many conservatives admit
that IL 1t were not forlthe hopeless diviS-
ions that exist between the liberals and
radicals the government would be In q
serious plight, as the land bill Is the sec5
ond government measure of supreme inn
portance introduced at the present ses-
sion of parliament which Is being wreck
ed on lines laid down by the govern
ment.
few more bills like the education
bill and the Irish land bill, If wrecked by
pressure within the party, will be sure
to put the conservative party to such
difficult pass as will necessitate the re-
construction of the ministry, an end to
which Mr.. Chamberlain, who supplies the
real forces of the present pressure, would
not object.
t. p. o'Connor. discussing the subject
In his paper, the Sun, today says THE
plain truth is that though Mr.. Russell
was the ostensibe agent of this collapse,
the whole affair was personal triumph
for Chamberlain and the landlord ring.
The cabinet would have paid little at
tention to Russell's protest, as with their
large majority in the house of commons
they could easily afford to disregard the
clamor of few Ulster men. But Russell
is Joes protege and follower of Balfour,
who would smile at the idea of being dis,
concerted by RUSSELL retired from the list
before salaried official. AS Joe cannot
afford to lose a supporter he has cum
ningly seized the chance to assert himself
and his friends and to humiliate the
house of Cecil"