The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-13
IRISH PARTY
 HOLDS SCALES R0sebeTIy's Attack is Sensation of the Hour BIG SPLIT IN PARLIAMENT Followers of Chamberlain and of Lord RaIfour Are at Swords Points
 and Worse Is Threat
BIG SPLIT IN PARLIAMENT

London, March 12-<The continued ex- istence of the present government after the past eventful week in parliament, cre- ates surprise even amongst It's most faith full supporters, Premier Balfour kept the cabinet In power by a majority of 46. gained at the expense of what Is uni- versally admitted to be 8 personal de- feat for the premier. For the first time since the fiscal question became a live is- sue in British politics. Joseph Chamber lain's followers showed their strength and | intentions. No less than 1l0 members of the house of commons put themselves on record this week as willing to turn out adherence to MT. Chamberlain's out-and- out protectionist principles.
 As result, MT. Balfour has foregone his personal policy of retaliation. and re- talns office only by the support of those members of parliament who openly up- held preferential and protective duties. This situation of the unionist party, though strong enough to decide the fate of the ministry, Is not strong enough to SASSb ally tiiuB up dh iiiuifiodai aiits
 6afour Loses Much.
 The complications within the unionist party came during the week to an almost Gilbertian climax. Even the Saturday Re- view, which supports MT. Balfours policy. holds that he lost more than he gained by his comparatively narrow majority of 40. On all sides 1t is admitted that dissolu- tion of parliament alone can solve the ex- isting complex and muddled condition of the parties in the house of commons. The cabinet itself, so recently reconstructed, has been on the verge of a serious split.
 During the week Austin Chamberlain, the chancellor of tle ,xehequer, Colonial Secretary Lyttletop aIid sevqral minor members of parliament, threat Raed to re- sign, unless MT Balfour withdrew bis preferential duties, based on the taxa tion of food Beset without and within, MT. Balfour gave in to the Chamberlain- ites, and still further antagonized those free trade unionists, the Duke or Devon shire, Lord Balfour of Burleigh, Charles T. Ritchie, Lord George Hamilton and Sir John Gorst, formerly his colleagues and their supporters.
 Subjected to Personal Attack.
 In addition to these tactical differences the fiscal question has involved what was known as the strong government Of mod ern times" MT. Bafour has been sub jected to a personal attack which height ened public interest in the proceedings at Westminster
 Lord I.ansdowne and Mir Brodrick bit terly resent the implied, and even ex- pressed criticism of their administration of the war office, as contained in the recommendation of MT. Balfour's army reorganization committee.
 MT. Balfour's explanations of his con- duct towards the Duke of Devonshire' Lord George Hamilton and MT. Ritehie, in connection with their resignation rom the cabinet, and his alleged suppression of MT. chamberlain's withdrawal from the government are held by such a care full organ as the Spectator to be entirely unsatisfactory This episode introduced an element of personal bitterness quite unusual in British politics, and to no lit tie extent affected the wonderful personal influence which Mir Balfour yields In the | house of commons regardless of party ties Lord Roseberrys bitter satire and comparison of MT Balfonr with pretty | Fannie" was striking instance or this | feeling
 Causes a Sensation.
 | Lord Roseberrys passionate attack from the sedate house of lords has not vet ceased to cause sensation. which can scarcely be realized except by those who know how hard and fast are the conventionalities with which the upper house Is hedged Lord Roseberry spoke with a heat which entirely banished any idea that he simulated indignation. As a matter of act, Lord Roseberry only voiced the bitterness against MT. Bal | four which prevails among the families | of those members of the cabinet who re- signed, though their relatives for cen turies had supported the tory leaders. | MT. Balfours reply to Lord Roseberry | is expectantly awaited. Winston Spencer | Churchhill. conservative, with tenacity | often attributed to his American descent unceasingly harasses Mir Balfour. In a letter to his constituents. published to- day. MT. Chuchhil ruthlessly calls at tention to the inconsistency of his own party leader MT, Churchhill says the l amendment introduced by MT. Wharton | conservative. on Wedneday condemning Joseph Chamberlains policy, but sup l porting MT Balfour's retaliation pro- | gramme was drawn up by desire of the premier Yet, with the connivance. if not at the instigation of the chancellor of the | exchequer, Austin Chamberlain, the pro- | tectionist members of the same party numbering JlVf ultldAth thH ~ MT Balfour. saying that MT. Wharton's amendment must be withdrawn
 Was Facing Ruin.
 Face to face with ruln, wrote MT. Churchill, MT. Balfour surrendered. The government, which at 4 o'clock in the afternoon resolved to support a free trade declaration, opposed in word and spirit to protection and preference based on the taxation of food, at 5:15 D. m. resolved to do nothing of the kind, and at mid night appealed to it's followers to meet with a direct negative proposal to con- demn the policy of preferential or pro- tective tariffs When MT. Balfour had the power to combat protection. he has not the will Now, that he has the will, he no longer has the power
 The experts in British elections express ed diametrically opposed forecastes re- garding the probable result of the appeal to the country. which Is now somewhat impatiently awaited by the public. They all agree, however. that neither MT. Chamberlain nor MT. Balfour on their re- spective blanks of protection and re- taliation, are likely to be returned to power. The best balanced opinion is that whether Mir. Balfour either ends the ten ure of the present government or 1t is ended for him. there will be a series of see-saw political evolutions with the hish party holding the scales.