Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-18
Birmingham Elects All
Chamberlain Candidates.
Shows That Protection Policy
Has Many Firm BackeIs.
Liberals FAT Ahead, New Having Mere Seals
" Than Al The Others. VI

London. Jan. 1.-THE most promi-
nent feature of todays election returns
is the wholly unexpected stand made
by Birmingham. Not only were all of
Joseph Chamberlain's seven candidates
returned, but Mr.. Chamberlain himself
secured majority of 5000 while the
majority of the others averaged 5000
votes.
Even allowing that the Liberal can-
dldates were not very strong, as the
seats We're practically uncontested at
the last general election, and though
the Liberal organization was not as
good as in other parts Of the country,
the results at Birmingham are Of the
highest Importance. They prove the
groundlessness of the Liberal cOnten-
ton that this general election has kill
ed the fiscal agitation for a generation
to come. Besides showing the UNI
abated confidence Of Birmingham in
Mr.. Chamberlain the results there go
also to confirm what already has been
noticed in isolated contests, that the
candidates who openly professed pro-
tectiOnist leanings had good support
and in some cases were victorious.
The outcome at Birmingham AFFORDS
a striking contrast. While Mr.. Bal
four stands discredited as a leader.
with his supporters all swallowed up
and himself angrily criticized from his
own side, Mr.. Chamberlain issues from
the contest with flying colors.
A considerable section of the Union
lists on the prOtectiOnist side had pre-
dicted some such result and it is now
limited that the party must in future
look towards Birmingham for hope and
guidance.
1t is too late for the results at Bir-
mingham to have any great effect on
the campaign as n whole. Many of
today'S polls will not be declared UNI
ii! tomorrow, but those published to-
night show that the Liberal tide still
runs strong. London has gone dig
tinctly Liberal. no less than Il seats
showing Liberal gains. While the
total gains of the Liberals for today
number %. the Unionists have made
only one solitary gain. ViScount
|Castlereagh having wrested the seat
from the Liberals at Maidstone. Ports
mouth. which had previously been rep
resented by two UniOnists. today elect
ed two Liberals and this despite the
fact that fifth candidate, n Laborite,
threatened to split the Liberal vote.
The I-aborite. however, came third
with very large vote. the Unionists
being at the bottom of the list. The
members already elected are distributed
Liberals. 167; Unisnists. IS: Labor
ties. 81; Nationalist, so.
OF the 90 London STATS polled today.
16 We're won by the Liberals, 12 Of
them being net gains.
The Cnionist papers are referring to
the recommendation of Chief Engineer
Stevens, of the Panama canal, favor
ing the employment of Chinese on the
canal as an endorsement Of the Union
list action in permitting the Chinese
coolies to The Transvaal.
Among the striking personalities in
today's elections We're Sydney D. Bux-
ton, postmaster general, and Dr.
Thomas James MacNamara, the well
known writer on educational subjects.
who were elected by enormous majori-
ties for the popular division of the
Tower hamlets and the north division
of Camberwell. respectively, and John
IIenniker Heaton. Earl Percy, Sir Will
liam Evans Gordon. Evelyn Cecil,
Jessie Ceilings. Eiscount Morpeth. Sir
w. S. Robson. and the Hon. Ivori
Churchill Guest. who retained their
seats.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. who ran in
the Cnionist interest for Harwick, Rox-
burgshire, Scotland, has been defeat
ed