New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-20
LIBERALS STILL GAIN.
GREAT LABOR MOVEMENT.
Rioting at BeIfast-ISro Former
ministers Defeated.

London. Jan 19-The election returns con-
tinue to show Liberal gains. Two more former
ministers were defeated to-day-Wiliam Bron1-
Iey-Davenport Financial Secretary to the war
Office. for the Macclesfeld Division OF Cneshlre'
and Sir Robert Finlay, Attorney General tol
Inverness, Scotland. Another prominent Union
list, Sir Frederick Miner. was unseated IN the
Bassetlaw Division Of Nottnghamshire Ihe
complete returns up to tonight are as follows:
Liberals ..... 229 Nationalist ..".... "
unionists ....-..... SO Laborites .......... 81
Mr.. DevIin's victory at Belfast led to rather
serious rioting in which a number Of houses
were partly wrecked.
Ramsey Macdonald. secretary of the Labor
Representative Committee, which Is largely con-
cerned In the election campaign on behalf Of the
t Laborites says that the newspapers have not
yet correctly appreciated the position attained
by the Labor party or its causes he asserts
that the question of protection against free trade
was merely secondary. the real situation being
that the labor propag anda had cut the working
classes clean away from the Unionist
Sir Edward Grey, Secretary for Foreign At
fairs, speaking at Berwick tonight, said that
the wage earners of the country were beginning
to take things in their own hands but that he
did not fear a revolution, because the labor
leaders were reasonable, practical men. 1t fol-
lowed, he said, that though there might be con-
siderable legislative changes such reforms
would be reasonable and practicable.
It is now believed that the Labor party will
muster about forty members in the new Parlia-
ment, divided into three groups. The largest
group, composed Of twenty-five independents,
will act and vote together. The next group i'll
Importance includes John Burns, William Ran
dal Cremer, Henry Broadhurst, Thomas Burt
and other mederates, and this group is likely to
cooperate with the government The third and
smallest group is composed of extremists OF a
Socialist type. The question Of inviting Sir
Charles Dixie to lead the Labor party as a
whole has been raised. but this is hardly prac-
ticable, considering the rivalries of John Burns
and James Keir Hardie
Regarding the Liberal argument that the
Unionist success at Birmingham mainly
owing to the personality OF Joseph Chamber
lain, It is pointed out as noteworthy that the
seven members of Mr.. Chamberlains Parlia-
mentary tariff commission, appointed in Decem-
Der, 1903, have been defeated.
Among the minor en1barrassments of the new
Parliament will be that of finding seats for the
enormous crowd of Liberal members. who will
be compelled to invade the side of the House
of Commons hitherto occupied by the Unionists.
It is estimated that there will be fully 800 abso-
lutely members.
1t is said that J. T. P. Rawlinson, who has
been elected in the Unionist interest for Cam
bridge University, will retire in favor of Mr.
Balfour.
Sir Philip Magnus, Unionist, member of the
Senate and a fellow of the London University,
captured the London University from Sir
Michael Foster, Liberal. former secretary Of
the Royal Society.
A feature OF to days returns the capture
of West Belfast by an Irish Nationalist Joseph
Devlin. Belfast has been Unionist strong
hold from time immenaoriaI with the exception
Of a few years. when the seat now won by Mr..
Devlin was held by Thomas Sexton. Mr.. Devlin
has also been reelected, unopposed, for North
Kilkenny, but he Will hold the Belfast seat He
visited the United States in behalf of the Irish
cause In 1902.