Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-23
CLOSED IN TUM4I
London House Of Commons
Ends in Disorder.
SCENE WITHOUT PEER
BREACH OF EDINBURGH PLEDGE
CHARGED TO BALFOUR.
70
SCENE WITHOUT PEER
Arraigned by Liberal Leader Camp
tary Churchill Howled Down.

| cable from LONDON last nlgnt says
| The sitting Of the house of commons to-
night was marked by scenes of the widest
| disorder. growing out of motion by Sir
| Henry Campbell Bannerman to adjourn the
house. in order that he might discuss the
| charge against Premier Balfour Of having
violated his pledge not to deal with the
| subject of colonial preference without hrst
| appealing to the country.
| Alfred Lyttelton secretary of state for
! the colonies, was put up to reply to the
| liberal leader but the members of the OPP
| position shouted down his every attempt to
| speak, even after the premier had demand
| ed hearing for the secretary. Finally.
| the speaker, after he had exhausted every
| effort to quell the turbulence. put into force
| for the first time new rule empowering
| him to adjourn the house in cases Of grave
disorder.
Premier Balfour's Position.
The matter came up at the afternoon
! sitting when Premier Balfour, replying to
| questions the subject said he did not
consider himself pledged to inaction in re-
| gard to colonial preference. except so far as
| parliamentary action was concerned. He
! reiterated that the government did not in
| tend to deal with the fiscal question in the
present parliament. The matter of colonial
| preference might, however, De TO
| a colonial conference in 1906, even though
the country had not previously had an OPP
portunity Of expressing an opinion on the
| subject. The decision of the conference,
| however, would not be binding either on
| the mother country on the colonies with
out legislative action.
| Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman. the lib
| eral leader, charged Mr.. Balfour with vio-
| lating the pledge he had made in his Edin-
| burgh speech not to deal with the subject
! of colonial preference without first appeal
| ing to the country, and moved the adjourn
ment of the house to discuss the matter.
Would Not Hear Lyttelton.
The debate on Sir Henry Campbell-Ban-
nerman's motion came up at the night ses-
sion and was marked by scenes Of the
| widest disorder The liberal leader de-
| manded plain answer from Premier Bal
| four, and Alfred Lyttelton, secretary of
| state for the colonies, rose to reply. The
| members of the opposition drowned the ef-
| forts of the secretary with cries of BAL
TOUR! Balfour! After continuing for
| about ten minutes Mr. Lyttelton sat down
| Winston-Churchill then attempted to speak
| but the ministerialists drowned his efforts
| the nationalists joining in the din, and
shouting for the police.
After a number of members had failed to
| secure hearing the premier rose to a point
| of order, and a temporary lull followed
| Mr.. Balfour said he thought it highly i'm
| pected to follow the leader of the OPPOSE
| ton. He said he had never before known
the opposition to refuse to hear a minister
| and he insisted that the house should hear
| Secretary Lyttelton as otherwise the dig
| nifty of the house could not be maintained.
Forced to Adjourn House.
Mr.. Lyttelton again made an attempt to
| speak, but the uproar was renewed Final
| !" +"e sne7ter said it was obvious that the
scenes could not continue and he would
ti4eie4or5 auJourn the house under the rules
| empowering the speaker to take such action
in cases of grave disorder. The speaker had
| been unable to secure even a semblance of
| order after bowls and counter bowls lasting
| over an hour.
| The action of the speaker and the scenes
| in the house created tremendous sensation
| in the Hobbies. which We're crowded with
| members discussing every phase of the
| evenings occurrences, which We're declared
| to be Unprecedented. The galleries were
| filed with peers and other distinguished
persons. who gathered in the hope of hear
| ing an interesting debate on the fiscal ques-
! ton They took part in the cries for their
| favorites, thus adding to the din, and after
| ward joined the excited crowds in the lob
| bies
| Tonight's scenes grew. to some extent
out of the Balfour- Chamberain contro-
| versy. The members generally were in fe-
| verish expectation that the debate would in
| directly provide the terms of Mr. Balfour's
| answer to Mr.. Chamberlain's compromise
| proposals. 1t was also anticipated that Mr.
| Chamberlain himself would make an i'm
! portaut speech on the fiscal question. Then
| when Secretary Lyttelton was put up to
| speak instead of Mr. Balfour, a storm burst
| such as has not been seen In the house of
| commons since the days of the Gladstonian
| Irish debates.
Premier's Attitude Correct
The opposition interpreted the govern
| ment's course attempt to stif1e dis
| eussion, although moderate members admit
| that Mr. Balfour's attitude was perfectly
! correct. The premier himself. in appealing
| to the house to permit Mr.. Lyttelton to
! speak, maintained that he (the premier)
was "a prisoner In the DOCK and ought not
| to be put on his defense until he had heard
| the accusations against him.
| Except when Sir Henry Campbell Banner
man tainted him with being the sole cause
| of the disorder. and Mr.. Balfour flashed
| rather an angry reply. the premier was
most composed throughout the sitting.
| Mr.. Lyttelton also showed the greatest
| possession In his difficult position
| immobile. times out of number he essayed
| to speak, always beginning, 1.-THE prime
minister" and always being shouted down
| with cries of "Balfour. Balfour. Let him
defend his own honor. Let him fight his
| own battles" etc.
| Whenever the storm showed signs of sub
sizing, the irish members joined In, renew
| ing the hubbub, until finally the deputy
| speaker, for the first time, put in force one
| of the new rules adopted by the present
parliament empowering the speaker in cases
| of grave disorder to adjourn the house.
| The liberal leaders afterward held con-
| ference. and 1t Is expected that a vote of
censure on Premier Balfour will be moved
| tomorrow by Sir Henry Campbell-Banner-
| man.
Conference Early Next Year.
| 1t is understood that a colonial conference
will meet in London early in 1906, as an
outcome Of the agreement arrived at by
| the last conference that periodical meetings
| of colonial premiers should be held in Lon
don for the purpose of discussing imperial
| matters.
Tho liberal morning papers interpret Pre-
| mier Balfour's remarks on the subject in
| the house of commons showing that
! some sort of compact has been arrived at
| between him and Joseph Chamberlain to
| defer the dissolution of parliament until
| next year.
Mr.. Chamberlain remained in the precincts
| of the commons. but did not enter the house
| during the