The herald., 1897-02-07
A Hot Contest Over the Educa.
ton Bill
WOMAN SUFFRAGE MEASURE
Stands Not the Slightest Chance Of Be.
Ing Passed
Society Makes Serious Objections to Proposed
Military nsasures-Nanssn Now
the Soelal Lies
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
LONDON, Feb. 6.-(Copyright, 1877 }
The government education bill is hot
ly denounced by the Liberals as being
sop to the sectarian and distinctly
unjust to the board schools. The defeat
of the Conservative candidate, Mr.. De-
war, by Mr.. Woods, Liberal, in the elec-
tion in the Walthamsdow division of Es-
sex, is largely due to the education pro-
posals.
During the debate on this measure in
the house Of commons, significant fact
was that the government, whose sup
porters number 4S9, only received votes
of 296, 1926 and 2S3 on the principal di-
visions.
Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain, the secretary
of state for the colonies, still further en-
hanced his reputation in a splendid
fighting speech in reply to Sir William
Vernon Harcourt, the Liberal leader in
the house Of commons, who Jared very
badly at Mr. Chamberlain, hands. The
newspapers generally warmly compli-
mented him upon his speech, which has
undoubtedly greatly strengthened his
position among the Conservatives.
The second reading of the woman's
franchise bill in no wise means its adopt
ion this session. The vote only places
it in a favorable position, and after
Whitsuntide it will be strenuously op-
posed and has no chance of becoming
law. During the debate the ladies' gall
leries were packed and the remarks of
the supporters of the measure were punc-
tuated by the waving of white hand
kerchiefs, while the speeches of the
opponents of the bill were greeted with
loud expressions of feminine disgust.
The lobbies were invaded by strong
minded females and there were some
amusing scenes of buttonholing mem
bers, until the latter were actually
afraid to pass through.
The governments proposal to increase
the number of battalions of guards and
station a part of this force at Gibraltar
has caused a great outcry. 1t is de-
clared that the step virtually means the
ruin of the guards, whose present
strength is only maintained by decreas-
ing their standard of physique. The Of
ficers predict that the guards will cease
to be a crack corps and that they will
be reduced to the level of line regi-
ment. 1t is also asserted that there
is no space at Gibraltar for training the
guardsmen, and moreover it is hinted
that the smartest officers will resign if
they are compelled to go abroad ,as
many of them are able to supervise their
property and estates in England without
interfering with their military duties,
but they would be unable to continue
SO doing if sent to the Mediterranean.
Society is also opposed to the transfer,
as the absence of the young guardsmen
would deprive the season of much of it's
eclat.
The proposition to add another bat
talon to the Cameron Highlanders is
also received with little favor among the
Cameronians, who pride themselves on
being recruited from the heather, and
the proposed addition would, they claim,
simply mean the enlistment of a host of
East End cockneys, who have already
made the other Highland regiments the
butt of considerable chaff.
The Globe expresses surprise that
nothing has been said of the Canadian
proposal to recruit regiment of the
line locally and assumes that some hitch
has occurred. The Globe adds 1T
would certainly be an enormous gain is
all the great colonies would undertake
to contribute to the imperial defense
on the lines suggested by Canadian pat
riotisnl."
1t Is stated that on the occasion of the
queens jubilee the marquis of Salisbury
will be raised to a dukedom, which honor