Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-30

the cabinet is credited by those usually
n their confidence.
Even the whitfield program, however,
strikes old parliamentarians with as
tonishment. "Stupendous" was the
word frequently heard in the lobby OF
parliament applied to this program
Mr.. Balfour, leader of the opposition
party, in the course of the address IN
reply to the speech from the throne;
declared that il could not be carried
through without an unprecedentenly
violent use of the guillotine' whlch
practically would stifie free depate'
Has Big Program
Herbert H Asquith, chancellor OF
'he excnequer, who, in the absence Oh
the premier, Sir Henry Campbell Ban
herman. assumed the leadership IN the
louise of comirons, admitted that the
dozen measures mentioned in the
Rings speech constituted long nst,
nevertht less, he added, the government
not only purposes to carry them, put
"a great many others" are necessary
TO translate the platform PROFESSIONS
into the pages of the statute books.
The criticisms of Mr.. Balfour in the
commons and Lord Lansdowne, the
opposition leader in the house of lorus'
on the government proposals apart
from the length of the program was
directed against the peace conference
at The Hague and the Anelo-N9Is &c, = :
convention. Both speakers hoped thal
the government would withhold It's
ratification Of the proposed interna-
fional tribunal appeal in prize cases
until II was quite sure that the cour
would be properly constituted anu
GOVERNED by code of regulations APP
proved beforehand by the powers a..
fected. The opposition leaders AIS az
feared that Great Britains interest," ~
The Persian gulf were not suiIlcleN ',.y
protected by the Anglo-hussian '''-
Reassures Unlonists
NJ Aso,,ith was able to reassure the
unionists on the latter point, sayllls
that the government had made Great
Rritain's statutes on the gulf Qulte
clear by a declaration made conteIi-
ANONYMOUSLY with the signing OF ulo
aereenent and assented to by the nus
sian ambassador.
Lord Lansdowne took occasion 10 eH :
press his qualification that the dliIloutey
with the United States regarding liic
Newfoundland fisheries question as
going to arbitration and consloereu
that the settlement of the diheTeIiceaa
between Canada and Japan was most
creditable not only to the Dominion,
hut to the government of our ally VINO
had exhibited, not for the first time,
a self-restraint and sagacity which nao
ELECTED the admiration of all VINO nao
opportunities Of coming into close con,
tact with its diplomatic proceedings
rhe very notable absence in the
kings speech of any reference 10 tne
relations between the two houses OF
parliament was sarcastically referred
to by Lord Lansdowne.
It Is understood that the cabinet mas
decided to postpone the fight until next
year.
The Nationalist came into promi-
nence early in the session, but were
foiled by the speaker in an attempt to
have a committee appointed to inquire
into the conviction of Laurence Ginnell,
Nationalist member of the north divi-
sion of Westmeath, who was recently
sentenced to six months Imprisonment
for contempt of court at hearing in
connection with the cattle-driving
trials. The speaker ruled the motion
for the appointment OF such COM
mittee out of order.
For Home Rule
John f. Redmond, the Irish leader,
gave notice of a home rule motion for
February 3, and during the course of
the debate on the address declared that
the kings speech was disappointing
and unsatisfactory. Only by the gov
eminent frankly putting their home
rule convictions into action, he declared,
could disaster to Ireland be averted.
Several references to the Congo in
dependent state were made during the
course of the debate, and the govern
ment speakers urged caution in dis
cussing this subject. Lord Fitzmau-
rice. under secretary for foreign affairs,
said in the house of lords that the I'M
fortunate death of the Belgian premier
hal delayed the negotiations for the
transfer of the Independent state to
Belgium, but. he added. Il have reason
to know that matters are now pro-
crossing in the direction we all desire.
After debates covering a wide field
in foreign and domestic affairs both
houses adjourned. 1t is expected that
the debate on the address in reply to
the speech from the throne will last
ten days and that the real work of the
session will begin about February 10.
eS-0