The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-26
in HOUSE OF COMMONS
SCENES WHEN KING EDWARDS ILL.,
NESS WAS ANNOUNCED.
Description by II. r. O'COnnor, an Irish
Member, Who Also Is President
of the National League.

LONDON, June 25.-Of the scene in the
Commons yesterday when the announce
ment of the illness of King Edward was
made, T. p. O'Connor, Irish Nationalist
member and president of the Irish National
League, has written the following account
for the Associated Press:
THE work-a-day world goes on in its
usual way whatever tragedy be in the air,
and this is especially true of the House of
Commons, which is even yet bound down
with the iron rules that no high destiny or
national crisis can unbind. And thus it
was to-day when the whole world of Lon
don was shaken by the announcement of
the postponement of the coronation and the
serious illness of the King. While every
body was waiting to see the ministers enter
and hear some news one way or the other,
a clerk at a table read out the words of a
petition from a provincial town council in
reference to the pending educational bill.
The educational bill is important. but TO
have this petition. with its dreary tautol-
ogy, read when the fate of the monarch
was in the balance was one of those gro
tesque contradictions which exasperated
and finally got on the nerves of the House.
But as the clerk read stolidly on in a muf-
rupt him with discordant and even
indecorous cries, and while the
House was thus descending into chaotic
and undigniied disorder the ministers
were still absent from their places and
the house was left without news. But in
spite of all this. and in spite of even the
discordant and grotesque shouts, there was
that about the place which showed that
something was in the air that shocked,
saddened and even affrlghtened men. 1t is
rnrlf IO n a
look of far more profound depression about
the house than even in those awful and
trying hours for Englishmen when the dis
asters of ColensO and SpiOn kop seemed to
make the whole fabric of the empire reel.
Many of the members looked positively
broken. They entered the house if ILL
ness were theirs and as If blow had fall
en- upon them The local petition was al
last finished, the cries ceased and there
fell a somber and solemn stiffness on the
house when Mr.. Balfour and the other min
listers filed in.
spontaneously and universally hats were
taken off when Mr. Balfour rose and an
nounced that he had message TO deliver
in reference to the King. The House of
Commons always looks its best and most
impressive when it's thus uncovered. 1t
is the custom for hats to be kept on. and
therefore the mere act of uncovering heads
gives TO the familiar place a certain UNI
usualneSs of look and certain solemn ex-
altation and so it was when Mr. Bal
four rose.
Mr. Balfour is not man who ever
=
shows much feeling and it is said of him
by some of his most severe critics he has
much sentiment but no feeling. To-day.
however. no body could deny that for once
Mr. Balfour seemed to be moved, and il
was with something of d break in his
voice that he announced the seriousness
of the Kings condition and the fact that
the operation mad been already performed.
There was no display of feeling until
Mr. Balfour came to the point where he
foreshadOwed the statement that the sur
geOns were hopeful of the result 1t was
evidence of how keen the feeling was
that he was not allowed to conclude his
sentence. There was an anticipatory and
big outburst of cheers from all parts of
the house.
Mr.. BalfOurs statement occupied but
few moments and it was followed by a few
words from Sir Henry Campbell Banner
man, the leader of the opposition and then
the whole scene was over. 1t took but
few moments. but for the general air of
the house to which | have alluded the
scene was not impressive"