The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-16
Panden0niun Reigns in House of Commons When the
 Result is Learned
PREMIER SAYS HE WILL
 NOT RESIGN AT PRESENT
Aged and Dignified Members Run for Half a LaiIe In Effort to Be Pres
 ent When the Vote Is Taken.

London, March 15.-Premier Balfour's government today was defeated in the house of commons by the combined lib- eral and nationalist vote. This reverse was due to the prohibition by MT. Wynd- ham, chief secretary for Ireland, of the teaching of Galeic in the junior grades of the Irish national schools. MT. Balfour though defeated by a majority of eleven on this question, does not regard the vote as one of want of confidence, and ne will not resign on this account. His de- termination not to resign was strength ened by the fact that shortly after the foregoing defeat he was able to secure a majority of twenty-five.
 The failure of the government to carry the house with it on a question of purely administrative policy in it's Irish depart ment, is generally admitted to greatly weaken its already waning prestige with the country, although it is not thought probable any immediate development will ensue. In the house of commons itself to use the words of a prominent member of the opposition, all the artillery in the government arsenals would not make them surrender office.'
 Will Hold the Reins.
 The Assocated Press learns that Pre- mierBalfour regards it as one of the es- sential principles of his party to hold on to the reins of government for the pres ent at any rate. What he may do after Easter, still remains in doubt The blow administered today makes the premier's task of holding his party together doub- ly difficult, and many supporters of the government frankly said tonight that they favored an early dissolution of parll ament, rather than again undergo the hu- initiation experienced today.
 Those terrible Irish," as they are de- scribed for the moment by the unionsts were entirely responsible Tor MT. Bal fours defeat. On the question of Cath olic education Monday night the national ists had voted with the unionist gov ernment but even while so doing they were planning the downfall of the conser- vatives This afternoon the mine so in genously laid was set off with success that thrilled the country The strategy with which the whole coup was planned and the scenes that marked it's culmina- tion recalled the times when Gladstone and Parnel waged titanic struggle in the arena.
 Steeped In Murky Tranquility.
 When the house of commons met at o'clock this afternoon, the metropolis was steeped in its usual murlky tranquil ity Scattered throughout the clubs, hotels and restaurants, the un1onist eommoners languidy discussed the war news and everything else except politics. In this serenity of the luncheon hour, hundreds of newspaper boys suddenly appeared, yell ing" The government is defeated"
 The early afternoon papers only gave the figures of the voting on division, and readers were left to guess whether or not the government had resigned. wild rush was made for the house of commons. and many elderly members ran half mile or more, while others drove reckiessly lo Westminster.
 Within the house Of commons itself strange scenes were being enacted. An unusually short list of questions had brought on the business of the day nearly half an hour ahead of the usual time. Then languidly the house resolved itself into committee of supply to discuss the vote for Irish education which had all ready been debated. Profound peace reigned, and there was not a sign or the coming parliamentary storm except to the few initiated who keenly watched the whispered conference taking place pe- tween the Irish whips.
 John Redmond Makes Complaint.
 John Redmond made a complaint about the prohibition of Gaelic in the schools, but instead of a long speech which IL would seem he had prepared, Judging by the volume of notes in his hands, the Irish leader said only few words. MT. Wvndham replied with equal brevity, and if was evident he was saving himself for a string of protests from other Irish members.
 The treasury bench was deserted save for the chief secretary for Ireland and three of his junior colleagues, and bare ly twenty supporters of the government were in their places. Sir Henry Camp bell-Bannerman, the leader of the liberal I party, was absent. MT. Balfour chat ted merrily in the spectators gallery with a friend. Then the bolt fell.
 No one rose to reply to MT. Wyndham, the Irish party for once utilizing silence as it's deadlest weapon. MT. Redmond had said there were to be no speeches and though the rank and file of national ists did not know the reason, not having been admitted to the secret plan set on foot the previous evening by their lead CT and their chief whip, they obeyed implicitly. Discipline triumphed and not one word came from the Irish benches. The liberals too sat silent though they were ignorant of the projected coup and without reply division was inevitable Only then did Mir Wyndham and the government whips realize how deliberate ly they had been outwitted.
 The Associated Press learns that John Redmond and Sir Thomas Esmonde had planned the division for o'clock and the bells therefore changed throughout the house at 2:55. In desperation, the gov ernment whips sent messengers in cabs and with telegrams and to the telephones but without avail, for when the tellers of the vote returned, the clerk of the house handed Sir Thomas Esmonde the coveted little slip of paper which is given to the winning side.
 Pandemonium Reigned Supreme. Tn a second the members who had crowded in. realized that the government had hAA he ten and then there arose