The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-16
BALFOUR WAS
ALMOST OUT
WAS BEATEN ON ONE VOTE
BUT RALLIED GOVERNMENT AID
FOR THE NEXT.

Caught the Government Mapping.
Won by IL VOtes-Ten Minutes
Later 81 Majority of 20 Sustained
and Saved BaIfOur's Government.
London, March 15.-Premier Bal
tours government to-day was defeat
ed in the House of Commons by the
combined Liberal and Nationalist
vote. This reverse was due to the pro-
hibition by Mr.. Wyndham, chief sec
rotary for Ireland. of the teaching of
Gaelic in the junior grades of the Irish
nationalist schools.
Mr.. Balfour, though defeated by a
majority OF eleven on this question,
does not regard the vote as one of
want of confidence, and he will not re-
sign on this account. His determine
ton not to resign was strengthened
by the fact that shortly after the fore
going defeat. he was able to secure a
majority of twenty-five.
The failure of the government to car
ry the House with it on a question of
purely administrative policy in it's
Irish department is generally admitted
to greatly weaken it's already waning
prestige with the country, although it
is not thought probable that any i'm
mediate development will ensue.
Those terrible Irish" as they are
described for the moment by the I'm
iOnists, were entirely responsible for
Mr.. Balfour's defeat. On the question
os Catholic education, Monday night,
the Nationalist had voted with the
Unionist government. but even while
so doing they were planning the down
fall of the Conservatives. This after
noon the mine so ingeniously laid was
set off with a success that thrilled the
country. The strategy with which the
whole coup was planned and the scenes
that marked its elimination recalled
the times when Gladstone and Par
nell waged a Titanic struggle in the
same arena.
Government Defeated"
When the House of Commons met
at o'clock this afternoon the me-
trOpolis was STEPPED in it's usual murky
tranquility. Scattered throughout the
clubs, hotels and restaurants the
Unionist gconnoners lapguidly discuss
ed 1.-The war news and everything else
except politics. In this serenity of the
luncheon hour hordes of newspaper
boys suddenly appeared, yelling The
government 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 ell
derby members ran half mile or more,
while others drove recklessly to West
minister.
Within the House of Commons itself
strange scenes were being enacted. The
House had resolved itself into Com
of IN
for Irish education, which had already
been debated. John Redmond made a
complaint about the prohibition of
Gaelic in the schools, but instead of
long speech, which it would seem he
had prepared, judging by the volume
of notes in his hand, the Irish leader
said only few words. Mr. Wyndham
replied with equal brevity, and it was
evident he was saving himself for
string of protests from other Irish
members.
The treasury bench was deserted,
save for the chief secretary for Ire
land, and three of his Junior colleagues.
and barely twenty supporters OF the
government were in their places. Mr..
Balfour chatted merrily in the specta-
tors gallery with a friend. Then the
bolt fell.
Caught Them Unsuspecting.
No one rose to reply to Mr.. Wynd-
ham, the Irish party for once utlllz-
ing silence as it's deadliest weapon. Mr..
Redmond had said there were to pc
no speeches, and though the rank and
file of the Nationalist did not know
the reason, not having been admitted
to the secret plan set on foot the pre-,
vious evening, by their leader, and
their chief whip they obeyed i'm
plieitly 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 a. reply division
was Inevitable. Only then did Mr..
Wyndham and the government WHIPS
realize how deliberately they had been
eutwitted.
In desperation the government whips
sent messengers in cabs, and with
kilograms, and to the telephones, but
without avail, for when the tellers or
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.
In a second the members who had
crowded in realized that the govern
ment had been beaten, and then there
arose such a cheer as Westminster has
not heard for many day The Irish
and Liberal members clambered upon
the benches and yelled themselves
pandemonium reigned. Several times
Sir Thomas Esmonde tried to read out
the figures, but his voice, was drowned
in the uproar. Mr.. Balfour, who had
been just in time to vote for the gov
eminent, sat. smiling grimly. Finally
there was comparative quiet and Sir
Thomas Esmonde read, ayes, l4l;
noes. $780," Al this the storm of cheer
ing broke out afresh. The government
was defeated by II votes.
Whipped I'm Its supporters.
A rush TO the lobby followed. and
the members animatedly discussed
whether o. not Mr.. Balfour would fe-
sign. The Premier. however, quickly
set these doubts at rest by saying that
he faw no reason for such action.
Thanks 10 the prolonged exuberance
Of the Irish cheers and the hect0ring
OF Mr.. BalfoDr. the government whips
got the chance 81 EummoninB their abb
sent supporters, and when about ten
minutes later John Redmond moved a.
report progress on the ground that the
government had not "a majority able
~ transact the business ~ fhe country.
me government secured the narrow
majority ~ 70.
~ fbs division had occurred few