The Irish standard., 1905-12-09
BALFoUR RESIGNS.

l cfastlnatlon the BaltOur ministry has
resigned, and King Edward has sum-
moned Sir Henry Campbell-Banner-
man to form new ministry. The sit
uation is interesting to Irishmen Tor
the reason that the change is pound
to have a great effect upon the imme-
date future Of the Irish question. The
situation is further interesting because
of the conditions existing between the
parties at the present time. Unlike
our own country which is governe. by
a written constitution the English
government is governed by an unwrit-
ten constitution. Both countries are
governed by parties. Our own holds
elections at stated times, both the
time and the method Of holding cleo
tons being prescribed by written law.
In England a party governs only SO
long as that party enjoys the conf
dence of the majority Of the voters of
the country. A parliament dies ev-
cry seven years by time limitation,
but parliaments are more often dis
solved by a change Of public opinion
than by lapse Of time. The present
parliament has but a short time to
run until it would terminate by time
limitation. AS a usual thing when min
istries resign parliament is at once
dissolved and an appeal to the coun-
try made, or rather ministries do not
resign until the sense of the country
has been taken. When a ministry
meets with a reversal on some test
vote taken in the House Of Commons
a ministry either resigns and allows
the opposition party to form the min
istry or it dissolves parliament and ap-
peals to the country to be sustained.
Neither of these conditions have hap
pened at the present time. Balfour
was not defeated on a test vote. At
the time Of his resignation the parlia-
ment was not in session but the Union
lists had been meeting with so many
reverses in the bye-elections and they
were so thoroughly disunited upon i'm
portant questions that it was only a
matter of time when the ministry
would meet with either an adverse
vote in the Commons or by lapse of
time the parliament would be dis
solved and a general election would
become necessary
Bye-elections have shown such re-
markable gains for the Liberals that
it is conceded on all hands that gen.
eral election will give the Liberals a
majority. Balfour saw fit to resign
before either event took place, max
ing 1t seemingly incumbent upon the
Liberals to form ministry at a time
when majority Of the members of
the Commons belong to the opposition
party.
1t has been stated by Liberal lead
ers from time to time that if Balfour
should resign without dissolving par
lament and before general election
! that the Liberal leaders would not I'M
dertake the formation of ministry
for that position would leave them open
to vote of censure at any time be-
cause a majority of the present par
Lament are anti-Liberals. The sum-
moning of Sir Henry Campbell Ban
herman by the King and the absence
of any announcement to the contrary
makes it probable that Sir Henry
Campbell-Bannerman has decided to
form a ministry Notwithstanding the
/ fact that the Unionists have a major
ity. Parliament Is not now in session
and, therefore. no adverse vote can
be had at the present time. Should the
Liberals form government and should
parliament be called in session prior
i to its dissolution and should a vote
of censure be taken the Liberals would
have nothing left to do except to dis
solve parliament and appeal to the
country. This would only amount to
bringing on the election little sooner
than 1t would otherwise take place.
1t is particularly encouraging to
friends Of Ireland to note that the King
has summoned Sir Henry Campbell
Bannerman to form the new Liberal
ministry. His position toward Ireland
is distinctly more friendly than that
of any other Liberal leader except John
Morley. The complete disregard OF
Lord Rosebery by the King and the
Liberal leaders is also encouraging;
Rosebery with all his great capacity
and culture, has, nevertheless. shown
himself to be a weak and vacillating
leader. His short leadership Of the
Liberal Party after Gladstone was
forced by age to quit the leadership
was most disastrous to the party. Rose
berry is not friendly to Ireland or its
people. He is an Imperialist Of the
most pronounced type. His concep-
ton Of Ireland and the colonies is
that they exist for the glorification OF
England. While Campbell Banner-
mans attitude toward the Irish is
more friendly. yet it can not be said
with certainty what that attitude will