Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-22
Completely Changes Eng
lands Political Complexion.
New Hold Over Halt the Seats
So Far Voted Upon.
Elections Wnl b Finished This Week, 100
Seals b 30 Filled.

London, Jan. 2l.-Within the last
eight days, the political complexion OF
the United Kingdom has been COM
pletely changed by the tide of Liberal
ism that now it is higher than the most
sanguine Radical dared to hope for, or
predict The new Parliament will be
Overwhelmingly Liberal.
Up to this time, the total number of
members elected Is $50, of whom 24l are
Liberals. ia Unionists. 40 Laborites, IS
Nationalist and 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 have 407 votes in the next Parlia-
lnent, to which may be added those of
AZ I.abortes, l Socialist and SO Nation
alists which would give Prime Minister
CAMPBELL Be nnermann 533 votes. against
49, for the Conservatives.
Ireland remains practically UNI
changed. The Nationalist have plucked
one seat from the solid northeast cor
ner. The Liberals have broken into the
Tory stronghold of Scotland with pros
WHILE AS already noted. the great for
tress of Enionism during the last 10
years have been razed before storm
Of unireamed Liberal sentiment of OPP
position to the UniOnist policy. {
With the exception of Birmingham,
which Is completely controlled by JO-
seph Chamberlain, all the great GEN.
tcrs have shown a determination to
- D.I
will probably remain an outsider until
he is given a chance in bye-election.
though possibly some safe UniOnist
seat may be rclinquished in his favor
before the end of next week. 1t is un-
derstoOd ttat several safe efforts in
this direction have been made but with
out 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..
HalfCur. Joseph Chamberlain probably
will take the lead in the next Parlia-
I, ment: at any rate he is now acknOwl-
edged to be the strong man and will
have the greatest support of any man
on the opposition benches.
The most remarkable feature of til,
election thus far is the number of la
hor members elected. The last Parlia
ment- could claim but seven Laboittes
while up to the present no less than n
have secured seats and with the promise
Of further gains 1t is not at all ilnprob
able that. labor will have representa-
ton Of 30 members in the new Parlia
ment. This undoubtedly would have 4
tremendous effect on future legislation in
T nh SO
tain to get the support of the home rul-
ers In any measure introduced by them
One of the most prominent politicians in
England said TO The Associated Press:
"It is useless to minimize the present
revolution and we might as we'll begin t.
take a new view of the situation. In my
opinion. n Parliament sitting in Dublin
may be looked for within the next two
years. Assuredly John Redmond. the
leader of the Nationalist party. and
Prime Minister Campbell Zimmerman
have reached Il working agreement. and
1t ia uncomfortable that Mr.. Redmond
would be content with anything less than
an Irish Parliament. I have no idea that
such a Parliament would mean separa-
ton. and have good reasons to believe
that a plan is now under consideration
by which the religious question can be
eliminated from the deliberations of such
a Parliament. which would act under the
imperial Parliament anc at least try the
experiment of administering Irish af-
fairs under the conditions which have
changed in the last century,
The elections will be over before the
end of next week. the last contest being
set for JAM &c. But so tar as the Liberal
government is concerned. its life can now
be measured. not as Was predicted prior
to the elections. by months or few
years. but by the limitations of the sep
tennial act.