Evening star., 1908-01-29
Speech From the Throne
Opens the Session.
ALEXANDRA ALSO PRESENT
Thousands of Officials and Diplomats
Made q Great Show.
FEARED WOMEN sUFFRAGIsTs
Most Elaborate Precautions Were
Taken to Keep Them Out cf
the Asscmblage.

Special Cablegram 10 The Star.
LONDON. January ao.-Sufragette fol-
lies were not entirely escaped today. not
withstanding the decision Of the leaders tn
remain inactive during the opening Of
parliament. Three irrcpressibes broke
through the police Gordon near Buckins-
ham palace, when the royal carriage WAS
passing and waved at the king strips OF
paper inscribed votes for women The
police snatched the banners. One Of the
women tainted and the other two were ar
rested.
That most rare event of a London win
ter. clear and sunny day. favored the
royal procession to Westminster TODAY
where King Edward opened parliament
with the same ceremonies that have been
observed for centuries.
King Edward anh Queen Alexandra rode
from Buckingham Palace to the houses
of parliament in gilded coach OF state
drawn by>eight white horses. They were
| attended by the officials of their house
holds in other state carriages and on
horseback. st. James Park and White
hall were unusually crowded. and the sol
diers who guarded the way had their
hands full in keeping the people back.
Whole Royal Family.
4 thousand officials. including peers,
members of the house OF commons. bish-
| ops. judges and diplomats many OF them
attired in uniform or robes of state. filed
| the chamber OF the lords when a fanfare
of trumpets at o'clock announced the
, entry Of the state procession.
King Edward read the speech from the
| throne. Queen Alexandra was seated on Il
chair of state at his right; the Prince and
Princess of Wales were on his left, and
he was surrounded by a group of stat.
officers.
The menace Of an outbreak on the part
of the woman suffragists of England gave
an unusual interest to the formal pro-
ceedings of today.
Watching the Women.
While 1t was not ANTICIPATED that the
agitators would disturb the king. they
threatened to make things interesting for
the members of the house of parliament.
particularly IL there was no mention OF
suffrage in the speech from the throne.
Greater precautions could not have been
taken II an anarchist uprising had been
feared. The only ladies admitted to the
galleries of parliament were those for
whom members vouched in writing AS
their wives or relatives. and the police
who were on duty around Westminstar
and throughout the houses of parliament
were instructed TO keep especial watch
over all women.
The Premier Absent
Premier Sir Henry Campbell-Banner-
man. whose health is still feeble. was the
only cabinet minister absent when King
Edward ascended the throne. ~
His majesty In his spaech referred in
conventional words to the visit of the
German emperor. which he said could not
fail to confirm the friendly relations ex
listing between the two powers: to the
death of King Oscar of Sweden and TO
the conclusion of the Russian agreement.
Acting in the spirit of this agreement. in
spite of the complications in Persia. the
two governments had maintained policy
Of peace. Continuing. the king said:
my government has Joined with the
governments of France, Germany and
Russia in treaty for the preservation Of
the integrity of the kingdom of Norway.
The text of this treaty will be published
in due course.
The Hague Conference.
Referring to the peace conference held
at The Hague last summer. the king said:
The various instruments annexed to
the final act of that conference show the
progress that has been made. and they
are receiving the attentive consideration
OF my government. One of the most i'm
portant OF these instruments establishes
the great principle of an international
court of appeal in prize cases. My gov.
ernment is considering the question of in
viting representatives of the leading mari
time nations to attend conference In
I IT,, nf
with view of coming to an understand
ing on certain important points of inter-
national law for the guidance of this
court.
The condition of the Christian and
mussulman populations in the Macedonian
vilayets shows no Improvement. The
bands of different nationalities continue
to pursue a campaign of violence, and the
situation gives serious cause for ANXIETY
The great powers of Europe have agreed
to present to the Turkish government a
scheme for the Improvement of the Ju-
dietary in that region. and my govern
ment has made further proposals TO the
sultan and also to the great powers for
dealing effectually with the principal
causes of this disturbance
The Kongo State.
MY government is fully aware of the
grea, anxiety felt with regard to the
treatment of the native population III
the kOngo Independent Slate. IHsti soio
desire is to see the government Of that
state humanely administered in accord
ance with the spirit Of the Berlin act,
and / trust that the negotiations now
proceeding between the sovereign OF the
Kongo state and the Belgian government
will secure this object.
NEGOTIATIONS are being conducted with
the United States for an agreement 10
refer to the international court or arbi-
tration at The Hague the questions pend
ing between the two governments when
relate to the Newfoundland hsnerles' lt
Is hoped that by this friendly procedure
a Understanding source of difnculty may
he satisfactorily removed
THE difficulty which had arisen re-
specting Japanese immigration into Cah,
ada has been settled on terms agreed
mon between the respective govern
ments.
The Famine in India.
In concluding his address his majesty
made reference TO the famine in India.
and said the stricken people and the
British officers there were facing the sit
,ation with courage and hope.
In the supplementary speech to tho
house OF commons his majesty announced
the bills that are to be brought in. These
are the licensing and education acts for
A..