The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-03-18
GOVERNMENT IS
SHORT OF VOTES
rhe British Ministry Loses by
Eleven Majority on a
Snap Division.
CABINET WILL NOT QUIT
Result Was Reached on an Amendmen
CABINET WILL NOT QUIT
Result Was Reached on an Amendmen
by Redmond to the Irish Educa-
tional Bill, and is Most
Significant Straw.

London. March 17.-The Balfou.
government was defeated in the house
of commons today by 141 to 1870 votes,
on a motion of John Redmond, for re-
duc1ion of the Irish education esti-
| mates.
All 1T was In the nature of snap
/ division, engineered by the nationalists.
the government refused to resign, but
| 1t was regarded as another straw
showing the direction of the wind.
Redmond's motion was made with
the object of calling attention to the
irish grievances. The division was
taken almost Immediately after COM
mencement of the discussion. when the
| liberals and nationalists We're in strong
force.
The result was greeted with great
cheering, especially from the Irish
benches. The opposition Immediately
| moved to report progress and Balfour
opposed the motion. He admitted 1t
was obvious the government had been
| defeated on the proposal to reduce the
vote by $500, but there was consider
allie amount of financial business to be
transacted before March 81. and he did
not see why any time Should be wasted.
Mr.. Balfour added the honorable
member had succeeded in reducing the
vote for Irish education by $780, and
the government accepted the opinion
of the house on the subject Mr.. Red
mond retOrted:
I'VE have defeated the government"
1t was then that Redmond moved to
report progress. This was defeated by
| III to LAG votes. the government ma
jority being %. The government in the
interim succeeded in nnlstering enough
ministerialists to save the situation, as
| in the event of a second adverse vote
the ministers would have been bound
to resign.
A Successful Coup.
The defeat of the government was
the result of a successful comp planned
! by Redmond and Sir Thomas Esmonde
yesterday. Seeing short list of ques-
tions for today, and knowing ma
jority OF the house expected the Irish
! members to occupy all the afternoon
in discussing the Irish education bill.
they decided to force a division almost
| Immediately after questions time, when
the greater number of government sup
porters would sti!l be quietly lunching
at their clubs.
| The maneuver succeeded to perfec-
ton. Redmond rose, holding a large
sheet of notes in his hand, as If in
tending to make a lengthy speech; but
/ TO the astonishment of all except those
! in the secret, the Irish leader spoke
only few words and then sat down,
while his party demanded division.
1
| occurred when the two tellers went to
The right of the speakers chair. thus
showing that for the first time in many
years the unionist government had
been beaten. When the clerk handed
the division paper to Esmonde there
was perfect hurricane of cheers from
| he opposition, lasting several minutes.
William Redmond in his exuberance.
snatched a hat from the head of a col
i league and waved it wildly. Members
rushed in and terrible din prevailed.
| Ultimately sufficient quiet was re-
stored to enable the figures of the vote
/ to be called out.
Balfour Was Calm.
4 Mr.. Balfour was in the distinguished
strangers gallery at the time. The
| 2heering of the opposition was resumed
when Mr.. Balfour entered the chamber
and he was greeted with derisive cheers
and cries of resign" and another
| message for Joe.
| The premier philosophically surveyed
he excited house. The long sustained
iubilation did not tend to the advantage
If his opposition. The government
whips had time to collect their disor-
iered forces. From all parts of the
louse and various haun,s IN London.
driving and running furiously, came
he sedate supporters of the present
government.
John Gordon MacNeill mationalsD.
who designated the defeat as IAN end
% a farce" unintentionally gave the
government further advantage by too
engthy speech, and when another di-
vision vote was taken on the motion
% report progress, l3alcour had % votes
% the good
John Redmond said to representa-
i've of the Associated Press, subse.
luent to the division:
While the general position of th,,
government has not been weakened, my
impression Is that dissolution will fol-
,ow another such blow Naturally we
IRE elated Yesterday evening when
The nationalsts voted with the govern
nent on Catholic education In Eng
and, Balfour had majority Of 100. To-
lay, with the Irish against him, he
1ad minority of IL. The moral is that
he time Is at hand when Ireland will
lold the balance of power"