The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-18
BRITISH PAR TIES
AR { UNCHANGED
Elections Practically Over, and
Liberals Return With Power
Undimitlished.
HAVE CARTE BLANCHE
Administration Leaders May
Work Their Will on the
Veto Bill.
Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch.l
ny WILLIAM r. STEAD.

BY WILLIAM Il. STEAD.
London, December 1.-THE general
elections are practically over, and II
is now evident that the state of tina
parties remains unchanged. One or
two seats still remain to be polled
but it seems quite certain that ths
Liberal coalition majority will not be
less than 100 or more than 100. The
Liberal administration will therefore
return with a. carte blanche from the
country to enforce its will on the veto
bill.
There is not tie slightest doubt az
to what will be the result. The peera
will pass the bill The King will act
upon the advice OF his constitutional
advisers, and IL the peers be so de-
mented as to oppose the will OF the
Commons thus emphaucally aHlrmea
and approved by the country, the KING
will, IL necessary, create as many new
peers as 1t Is necessary TO overcome
the resistance of the Lords.
This contingency need not seriously
be discussed. 1t is quite evident from
the speeches of Mr.. Balfour that the
opnosition will contine itself to pro-
testing against the bill, reservinS to
| themselves the right to repeal 1t When
| ever the country places them IN
mower. This is barren threat
The present election has been to
all intents and purposes, referendum
| on the subject of the veto bill, ana
| the people have declared their Will
Public interest is now turning 70
| the question of home rule. Ihere IS
no longer any fight over the veto
question. We may regard that matter
as ended 1t is thoroughly charac-
teristic of the English method OF set.
| fling the question The House OF LORD:
remains intact III al !ts prerogattves
privileges and authority unimpaireos
witb one exception. If the Commons
| send up the same bill at three con-
| secutiye sessions the Lords must pass
| IL.
An irish National Convention.
| Up to the last twenty years the Lorus
| have always passed every Liberal oiil
sent up to them whenever tue btue t,a.s
/ could show either that the heasu.s
Ihad been submitted to a vote OF tna
electors or was demanded by sum
cient number of people to make IT
sen,t-revolutionary agitation. me
| Lords have always yielded to the
/ threat of force: in the future 10y
viii Weld to the third presentation Oh
! a bill.
| There is no possibility of home
! rule bill being introduced at the he .,s
| session. a home rule resolution VIZ
| be passed and the framing or the MONT
| rule bill Will be adjourned until aits
| the coronation If prudent counsels
nrevau the passage of the home rule
| resolution Will be followed by sum
moning of an Irish national conVeh-
| ton at dublin for the purpose OF en-
| aiming Great Britain to understaho
what kind Of bill It Is that Wouio
satisfy the Irish. This proposal is one
which originated with Daniel zion
nell. and although 1t will be unpopulal
with Redmond. who would prefer "
| throw the whole responsibility OIL itat1.
ing the bill upon the Liberal govern
ment. 1t will be difficult for him TO
maintain an attitude OF OPPOSITION ~
considering a proposal to allow ireland
TO frame her own home rule bill as an
act of Difference to the Irish people
A Curiosity of the Election.
| very few contests OF the election
! lust over excited much interest. AN
exceptlo1 Is that which Lord Rose
bery,s son. the Hon. Neil Primrose.
| contested at Visdech against LORD
Robert Cecil, son Of tho late Prime
, Minister. the Marquis of SALISBURY.
| 1t was curious and tangled up fight,
because Primrose stood as a canolaats
! for the party which his father had
/
all over the country, and Cecil, althoush
a strong Conservative, no less vehe-
mently opposed the tariff reform which
Balfour declared to be the first plank
of the Conservative program.
Shelving tariff reform by the refer
endum enabled the Tories to gain SIN
seats In Lancashire, but the majority
OF the Lancashire representatives re-
main true to the Liberal cause. The
] ministers only lost one subordinate
member at Plymouth All the other
ministers have been returned. although
Lloyd George is the only Cabinet min
lister who has increased his majority
Now taht the election is over. fierce
recrimtnation is beginning to break
out tn the opposition camp. The
Morning Post has taken the lead In
denouncing the tactics which Balfour
adopted under the compulsion of the
Writer Garvin. That redoubtable hero
OF the election is still breathing forth.
threatenings and slaughters, but the
disasters which have followed the
4 adoption of his advice In the last two
elections will be fatal to his ambition
to rule as dictator OF the party to
y which he belongs.