The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-10
BY PAUL

BY HERBERT PAUL
! SPECIAL BY CABLE.
London. March 9.~-(Copyright. 1901. by the
| New York Herald Company.)-The Irish
question has come up again with a sudden
| ness rare even in Irish politics.
That the disorderly scene of Tuesday
night was not premeditated Is certain.
Neither Mr.. Redmond. Mr.. Dillon. nor Mr..
O'Brien was present. as they would have
been If they had intended to protest, and
| as they ought to have been.
In any case, the refusal of a dozen mem
bers of the House, when a division was
called, arose from genuine anger at being
muzzled by the closure.
This is not especially an Irish grievance.
1t is resented by men of all parts Of the
House.
a vote on account, which implies conf
dence in the Government, is a proper oc-
casion for raising a general debate ON home
or foreign policy. the whole civil service
being included in it.
AS q matter of fact, the education vote
was the only one discussed.
So far from the Government attempting
to shorten the discussion. they rather en-
courage it than otherwise.
Sir John Gorst, who represents the Board
of Education in Commons. was for the
greater part of the time the only Min
lister on the Treasury bench. Mr.. Salfour
only came in at midnight to move the
closure.
Then Eli. OOO. 600 of public money were voted
in as many minutes, not counting the time
required for the removal OF the lrishmen.
DEFENSE OF GOVERNMENT
NOT CONSIDERED VALID.
The defense of the Government IS that
they must get their money before the end
of the financial year. which is March 81
This would be generally recognized as a
asked for enough to carry them on till
Easter. But the Ministers chose quite un-
necessarily to demand funds which will last
them till August, and thus shut out all
OPPORTUNITIES of the same kind.
The whole opposition voted against
closure. Many Conservatives highly disap-
say the chairman ought to have exercised
his discretion by refusing to put 1t.
But. on the other hand. almost all the
lists themselves strongly disapprove the
physical. though passive. force employed
by Mr.. F1avin, and the useless, undignified
method as injurious TO the Irish cause in
Great Britain.
The novel spectacle Of policemen engaged
their places and carrying them out of the
House. however. shocked and scandalized
old parliamentary hands.
1t Is not forgotten that no punishment of
any sort was inflicted upon the Conserva-
tive members who refused to leave the
House for division on the home rule bill in
1898. Although their contumacy led to ac-
tual conflict on the floor of the House. the
police Were not called in. but Speaker Peel
Gained the passions Of both sides BY his
eloquent and impressive appeal to the honor
and self-respect of the whole assembly.
This had the desired effect without the
imposition of any penalty at all.
HEAVY PENALTY FOR
REFUSING TO OBEY ORDERS.
The present Speaker neither interviewed
himself nor allowed any one else to do SO.
He simply. carried out the rules BY means
of the police.
After a sitting which lasted from 8 o'clock
Thursday afternoon to $50 Friday morning,
Mr.. Balfour passed his new standing order,
which, provides that any member who re-
fuses to obey the summons of the Sergeant
at-Arms, after being ordered by the
Speaker to leave the House. shall be sus-
pended. not. as now. for a week. but for
the remainder of the session. which may
be anything from six weeks to a day.
So strong is the sentiment in favor of
maintaining order at all costs, that the
Government had an overwhelming major
fly.
Yet the Constitution problem is a grave
one. There Is no precedent for the course
pursued. The House OF has al
ways possessed and not tnfrequsntiy oxar.
edsed the right to axpsl Q member.