The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-02-17

quith's Amendment to Speech from
 the Throne is Defeated--Lord Hurh
 Cecil, Son of Former Premier salis-
 bury, Makes Notable speech-Faith-
 full to Conservatives.
 London, Feb. 1s.-The majesIty of sixty-three by which Mr. Asqufsaa's amendment to the deply to the speech from the throne was rejected by the house of commons last night is regard ed as giving the government the first move in the political game and as fn- ally disposing of the present prospect of the dissolution of parliament.
 The real event of the nights debate was the brilliant speech delivered bv Lord Hugh Cecil, which is admitted both by friends and opponents to have been his finest oratorical effort and and one Of the best speeches delivered in the house of commons since the ladstone-Salisbury period, and as placing Lord Hugh Cecil in the fore front of possible leaders of the conser- vative party. Lord Hugh Ceoil is the leader of the conservative free traders. and, the liberals have placed their hopes in him to turn out the government, Ha disillusioned them by contending that the free trade cause would gain by keeping the present government in of fee still longer and while he merciIess- ly pulled to pieces his cousin Balfour $ ambiguous attitude on fiscal questions. he declined to vote for the Asuuitsy amendment. The majority of conser- vative free traders will follow Lord Hugh's lead and apart from the possi- bility Q fsome unexpected snay division. the governments position is considered safe.
 The scene during Lord Hugh CecH's speech was somewhat curious and was intensified by his peculiar habit of nervous gesture and physical charac- teristics recalling the appearance of his father, the late Lord Salisblir6, at the same age. Only a couple of yards sep arated him from Premier Balfour, sit- ting alone on the treasury bench
 It is the business of a premier to make himself understood said his lordship. If he confesses that he has not been understood, then the throws up the sponge.' Then he laughinglv added that if MT. Balfour would giva him an office without portfolio all4 would undertake to make his policy perfectly clear to the whole country, He feared, however, that his own min. isterial career, though sensational, would be brief, and that the govern- ment soon would be defeated. Tn con- clusion, Lord Hugh Cecil declared that the free traders were winning all along the line. He had no intention, he said, of leaving the conservative party. The conservative free traders were the in- Ieritors of true conservative traditions Tn time, the speaker said, ayou will forget you had economies. The future cede from the party. Why should we symbolize mental stability by an act of physical motion?"
 The speech practically concluded the debate, and members trooped out to the lobby discussing it with admiration. Six Henry Campbell Zimmerman and Pre- lnier Balfour spoke afterwards but without any striking effect. MT. Bal four referred to dissolution as coming ssin the fulness of tiIne and made one personal point against Lord Hugh Cecil by stating, amid laughter. that it would be as difficult for his lordship to give a monosyllabic answer to the question whether he was ritualist, as for hirn- self (BaIfour) to say whether he was a l protectionist.