The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-02-05
AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN SPEAKS

=,
Of the Government.
London, Feb. My high honorable
friend, the member from West gir-
mingham,' as Austen Chamberlain de-
scribed his father, was the central fig
ure In the drama that marked tho
opening of parliament.
No playwright could have devised a
more curious situation. For the first
time in years Joseph Chamberlain took
his seat as a private member. of the
house of commons, and was separated
from his former colleagues in the cabi-
net by the gangway. From this seat
he saw his son act as leader of the
mouse of commons. a position which
Joseph Chamberlain, with all his years
u parliamentary experience, never at;
Htained.
Premier Balfour was laid up with:
Influenza. and, therefore, was unable
TO be present.
When Austen Chamberlain rose to-
reply In behalf of the party of which,
his W father is believed to be the
lost powerful member the house was
spellbound. Until that moment Mr..
Ackers Douglas. secretary of state for
home affairs, was generally expected to
take Premier Balfour's place, n in-i
terest in the proceedings was height
ened by the fact that Sir Henry Camp
bell Bannerman, the liberal leader,
had just concluded a merciiess satire
on Austen Chamberlain's father. The;
situation was without parallel In the
RECOLLECTION of the Oldest politician,
and all eyes were fixed alternately up
on the father and son.
Joseph Chamberlain, who had sat
unmoved under the ridicule OF the lib
eral leader, turned nervously towards
his son, who now takes precedence over
him. With his monocle In his eye, an
orchid In his buttonhole and his hands
rlasped across the his knees. the most
prominent figure in the British empire
sat and listened to his own defense
from the lips Of his son..
Young Speaker 10 Jeere6.
Austen Chamberlain spoke haltingly
and under evident strain, yet, when he
referred, to his father 1t was always as
"the member from West Birmingham
There was a tinge of impassioned feel
ling In his words which brought con-
stantly to his hearers a realization Of
the relation between the two men. Now
and again jeers greeted the youngest
member of the cabinet. w%hereupon, with
his glance in the direction OF; the Of
fender, and occasionally Joseph Cham
berlain cheered his son on with an en-
phatic Hear. heart"
AS Austen Chamberlain neared the
OF his defense Of the atti-
Itude Of Premier Balfour and his father
towards the fiscal question the inter-
ruptions grew more frequent. and the
chancellor OF the e%xchequer clutched
the ~brassbound treasury box OF which
Gladstone vas SO fond Of leaning and
addressed his remarks almost solely in
direction Of his father.
Def1antly Austen Chamberlain ac-
cused Sir Henry Campbell annerman
Eof attacking the premier in his absence,
and with a touch of pride he said:
The member from West Birmingham
ts here; he can speak for and look after
himself" @
.Thesi1ouse finally expressed its relief
wher the speech was over and gener-
ally termed the proceeding as one OF
the most extraordinary personal situa-
tons that ever had occurred and the
speech as one of the weakest defenses
OF the governments policy ever made.
On behalf of Premier Balfour, Austen
chamberlain declared the house Of
commons must first decide whether or
not 1t desired any change at all In the
fiscal system. and until that point was
settled the opposition demand for de-
tails of the governments fiscal reform,
plan could not be granted.