The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-06
POSITION
GREAT BRITAIN WITHOUT PREM
 HEIR OR MINISTRY.
Long Expected Resignation of SIT Henry Camp mpbeIi-Bsnnerman, is OmcinfIy Announced-Entire
 Cabinet to Re-

The long expected resignation of Sir Henry Campbell Zimmerman, the Prime Minister. was officially announced. Ac- eording to the court circular, he re- signed on the urgent recommendation of hts medical advisers. As the Con stitution of the country provides no automatic successor. it resting with the King to choose a new head of the govefnment, and, as in accordance with custom and precedent. the whole cabinet resigns with the Premier, no step to appoint a Ministry can he ta- ken until Herbert H Asduith. the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has been summoned to Biarritz for the pur- pose has seen the King.
 The position of the country is quite unprecedented, there being no previous example of change occurring in the Premiership while the sovereign was abroad. On this account. the course of procedure to be followed is in some doubt.
 Sir Henry's condition remains un- changed. according to the physicians bulletin posted today. The King. in taieKraphing his acceptance of the Premier's resignation, conveyed an expression of his regret and esteem. with best wishes for Sir Henry's re- covery.
 Chancellor Asquith. who has been acting Premier for some time past. will leave for Biarritz probably to- morrow morning. At cabinet meet ing this morning. specially called. he submitted the Premier's resignation and the situation was fully discussed
 Although so long anticipated, the actual announcement of the Prenfers resignation had not been looked for for some days yet and comes some. what as a suprfse to the country
 The resignation of Sir Henry Camp hell Zimmerman, the first Liberal Prime Minister of England since Lord Roseberry gave up the office in 1895, has It's dramatic phase, for as he pass es from the stage, the mixed forces which he held together as party ap- pears also to be approaching the end of political power. The Zimmerman government 1t has been stated, com bined too many factions and too many fads: all the clements of opposition to conservatism and of discontent united in making common cause against the old government and when joined to- gether in an administration working team of home. rulers, laborites. social ists, liberal imperialists and Little Eng flanders, was found nigh impossible. But it speaks much for Bannerman's leadership that the disfntegration of his party has gone on so much more swiftly since the attack of heart trou- bie which last fall removed him from the pOSSlDllity or Act1Fo 1eaOeT5Htps
 Sir Henry was not only the leader of the House of Commons. but also it's father, for he represented Stirling without Interruption ever since he en- tered the House in 1868, at the age of thirty-two. Throughout his po1iti- cal life he has been a consistent and Etaunch advocate of radicalism and his political faith has never wavered.
 His early years in Parliament were not eventful. He had a varied expe- rience in government. holding the po- sitions of financial secretary to the war office, secretary to the admiralty twice. secretary of State for war and for brief time in 1ss4-5 chief secre- tary for Ireland.
 At that period Irish members were devoting all their efforts to making that office almost untenable, but MT. Bannerman met all their attacks with unfailing good will and ready wit.
 He came more prominently before the public eye when he took office as secretary for war fin Gladstone's last government.
 A long period of depression for the Liberals followed the resignation of the Gladstone cabinet. and Sir Henry Campbell- Zimmerman had trying time in keeping clear of the cross cur rents which ultimately led to liar courts resignation of the leadership of the party, which was badly dis united.
 There was not a moments doubt as to who was to succeed him, and by a unanimous vote of the party, Banner man was chosen in February, 1899, to be it's leader.
 Still more troublous times were in store for the Liberals with the begin ming of the Boer war. which made the bitterness between the Imperialist and Radical groups more acute than ever. He was bitterly and savagely attack cd. but under the highest provocation. and the fires of the criticism of Cham berlain. he maintained his self-re- straint.
 AZ the memories of the war died down and fresh issues came to the front. the friction in the party grew less noticeable But all the differences were not yet healed and even the "N- proach to power had not complet, y reconciled the various leaders. It was reserved for an outsider" to bring the members of the present cabinet to- gether.
 Mir. George Armistead, former Lib- eral member for Dundee, who is known to fame only as one of Gladstones closest friends. had often before played the part of reconciliary. He is man of wealth, and at his London house some six months before the general election, he gave dinner par ty. The guests were Sir Henry Camp bell Zimmerman. Lloyd-George, John Morley. Mir. Birrell. Mir. Asaulth, Sir Edward Grey and MT. Haldane. all members of the present cabinet. Round the dinner table the membership of the future cabinet and It's policy were de- cided.
 Some months later the King sent for Mir Zimmerman. The latter was able to assure his majesty that he could form strong and united cabinet He became Prime Minister in December. 1905. Ohlce gave "Mr. Zimmerman" ad- ditional strength and frmness and the way in which he controlled and swayed his huge manner impressed all Par liament members so that there was no longer any tendency to underrate his ability.
 Sir Henry made no pretensions to oratory. and he was not ready debat- CT. but when he had time for prepara- tfon, he could make an excellent speech happily phrased and with dam aging, though nearly always good hum ored. hits at his adversaries.
 Banquet to American.
 Christiana. April 5.-Chancellor Mac