The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-22
Tho Balfour Government Defeat cd.

Although Mr.. BALFoUR, notwithstand-
ing successive losses at by-elections,
has still behind him nominally ma
jority Of about hundred, he was de-
feated by three votes on Thursday even
ing during the discussion Of the esti-
mates. An amendment offered by Mr..
JOHN E. REDMOND, leader Of the Irish
Nationalists. to the effect that the ap-
preparation for the Irish Land Commits
sion should be reduced, was carried by
100 votes against 1876. Called upon by
the Opposition to resign, the Premier
announced that he should reserve his
decision until Monday, when resolu-
ton of censure would be voted on and
a fuller House would have the oppor-
tunity of declaring whether it had lost
confidence in the Ministry.
1t will be observed that fewer than
400 members took part in the division,
while if the House were full it would
contain go. The Government there
fore is at liberty to regard the adverse
vote as snap judgment not expressing
the deliberate opinion of the Chamber.
That was the position, it will be recalled,
which was taken by Mr.. BALFoUR on a
former similar occasion, and which
seemed to be justified by the ease with
which Immediately thereafter he re-
covered his normal majority. There
are presidents on the other side, how
ever. A defeat on the estimates, even
though accomplished by only slight
numerical preponderance on the part Of
the Opposition, has more than once been
accepted by the Government for the
time being as notice to quit. Mr.. Ball
FOUR, however. is most reluctant to ap-
peal to the constituencies at this time.
In q recent speech he indicated clearly
the intention Of postponing the disco
luton of Parliament until 1905, and Mr..
CHAMBERLAIN, who spoke at the same
meeting, and who not long ago expressed
the wish that general election might
take place as speedily as possible, de-
clared that he had changed his mind,
and now concurs in Mr. BALFoUR's view
Of the matter,
With Mr. CHAMBERLAIN's cordial sup
port the Government is unlikely to be
beaten on Monday, when the Ministerial
whips will see to it that the House is
relatively full. We shall not be sur
prsed, however, to see the Government
majority signally diminished, for the
representatives Of Irish landowners,
as they showed by their vote Thursday
evening on the Redmond amendment,
are thoroughly dissatisfied with the
working of the Irish Land Purchase act
OF 1908. That measure seems to have
broken down financially, in the sense
that the funds needed to buy out the
landlords are not forthcoming. The
purchase money, it will be remembered
was to be provided from the proceeds Of
certain Government stock, the issuance
OF whie.l was authorized for the purpose.
The Exchequer has had difficulty in SELL
ing the stock on acceptable terms, and it
has at present less than ten million
pounds to meet applications under the
act amounting in the aggregate to al
most three times as much. The Ministry,
through Mr.. LONG, president of the
Local Government Board, proposes that
the vendors shall receive two-thirds of
the purchase money in stock instead
Of cash, The landowners naturally are
unwilling to ta 20 deprecated security