The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-14
MEETING IN
HYDE PARK
Great Demonstration Against
Education Bill.
MAY OVERTHROW MINISTRY
Mr.. Bafour's Measure is Meeting With
Much Popular Opposition, and a
Change In Cabinet Would Not
w. Be Surprising Result.

s 81 "a &
The meeting held In Hyde Park against
was one OF the most remarkable demon-
STATIONS ever witnessed, and was an EVIL
dence of the feeling aroused among the
masses against Mr.. Balfours measure.
The bill may result In the overthrow OF
the present conservative ministry In Eng
land.
taken from the Baptist Times and Fee
man of London.
For novices In the art of demonstrate
Ing" Saturday was a promising beginning.
sky, brilliant sunshine. a cool. fresh
breeze, the vivid green of the grass under
foot and the delicate tracey OF the OPEN
ing foliage against the blue sky, made the
day a perfect one. Judging from my own
experience and from personal observation,
the great majority of those who Joined In
anything OF the kind before, and that they
should have been willing to encounter the
fatigue OF walking to the park, and OF
standing for two hours In n degsely-p pack
ed open air meeting, shows how deeply in
earnest the Nonconformists OF London are
in their opposition to the bin now before
Parliament.
Converging on the park from all parts
of the metropolis, the professions. headed
by bands and gay with the ban3ers of the
labor organizations. wound their way to
the appointed platforms l Joined one Of
the smaller ones from northwestern
suburb. and though l was much struck
by the character OF the procession. must
frankly confess that. until we reached the
park, I had private suspicious that we
need not have Insisted so vehemently on
our right to twelve platforms AS to the
earnes tiess.and enthusiasm of those conf
no question. The two leading ministers
of the district. accompanied by most Of
their deacons and many Of their members.
we're present local r dSctor mem per
procession, and helped to carry the FREQ
Church banner. Large numbers OF ladies'
and some Of the older members followed
the procession IN brakes end carriages.
AS we pursued our way smaller detach-
ments Joined US ct various points. until
when we reached Paddington Green, we
Here we found a very la1:e contingent
from Westbourne Park and Paddington
awaiting our arrival, and Joining MIN, xo our +
forces, we proceeded along Harrow road
now between 900 and 1900 strong Numer-
GUS banners and flags announced the OBJ
ject OF our march. Dr.. Falrbairn WORDS
while others displayed the sound consti-
tutional maxim that, If we pay. We must
also control Public interest in the pro-
tically suspended. and the roads were
blocked for long distances with .omni-E
buses and vehicles of every description.
Lining the payements az along the ne r., rou ne
the park awaiting our arrival and watch
ing our entry were tens OF thousands of
people. Among those who thus witnessed
the park at the Marble Arch was the King
himself. who drove through as the pro-
cesslons were BEGINNING to arrive,
SUNG HYMNS.
On the other side of the park the
scene was still more striking: The main
procession was formed up on the embank-
merrt, and though 1t started at O'Clock,
the last Straggers only arrived In time
to vote for the resolution as the. bugle
sounded at a quarter to seven. On the
way to the park the crowd enlivened It's
which "Our God. our help in ages past.
and Coward. Christian Soldiers" We're
the favorites. Here. too. traffic was
gstI ena at mss
among those who were thus held Up
was Dean Gregory, the sworn foe OF the
Board schools. AS the neverIending
watched with mingled feelings. At the
Reform Club probably satisfaction was
the predominant feeling. At the Carton
uncohcern was. gradually swallowed up
in surprise and finally In perplexity. It
really seemed as If the Nonconformists
We're more numerous thaa was commonly ,in,9,.,s
Ing still. that they were really in earn
est. In the park, estimates OF the num-
bers present varied wildly. Getting on
for million" was q faVorite guess. At
the gates the enumerators OF the Daily
News took the census as the professions
entered. and they computed that the at
tendance was upwards of 10000. Consid-
erIng the difficulty of counting people
into the park In such crowds. on
foot and in vehicles, Of al dissertations,
actual fact. In any case there can be no
question that it was the largest. the. most
orderly. the most intelligent, and the
most t4imly In earnest demonstration
that has eyer taken place in London's
great forum,
? - = RoARs OF APPLAUSE.
E Naturally the greatest audiences gath
cred round the platforms at which DR..
Clifford Rev F.. B. Meyer, DR.. Macna-
mara. and Rev. Sylvester Horne presided,
Nothing was more noteworthy than the
feeling of respect and loyalty which all
the meetings revealed towards DR.. CLIFF
ford. He received a grand welcome as he
appeared on the platform In a very SUM
merry light gray suit and wlde-brimmeda
n vote Of thanks was proposed to him,
the crowd broke spontaneously into For
he's jolly good fellow" and then by
sudden impulse passed into more seri-
Gus strain, "Onward, Christian Soldiers