The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-10-23
PARTY AGREES ON
ONE THING ONLY
Unionists Are Said to Be Any
thing But United
PARLIAMENT TO OPEN
Direct Wireless Communication Be-
tween England and South Ameri-
can Countries Is Promised
in Near Future


draws nearer, 1t becomes more and more
evident that the unionists are anything
but united. They agree on one thing
only, opposition to the present libe1 al
government. but they have, beyond that
neither a platform nor a leader. Mr. Bal
four is. of course, still the undisputed
leader of the party, but his followers are
continually grumbling and complaining
that he keeps his plans to himself and
never tries to get In touch with them
when questions of vital Importance are
about to be brought up in the house of
commons.
Among these questions none is apt to
give the conservatives more trouble than
the Osborne judgment. which forbids la
Dor unions to support their representa-
tives in the house financially There
seems but one way out of this, the pay
ment by the state of the political repre-
sentatives of the people. a plan which
will be advocated by the liberal party
now in power.
On the question of the payment of
members OF the house of commons, the
unionists are hopelessly divided, and
their differences of opinion are publicly
aired in the press.
While Mr.. Balfour maintains his sphinx
like silence one of the younger members
of his party, the brilliantly gifted law
yer. Mr.. F. NJ Smith, has come out open
ly in favor of payment of members, brav-
ing the anger and opposition of the older
conservative politicians, the most liberal
of whom hold that while payment of
members has few theoretical advan-
tages, its practical disadvantages are far
greater.
Payment of members" said one of the
most prominent conservatives to me a
few days ago, will not help to get the
wageearners into the house of commons,
but it will encourage the fortune hunter,
and will whet the appetite of those who
secure a small salary to demand a larger
one or to increase the salary paid by the
nation for their wholesale votes by addl-
tional sums paid by individuals. Pay
nent of members of the house of COM
/, mons would lead to the demand for pay
nent of mayors councillors, guardians,
members of hospital committees, magis-
trates, and all those doing public work,
and degrade public and honorable service
into dishonorable strife of greed, graft
and grab"
This particular member voices an opin-
: | ION L very OIten meet With among peOpie
of his class: That only the rich can af-.
ford to be honest, and who most always
end their arguments by pointing to the
" professional politician in the United
| States as the horrible result of the prac-
tice of renumerating the representatives
of the people for their services.
The question of the House of Lords is
hardly any more comforting to the
Tories. Either the conference will find
| solution, or 1t will break up, leaving
things as they were II a settlement
; is attained, ministers, though they may
not have achieved all that they set out
to do, or may not have achieved it In
! the way originally proposed. will yet
J have secured a principal part of their
policy. If no settlement is attained
there will be an immediate election, and
the Tories will once more have to fight
with the House of Lords on their back.
There are some Tories who believe that
they could carry tariff reform II the
lords were out of the way, and there are
others who believe that, II tariff reform
were out of the way, they could win on
the old conservative lines. But how
many are there who believe that the
north of England can be carried for food
] taxes and the unrestricted vote of the
! lords?
Direst wireless communication between
England and South America will soon be
| established IL we are to believe In the
assurances of the Marconi company's Of
ficials here. They have grown very en-
thusiastic since Mr. Marconi, while In the
| harbor of Buenos Ayres, succeeded In re-
ceiving wireless kilograms from Clifden,
Ireland, and Glace Bay. Nova Scotia.
On his way to Buenos Ayres in the
Principessa Mafalda of the Lloyd-Ital-
iano line, Mr. Marconi carried out a Sc
| ri - Mt
day he sent up kite, which carried an
aerial wire, and he was thus able to
| communicate continuously with Clifden
and Glace Bay for $500 miles.
Then the experiments were interrupted
by high winds which prevented kite n.y.
ing. But on reaching Buenos Ayres he
resumed the experiments, and had the
satisfaction of proving that wireless mes
sages may be sent by a distance of 5000
miles. AS result. he Immediately made
ARRANGEMENTS for the construction of a
high power station at Punta del Este,
Uruguay.
1--WE shall open a public service of
kilograms at very much lower prices
than the cable companies can possibly
Offer the manager of the company said
yesterday. mot only in this connection.
hut in other directions, we hope for very
important developments in the immediate
future.
, There are signs here which point to a
coming naturalization of English rail-
roads. The army OF railroads EMPLOYEES
want 1t with all their heart and the ac-
tons of the railroad companies them
selves are Fastening its coming. Fol-
, Having the example OF the American
roads the railroads Of England have
, formed combines and signed working
, | .rr.anoents and even in a country as con-