Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-03
GOSSIP FROM LONDON
Political Circles Discussing
Change in Cabinet:
TROUBLE FOR GOVERNMENT
Asquith Premiership and Irish and
Labor Parties.
NEW PRIME MINISTER'S WIFE
An Ambitious Woman, Who =
Noted for Her Brilliancy and Is
Immensely Popular.
TROUBLE FOR GOVERNMENT
NEW PRIME MINISTER'S WIFE
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON. April o. 1905.
In political circles the engrossing SUBJ
ject of speculation is the effect which the
change In the premiership will have upon
the fortunes of the liberal party. 1t In
not easy to reproduce faithfully current
opinions. because they would inevitably
imply somewhat hostile criticism OF the
leadership Of the stricken statesman in
Downing street. who manfully led his
party through fair weather and foul. But.
apart from the extreme radicals. who dis
covered Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman
to be great statesman only when he
overemphasized the anti-imperiaI side of
his political nature, the feeling is pretty
general that the change in the PREMIER
ship will bode no i'll to liberalism.
It may well be that Mr.. Asquith will not
be able to keep his government and party
together very long. but In honesty 1t is
admitted that the seeds of radical disin-
tegration were sOwn and terminated long
before the new premier assumed the lead
ership of the party. 1t is pointed out that
the desire to be all things to all men.
while connecting certain amount Of
worldly wisdom and indicating an agree
able temperament. is more fitted for d.
plomacy than British politics.
The English people like backbone in po-
litical life-hence the popularity of Mr..
Chamberlain-and 1t may be confidently
predicted that there will be nothing fac
cid in Mr.. Asquith's treatment Of mis- fol-
lowers. 1t is believed that the rank and
file of the liberal party will soon realize
the force of their new leaders person
ality. 1t Is felt. however. that Mr.. AS
quith may hold together the saner ele-
ments in the liberal party. Those ele-
ments have justifiably become apprehen-
sive at the drift Of liberal policy during
the past two years, and 1t is widely felt
that if Mr.. AsQuith can restore their con-
fidence he will render good service to lib
eralism, and not imprObably to the state.
Trouble for Government.
On the other hand, 1t is now admitted
that Mr.. Asquith's premiership will be
the beginning of serious trouble for the
government with both the Irish and labor
parties. Ever since the home rule debate
the other night the Irish members. with
Their usual gratitude for political favors.
have been declaring that once the Irish
universities bill is through parliament
thei: policy will be to get the government
out of office as quickly as possible. They
do not see why they should continue to
support a government which harly tells
them that in the life of the present pariia-
ment they can expect nothing more, ana
lament and see II they will be able to
squeeze anything out of that. The labor
party, too. realize that when they have
got an old age pension scheme passed into
law they will have driven the govern
ment as far as they are likely to drive
them.
They will, Of course, for propaganda
purposes, oppose Mrs. Asquith's scheme,
whatever it may be. for it Is not possible
that it can comply with the demands
they have made. OF all the liberal lead
ers Mr.. Asquith Is the most hated by
these two parliamentary groups. The
Irish say that he is no home ruler, and
the labor members that he is hard
listed individualist. Both groups, say
those who know their feeling, will he
opposing the government in every way
possible before the end of the session.
For Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman
there was In both these camps a feeling
of affection He never deserted home
rule. even when it was most unpopular,
and 1t Is really owing to his wish that
liberals should not oppose. labor men
that so many of the latter have seats In
this parliament.