The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-30
Result of StratfOrd Election
60 Proves a Severe Blow to
Their Hopes.
EXPLANATIONS FORTHCOMING.
conservative Victory Regarded as
Great Triumph. as the War
; l. Was the Principal
Issue.

SPECIAL BY CABLE.
? London, June 2s-The result of the STRAIT
ford election Is a severe blow for the Liberal
iparty, who had hoped not. indeed. TO win
the seat, but to reduce the Conservative
majority substantially.
This they entirely failed TO do. and their
disappointment is naturally great
= Explanations. OF course. are forthcoming.
Liberal voters were intimidated by organized
ruffianism. Two thousand strangers own
4ng property in the division. having voted
tlsewhere. fiocked to vote for the Tory.
The second statement is doubtless an exag-
eeration. The first is strictly and literally
true. But. after all. a man cannot be in
Inundated in the polling booth.
81 War Was Principal Issue.
Z The Conservative victory is a triumph.
ss the election was fought on the war.
? Mr.. Bolton King. the Liberal candidate.
~ a strong opponent Of the Governments
6outh African policy. He was outspoken
IN his denunciation of it whenever he could
ret hearing.
he was beaten by nearly 2.O0o votes. which
- just what happened to the Liberal can
Akdate for the same constituency in 1885,
Last year there was no contest.
e This division of warwickshire stretches
to, the suburbs of Birmingham. and Is not
IN the Midlands.
Mr.. Chamberlain sent a telegram to the
Tory candidate now the Tory member. re-
eating his maxim that a seat lost to the
Eevernment is a seat gained by the Beers.
though what the Beers would have done
yHh7it is far from obvious.
81 War Fever Has Died Down.
&.Etfl. making allowance for this. the
ActSof the significance Of the figures can
not be explained away. They show that the
Aar fever has nov died Gown. and that
a do not myself think the figures imply
tny particular confidence in the Govern
lent. apart from Mr.. Chamberlain:
s@kThere II not much enthusiasm in the Con-
Anrvattve ranks. The Prime Minister has
1Dc had to read to his followers In the
:E0mmcns severe lecture on the slackness
IN the division on the coal duty last Mon
,1ay night the ministerial majority was less
- hundred than 1t ought to have been,
3Sh the signincance Of such incidents is
Nsily exaggerated. though they are mainly
ne to carelessness and the feeling of se-
rity which the vast preponderence Of
when the majority has gone down, it auto
az r. snS sss
but there II only one possible government.
and that fact win keep ministers in.
Neral IN the Election.
I believe the moral of the Stratford cleo
stion to be that divided opposition does not
Ehs policy Of the Government holds the
~ has no rival The .'man in the street
- mot know much about federation" or
&foWn colonies" but he understands "nght-
out until they give In. -.
NWhatevsr ones private opinion may be
41Out the origin Of the war and its 5ustiica-
S9fience with which the extra taxes have
Zen borne. especially by those to whom the
4eome tax II real burden :.
I roWdyism. which break up public meet
- with an intolerant refusal to let the
= Be Of the minority be heard:
- Stratford, but things have been almost
t. bad in London. The meeting which Mr..
ner addressed at Queens Hall. just be-
I'D without the assistance Of stewards.
MO were. really special Constables.
- RSughs CoDDesed the Audience.
lVhom were workingmen. composed the
Audience and were almost incredibly brutal.
zome Of them deliberately struck women
- Nor II It q pleasant feature OF the situa-
stlon that Miss Hobhouse cannot get pub
1lc-room In London in which to describe her
seeperience Of the concentration camps
II No ono doubts Miss Hobhouse's veracity.
rxIhe speaks Of what she has seen. Her
i6Hairman. the Bishop Of Hereford, II uni
yersally respected. but the people Of Lon
IN. as Miss Hobhouse says. seem afraid of
- Bishop and women
s. The Queens Hall meeting undoubtedly ex-
s6tted an extraordinary amount Of irrita-
z4fons Mr.. Labouchere was in the chair, and
~ John Bull In his present temper Mr..
44bouchere Is red rag. The foolish cheer
5hE for Mr.: Kruger and General Pc Wet.
z'Aafeeillaise'' have. Of course. been utilised
s1er en they are worth by the supporters OF
@sFhe popularity of the war does not seem.
l5hfter nearly two years Of nghtins, to have
11ninished a,preciably.