The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-02-19
WAR IN THE TRANSVAAL
Was the Theme for a Heated Discus.
sion in House Of Commons.
A CRITICISM BY Mr.. LLOYD. GEORGE
Winston Churchill and Joseph Chamber
lain Denied Charges Of Brutal
ity Toward Beers.

London, February 1s.--The first division
In the parliament over King Edward VII
which took place yesterday resulted In
cutting down TO forty.hye the governments
normal majority OF 1870 The interest
caused by this unexpected event was
heightened by Winston spencer Churehll's
first speech at Westminster and by Mr..
Chumbeain's heated defense of his own
policy. The ordinary stiffness Of the ma.
iority Of this, the strongest British gov
eminent. OF modern times, was the result
Of Lord CranbOrns refusal 20 answer ques-
tlous relating 10 the governments foreign
policy without previous notice from the
questloncrs. John Dillon seized the op-
portunity, and In spite of an unusually
large attendance, almost placed the con
seNatlvc party In Queer street. In an
Interview after the division, Mr.. Dillon
said II have waited long time, but
Of commons ] have never had II chance
really to test the question. | know quite
Wen that had the spirit OF the house
behind me- Tor members regardless of
party ties are very jealous of individual
privileges. What II all means II that tue
government Will he obliged to ltIoke
the arbitrary rulings made by Mr.. Balfour
thnt under secretaries of state are not
Obliged to answer questions addressed to
them. The question is more Important
than II appears to be, for IL Mr.. Balfuurs
IuluB Nubulu ne IollbNPut III Wnlll prevent
the Irish members from questioning the
Irish secretary aud eventually deprive us
OF all rights of free speech. MIR. Bal.
fours whips mnde vigorous speeches but
with such small results that you may be
sure this tonguetylng ordinance Will not
ihuch longer be imposed on the house of
commons"
MIR. Churchll's maiden speech came In
reply to Mr.. David Lloyd Georges criticism
OF the conduct Of the South African war
- the course OF which he had denounced
The burning of farms and the keeping of
Boer women and children in British lnagers
on reduced provisions. These charges ere
atcd general uproar and provoked an
angry Demand from Mr. Brodcrick, secre
tniiy OF state Tor war, that Lloyd-George
should offer evidence to substantiatc his
assertions
Mi. Churchill caught the eye of the
speaker and cnustically rehuked Mr. Lloyd.
George. He INDUCED In epigroms, such as
no other nation In the world ever received
SO mnch verbal sympathy and so little prac,
teal support as the Beers
lie maintained that the war in South
africa had been carried IN with unusual
humanity and he closed with the declarn.
ton of his belief that at no distant date
there would be an. nnglcized. loyal, peace
lul and prosperous Transvanl.
Sir Robert Reed radical, member for
Dumlriesbnreh, argued that all this could
ne accomplished without severity and with
out Withholding terms,
Mr.. Chamberlain, sprlnging to his feet,
sugmaiiZed the speech of Sir Robert Reed
ms devoted to abuse of British officers
and the policy of ministers to praise the
enemies Of Grent Britain" He denied that
pence with honor was nj any time nosslhln
before or after the fall of Pretoria.
The policy of her mnjcsty's govern.
mcni, he declared, has not varied Be
lore the invasion of Natal we would have
accepted the most moderate concessions
but from the moment the Invasion occurred
and the Beers had fred the first shot the
government determined that not ono shred
or lndependence which the Beers had
aimsed should ever again be conceded to
them"
The conservatives, cheering furlously.
rose sose to their feet from the government
chamber ring again and again
''The government" continued Mr.
Chnmbcrlnin, challenged the opposition
AT the general election on the issue ef n
iRenewed checring) Tonight six PRO Beers
nave spoken and not n single liberal i'm
Sir Robert Reed objected to the term
pro.Boer. hut Mr. Chamberlain stuck 10
ms guns. 81 maintain he said. I'll
tnGre Is no other name for the mcIat
officers and soldiers" Drltish K
Reed ctr pohort
Continuing, Mr.. Chambers ," N'per'
struggle has come 1t orlt said. "1hc L.
determination of the Beers ,tcd in tho tn
nseendancy In South Africab secure tho n,
~ Spl't. o NE Sh'rlHreS believe that -
Try Is or the same mind AISLE this conn. ID
upon the struggle ana win en- ii entered &c
to bring II 10 close a,are no S,fort .,
no party which seeks to, viii support "a
ject In view. stuttifv ,ha oh, n,
Amid ringing cheers
the head and shouldMr Chnnherlnln Il,
Mr.; Dillon describes Is OF the war" Ms a,
and tho house. adiorl. resumed his seat II
Previous to Mr.. Died u
ilcge and the takin6n's question az nrlv. 81
mcnts In, reply to +, of tho wnr amend. ~
throne, the debate speech from the ~
been chiefly confined the commons had =,