The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-13
.TOTIERING
 10 ITS FALL 'BaIfOur Government Near
 ing End. IBAcKDoWN BY PREMIER Compelled to Surrender t0 Chamberlainites.
 --s------s Followers Of the Birmingham states man Come Out Into the open and Show ilo Votes
 in the Commons

-~-e~
 London. March l2.--The continued ex- istence of the present government after the past eventful week in Parliament creates surprise even amongst its most fhithfu supporters. Premier Balfour Kept the cabinet in power by a majority of forty-six. gained at the expense of what is universally admitted 10 De a personal defeat for the Premier.
 For the firsy time since the fiscal quee- ton became a live issue in British poli- tics. Joseph Chamberlain's followers showed their strength and intentions No less than lio members of khe House of Commons put themselves on record this week as willing to. turn out Mir. Baifour rather than sacrifice their adherence to Mir. Chamberiain.s out and out protsc- kionist principles. As . result. Mir. Bai- four has foreg0ne hts personal policy of retaliation and retains office only by the support of those members Of Parliament who openly upheld preferential and pro. tecrfve duties This EecfIpn of the Union, ist Party. though strong enough to ae~ eide ths fate of the ministry. is not strong enough to effect anything ss an individpai unit
 Baifour's Backdown.
 The complications within the Unionisl 0AtN C1Allt u4NtI# Aka9 MUGA 10 HI 0llADSl Giibertian climax Even The Satnrday Review. which supports Air. Baifcur 6 policy. holds that he lost more than he gained by IIis comparatively narrow ma jurity of fofty-six.
 Or all sidea Is ls adr1Itsed fhaK dis- solution of Parliament alone can solve the existing complex ana nanddled coadl. mons The cabinef llseif, so recently fe- eonstfucted, has seA on thh verge uf a Eaerlous spiit pn{Ine fha usek Aasten Chamberlain, the fS Hnnaii4r 9k the Ex- thequer, Colonial Secretary IyttiSfon and several minor members Of the government Threatened to resign unless Mr. balfour WlthdfeW hia spppoEt cf the motion pHepoFed preferential autiea naz6a on Eghe tAxation of fc0a
 Heset without ana within Alr Balfotis gave n 10 tue Ehhanh6rihtfiites Ah pfyfi further antA9onlEed th6A6 free tfAde unloniste the Duke nf pevonshife, Eord Eaifouf Of Burltlgh CharsAs T. Ritepe. I.oTl se5fgs Hls s,tun ana Sir 5ohn gorst. formerly his colleagues. and tneir supporters.
 ID addition to those tactical dIaicuities ih winch the fiscal qutstion has involved what was Known as the sstrongest gov- eFnment of modern times" Mir. Baifour has been subjected to personal attack which heightened public interest In the proceedings at Westminster.
 Ex-coileagues fingered
 Lord Lansdowne and Mir. isrodricl pIt- 'terly ressnt the smtl cd 3nd even ex- pressed criticism. of their administrator Hof the War Office as contained in the recommendation of Mir. Baifour's army reorganization committee.
 Mir. Balfours explanations Of his con duet towards the Duke of Devonshire, Lord George Hamilton and Mir. Ritchie, in connection wnth their resignations from the cabinet, and hls alleged suppfession Of Mir. Chamberlain's withdrawal from the government, are held by such a care- full organ as The Spectator to be entire- ly unsatisfactory This episode introduced an element of personal bitterness duite unsuai in British politics. and to no ilt- tie extent affected the wonderful person. al influence which Mir. Balfour wields in the House of Commons regardless of
 Lord Roseberry's bitter satire and com parison of MT. Baifour with Pretty Fannie.' was a striking instance of this feeling.
 Lord Rosebery's passionate attack from the sedate House of Lords has not yet ceased to cause a sensation. which can scarcely be realized except by those who know how hard and fast are the conven- ~eCNAAlfSS WANt WHAEtt 4etf0 ARPCE INOu1G Is hedged. Lord Roscbery spoke with q heat which entirely banlshed any idea that he simulated indignation. As mat ter of fact, Lord Rosebery only voiced the bitterness against Mir Balfour which prevails among the families of those members of the Cabinet who resigned though their relatives for centuries had supported the Tory leaders
 MT. Baifour's reply to Lord Rosebery is expectautly awaited.
 Winston Spencer Churchill (Conserva- tlve) with tenacity often attributed to his American descent, unceasingly har- ries Mir Baltour. Tn a letter to hls con- stituents at oldham. published today. Mir. Churchill ruthlessly calls attention to the Inconsistency of his own party leader. Mir Churchill says the amendment in- troduced by MT. Wharton (Conservative) Wednesday condemning Joseph Cham berlain's policy. but supporting Mir. Bal four's retaliation program. was drawn up by desiro of the Premier Yet with the connivance. If not at the instigation of the Chancellor of the Exchequer CAusten Chamberlain) the protectionist members of the same party. numbering no. dic- tated an ultimatum to Mir Balfour say ing that Mir. Whart9ns amendment must be withdrawn.
 churchiIl's Sarcasm.
 Face to face with immediate ruin. 2 wrote Mir Churchill. "Mr Balfour sur rendered The Government which. at { o'clock in the afternoon. resolved to sup port a free trade declaration. opposed | in word and spirit to protection and pref erence based on the taxation of food, at 5:l5 D. m. resolved to do nothing of the | kind, and at midnight appealed to It's followers to meet with a direct negative proposal to condemn the policy of prefef- ential tarifks When Mir Balfour had the power to combat protection. he had not | tho will. Now that he has the will. he no longer has the power."
 The experts in British elections express dlametrically opposite forecasts regarding the probable result of the appeal to the country which Is now awaited by the pub lic They all agree. however. that neither Mir. Chamberlain nor Mir. Balfour, on their respective blanks of protection and retaliation. are llke.p to be returned to
 power The best balanced opinion Is that | when Mir. Balfour either ends the tenure of the present Government, or 1t Is ended 1 ..sfff e..