The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-10
WANT A DEFIANT LEADER
Exhibition of Temper in Parlia-
 ment.
TAe Unfortunate story of The Jam of India Who Forgot te Pay His Debts and Dropped From His Place of
 Popular Idol.
BY W HAMILTON RHODES.

fumor is in circulation to the effect that the Marquis of Lansdowne may shortly resign the leadership of the Unionist party in the House of Lords in which case Earl Cawde would De chosen to succeed him. This start ling development of the political sit- uatfon fs believed to be due to Lord Lansdowne's unwillingness to assume the responsibility for the rejection of the Budget. This cautious policy Is said to be resented by some of the wilder Tory peers.
 Lord Lansdowne has never enjoy- ed the confidence of the House of Lords in the same degree as the late Lord Salisbury did. He is not Tory clings still to the name of Liberal, and rigidly preserves his own separate Liberal Unionfst organization. His cautious mildness does not satisfy the back-bench peers, who want a TO- buster and more defiant lead They broke away from him in scores a, few weeks ago in the division that follow ed the conscription debate, and are other matters. Lord Lansdowne Is also suspected of Free Trade leanings, and this is probably the head and front of his offending. Tariff Re- formers have no confidence in either MT. Balfour. or Lord Iansdowne. hut they cannot do without MT. Balfour. His great talents are essential to they abhor." They are determined, however. to supersede Lord Iansdowne and the present is thought to be a suitable occasion for the purpose. Mfr. Balfour himself has the greatest con- ldence in Lord Lansdowne. and there is warm reciprocal regard between the two men. But 1t Is very doubt full whether he can save him from the conspfrators.
 It is significant that Lord Lans- downe has not said word In the important debates that have recently taken place in the House of Lords. Lansdowne's leadership of the House is very acceptable to the staider and more responsible peers. and. that they will resist any attempt to supplant him.
 An Example of Temper. 5s
 During the debates in the House of Commons on the Development Bill Lord Robert Cecil gave an agreeable example of Cecilian temper and polft- eness. The Chancellor of the Exche-. quer assured him that he had given . promise to do a certain thing. What does it matter whether you make a promise or not. sneered Lord Robert. It was very insulting. but It required some little persuasion and the picture of an unpleasant scene In the House before lie could De in-4 duced to apologize. Thers was sah Ad- journment of the Grand Committee for luncheon, but some members who thought themselves essential to the Committee had their luncheons brought In. Among them. were Lord Morpeth and Lord Robert Cecil. Captain Craig went a step further and proceeded to -.t- member declaring that it was "un- seemly," while another said 1t was Hike a singsong."
 The Chairman (Sir Brynmor Jones) confessed that there was nothing in the Standing orders forbidding smok- ing, but he induced the Captain to lay aside his pipe until the next meet ing, when, if he chose to raise the question, he would give a decision. having fortified himself by consultation with the authorities. e4
 It is not so simple a matter as it looks, this question whether smok-' ing Is permissible or notsin the Grand Committees. The Standing i. Orders of the House forbid the taking of "visi- ble refreshments" in the House itself though this is constantly infringed. when members fortify themselves with whiskies and sodas during prolonged II other hand. members frequently take their lunch during the sitting of a Select Committee or Private Biif Com mittee. The nice point, therefore, is whether feeding being allowed in the Committees, in contrast with the House, smoking is not also allowed? It is possible. indeed, that if Captain Craig succeeds in securing this sen sible innovation for Select Committees ha xufIl ufn the of haN-S to an extent that his oratorical or dia- lectical powers are never likely to achieve for him. It Is recollected that In the seventeenth century smoking was not uncommon in the House It. self, but that in the middle of that century Standing Order was adopt declaring "that no member of the House do presume to smoke tobacco in the Gallery or at the Table of the House sitting as a Committee"
 The Archbishop of Canterbury some time ago gave notice that he would bring forward a motion in the House of Lords on the Report of the Poor Law Commission. It was expected probably not by himself alone. that the occasion would be regarded as of considerable interest, in view not only of his own position. but the im- portarco of the subject. When he an peared on the floor of the House of Lords the other day he was favored by the presence of eight Unionist Peers, five of whom were. in a sense compelled to be present. Under these depressing circumstances, the Arch bishop delivered a speech of ninety minutes duration, in which he char acteristically confined himself to deal ing with the points on which both Reports were agreed. Lord Crewe, on behalf of the Government, was unable to promise any legislation at present, and Lord Lansdowne did not condes- cende to say a word, so that the de- bate utterly collapsed. It Is evident that the Archbishop of Canterbury Is not conspicuously popular with any side.
 It is reported in one or two papers that the latest scheme of the active SuTragettes is to kidnap one of the young children of the Prime Minister. These children have consequently now to be kept under guard. The notion that by Kidnapping one of the Asquith children the Suffragettes would force the Prime Minister to bring in Wo- mans Suffrage Bill Is the highest flight of hysterical criminality yet attained. Even presuming on their sex to jostle the Prime Minister at the door of his club on a Sunday after noon and to try and trip him up, knock off his hat. and otherwise annoy him. cannot be seriously commended ~as a useful specimen of propagandism But to kidnap a helpless child would be still less effective.
 A Painful SenafiOn.
 A rather painful sensation was creAtad in fha House this week hy