The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-08
LABORITES ARE IN CONTROL
THEIR INFLUENCE GROWS IN THE
HOISE or COMMONS.
both BalfOur and Chamberlain, Leaders Of
the UnlOn-COnscrvatiye Party, Keep
Out OF Debate ON Critical questions
Present Party Lines To Change.
s pcial cable Despatch 10 The Sun.

Social cable Despatch 10 The sun.
LONDON, April Reference was made
last week to the weakness, puerility and
laundering Of the new Government. 1t
may also be pointed out by impartial critics
that the Opposition, even when due allow.
ance Is made for its numerical weakness,
has failed to fill its part satisfactorily
1t is from the Conservative Earty that
the mos vigorous opposition to the social
istic proposals OF the Labor party might
naturally be expected, yet the only potent
arguments against two such proposals
came from a Radical member. Even when
the Government consented to sink it's own
bill and adopt the Labor party's, which
put trade unions in a position Of freedom
from responsibility enjoyed by no other
individual or community in the kingdom,
not excepting the King himself, the Con-
sentative opposition was ~pelfunctoIy and
a Cnionist who is a follower of neither Mr..
Balfour nor MIR. Chamberlain.
Mr.. Balfour has been absent from the
House for a fortnight taking the rest cure.
Mr.. Chamberlain did not remain in Lon
don for the debate, and the criticism which
came from the Opposition front bench, as
q bSCll llIO SdSo lliIOukllOul lllc btSSlOu.
was entirely devoted to exposing the weak
ness of the Governments conduct rather
than to protesting against the principle
embodied in the proposed measures, which
in their very nature are 20 entirely opposed
to Conservative ideas. Moreover, less than
half of the small Conservative panty took
the trouble to take part In the division,
while an appreciable number, with their
eyes on the votes OF the workingmen's
constituents, voted for it.
In this the Spectator sees that almost
irreparable damage has been done to the
forces OF conservatism and moderation
by Mr.. Chamberlain M his abettor, Mr..
Balfour.' by their tariff reform policy.
This, however, Is a somewhat narrow view
to take OF the strange conditions which now
obtain in the House of Commons.
In the attitude Of both, the Government
and the Opposition may be seen the first
results Of the introduction in the House Of
the Labor party, which has behindit a vast
preponderance OF the workingmen's votes
In the constituencies. The Liberals are
told clearly that the Iaborites' demands
for certain things must be satisfied or they
must abandon all hopes of securing any
of these votes in the future, and the Liberal
Government has hitherto bowed to this
threat. The same fear inspires a lar re
portion Of the Conservative side. The
eighty lnshmen from Ireland remain
eighty in Parliament after Parliament.
There is no fear Of their numbers being in.
creased; there are ever hopes that they
may be decreased by the Redistribution
bill; but there is no limit to the possible
increase of the Laborites, who ha We all the
constituencies in the United Kingdom to
campaign in.
To-day's conditions merely foreshadow
the d~isintegration in the more or less dis
ant future Of the present parties. Indi-
vidualistic Liberals cannot work with coll
l~ectivist Laborites any more than Conserva-
tiYes can.