Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-21
LIBERAL LEAD
STILL PILES UP
WILL COMPLETELY CONTROL
NEW PARLIAMENT
Prominent Politician Prophesles That
Within Two Years Ireland Will
Have Its Own Houses, Sit
ting In Dublin
Bv Associated Presa

LONDON, Jan. 20.--Within the last
eight days the political complexion of
the United Kingdom has been COM
pietely changed by the tide of Liberal
ism which even now is higher than the
most sanguine Radical dared hope for.
The new parliament will be over
Whelmingly Liberal.
Up to this time the total number OF
members elected Is 4SO of whom 241 are
Liberals, ia Unionists, 40 Laborites, rs
Nationalists and one Socialist. This
leaves 100 seats still vacant
The Liberals thus far have gained no
less than III seats, counting labor
gains as Liberal or government gains,
and If the same proportion is kept up
for the remaining 100 seats the Liberals
Will nave 407 votes in the next parlia-
ment, to which may be added those of
forty-two Laborites, one Socialist and
elghty-three Nationalist, which would
give Prime Minister Campbell Banner
man 533 votes, against 1877 for the Con-
servatives.
While this calculation concerning the
results in the 1870 vacant seats is en-
tirely speculative it is not impossible
of realization. nor could it be more cX-
traordinary or startling than any of
the results declared during the last few
days.
Ireland remains practically un-
changed. The Nationalist have plucked
one seat from the solid northeast cor
ner. The Liberals have broken into the
Tory stronghold of Scotland, with
prospects for other remarkable sue
cesses, while, as already noted, the
great fortresses of unionism during the
last ten years have been razed before
a storm of undreamed of Liberal sem
timent or of opposition to the Unionist
policy.
With the exception Of Birmingham,
which is completely controlled by
Joseph Chamberlain, all the great CEN
ters have shown n determination to
change from the old order. Mr.. Bal
four will probably remain an outsider
until he is given chance in a bye
election, though possibly some safe
Unionist seat may be relinquished in
his favor before the end of next week.
1t is understood several efforts in this
direction have been made but without
success. Such reports as these, it is
believed, are materially weakening the
prestige of the accredited leader of the
Unionist party. In the absence of Mr..
Balfour Joseph Chamberlain probably
will take the lead in the next parlia-
ment, at any rate he is now acknowl-
have the greatest support of any man
in the opposition benches.
The most remarkable feature of the
elections thus far is the number of
Laborites elected The last parliament
could claim but seven Laborites, while
up to the present no less than forty Of
them have secured seats. and with the
prospects of further gums it is not at
all improbable that Labor will have a
of fifty members in the
new parliament. This undoubtedly
would have tremendous effect on
future Legislation in England, as the
are almost certain to get the
support of the home rulers in any rea-
sonable measure introduced by them.
One of the most prominent politicians
in England said to the Associated
Press:
1T is useless to minimize the present
revolution and we might as well begin
to take a new view of the situation. In
ny opinion parliament sitting at Dub
lin may be looked for within the next
two years. Assuredly John Redmond,
leader of the Nationalist party, and
Prime Minister Campbell -Bannerman
have reached working agreement and
it Is inconceivable that Mr.. Redmond
would be content with anything less
than an Irish parliament"
The elections will be over before the
end of next week, the last contest being
set for January 26. but so far as the
Liberal government is concerned, its
life will now be measured, not as was
predicted prior to the elections, by
months or a few years, but by the
of the septennial act.