Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1905-02-15
ENGLISH LAWMAKERS
CONVENE IN LONDON
Parliament Officially Opened
By King Edward VII.
READ HIS SPEECH FROM THRONE

re oaJS WY government las Been
Careful to Observe Strict Neutrality
During Russo-Japanese War-Many
Other Questions Touched Upon.
London, Feb. 14-More than usual
interest attaches to today's opening
Of parliament as the belief is practi-
cally universal that it will be the
last session of the present parliament.
Even should the government escape
defeat, it is thought that Premier Bal
four will voluntarily dissolve parlia-
ment in the autumn and take the
opinion of the country Oh the fiscal
and other questions now agitating the
electorate.
Good weather favored today's pa
geant which followed the procedure
Of former occasions. Big crowds were
about from an early hour watching
the assembling of the troops which
lined the brief route from Buckingham
palace to the house of lords. The
usual interest was shown in the time
honored sSlrch of the vaults beneath
the houses of parliament by the yeo-
men of the guard with their lanterns
and halberds Between this cere-
mony and the appearance of the royal
procession a constant stream of car
riages containing peers and peeresses
in their robes of state and officials
in brilliant uniforms enIivened the
somewhat tedious wait.
The sixteenth session of the first
parliament of his reign was opened
this afternoon by King Edward with
all the ancient pageantry which has
characterized the ceremony since his
accession. The sovereign himself
read the speech from the throne to
the assembled lords and commons in
the upper chamber. The document
was commonplace. The only refer
ence to the Russo-Japanese war which
the king said 'unhappily continues"
was to announce that my government
has been careful to observe in the
strictest manner, the obligations in
The lengthiest paragraph, devoted
to the Balkans, says the situation con-
ttnues to give cause for anxiety. The
measures adopted at the instance of
the Austro-Russian governments have
been instrumental in bringing about
some amelioratiOn in the state of the
disturbed districts but these meas.
ures have still to be supplemented by
radical reforms, especially of the finan-
cial system before any permanent i'm
provements can be effected in the ad-
ministration of these provinces of the
Turkish empire"
The speech noted with satisfaction
that the Austro-Russian governments
had addressed to the porte proposals
for this purpose and added that the
British government was in communi-
cation with the powers concerned up
on this important subject.
Congratulatory references were
made to the visit of the king and
queen of Portugal to England, to the
ratification Of the Anglo-French con-
Vention and to the arbitration agree
ments with Sweden and Norway, Por-
tugal and Switzerland.
The speech also mentioned the in
ternationaI commission entrusted
with the investigation of the circum-
stances connected with the disaster to
British trawlers which resulted from
the action of the Russian fleet in the
North sea and of apportionating the
responsibility for this deplorable Incl
dent.
The king expressed the hope that
the steps to establish a representa-
tive constitution for the Transvaal
would result in substantial progress
towards the ultimate goal of COM
plete self-government.
The king referred to the Thibetan
expedition, to the exchange of visits
between representative of Lord Cur
zon of Kedleston, the viceroy of In
dia and the ameer of Afghanistan to
discuss questions affecting the rela.
tions of the two governments and con.
cluded with mentioning the proposals
for the redistribution of parliamentary
seats to be laid before the commons,
the alien bill to be introduced and the
legislation dealing with the unem-
ployed besides other unimportant leg.
islation.