The age-herald., 1901-05-07
HOUSE IF COMMONS PASSES COAL TAX Shilling a Ton on All English
 Export Coal VOTE STOOD 333 TO 227 Referring to Coal Industry, the British Government is Denounced as a
 Pack of Riotous Hounds
 After a Eve Lamb.
VOTE STOOD 333 TO 227

London, May 6.--Mr. Chamberlain, the Colonial Secretary. informed a auestioner in the House of Commons today that no gold had been produced in the Transvaal since January 1, but fifty stamps started May { and a hundred stamps started to- day. The House adopted the coal tax by a vote of 333 to 227. Consequently the tax of a shilling a ton on export coal was adopted by a majority of 106- These fig ures apparently. don't represent the feel ing of the members of the House but the government made the issue strictly a party one and secured the record attend- ance for this Parliament and by vigorous efforts polled within score of the normal majority.
 The galleries were packed to overflow ing. The principal figures during the last day of the discussion of the coal tax were chiefly within the Liberal ranks, Sir Edward Grey, H. H. Asquith, William Abaham, Liberal, and Charles Fenwick all assailed the tax eloquently, the last two speaking with no little pathos and a broad accent on behalf of the miners, in whose station of life they worked before
 
 interesting feature was the speech of Hon. Frederick Lambton, brother of the Earl of Durham who, standing amid the conservative members denounced the gov ernment as a pack of riotous hounds after a eve lamb" by which he referred to the coal industry. He declared that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had rep resented the colliers as liars and forgers and the speaker maintained that they were as honorable set of men as ever sat on the government benchs."
 Sir Michael Hicks Beach attempted to explain, but MT. Lambton paid little heed. The sleepy people who had come into hear the final stages of the debate blinked vigorously as they heard the right of the miners to strike proclaimed by an aristocrat, who declared that the miners were "as good as many man who has won the Victoria cross."
 Bitter Objection.
 Another supporter of the government, John Wilson, bitterly objected the tax bringing up the question of American competition and contending that the duty would give the United States chance to cut out British coal
 This started the ball rolling, and for some time the house. gave itself to dis cussion of the relative merits of 'Po- cahontas" and "smokeless Welsh" with frequent references to Americas grow ing merchant marine and the advantages of coal.
 Mr. Balfour in rambling style summed | up the debate, passing his argument upon | the proposition that such great ano ever-increasing industry as the export ol coal could not be seriously affected by the imposition of a tax of shilling a ton. He dismissed as highly improbable the cry that America could ever be able to compete with England.
 In the division which followed there was much cross-voting. John Merely Vot- ed with the government. Several Liberals abstained from voting or raising their voice.
 During MT. Balfours summing up, one of his own adherents remarked audipiy' ..It is a wretched speech, but of course Balfour does not know what he IS talk ing about"
 This was a verdict which seemed 10 meet with the approval of the govern ment supporters nearby. Indeed the Whlps had not been present, and if 1t had not been feared that the government was likely to be defeated, many Ministeriansts who voted in favor of the tax either would have pleaded illness or the wnips used to advantage in their case.