, 1910-02-23

House OF commons was lOSLll6 10 Tile gov
eminent. TheEasl ofRosebery argued that the
Lords should have an opportunity to reform
themselves, and besides the Governments
programme was unsatisfactory to its sup
p~Orters.
In the House of Commons Mr.. Balfour
said the verdict Of The nation was uncertain,
the majority Of British constituencies were in
favour Of the budget, but Ireland does not
favour it, and if Ireland ab5tajus from
opposing the budget it j is only because Of
other considerations If Mr.. Asquith's home
rule declaration had been taken seriously or
the Irish attitude foreseen, Englishmen
would have voted differently. Of one hun
drod and forty nine speeches by ministers
only one referred to Home Rule, aud how
could the Government claim to know or re-
present the nations mind when a verdict has
neither been asked nor given upon u subject
controlling the Governments conmand Of
the House Of Commons.
NJ. Asquith, who was cheared upon rising,
said the Kings speech was the shortest re-
coded. No other subjects would be con
sidered this session. He had appealed to the
country against the claim Of the House Of
Lords to reject the budget, and he had
spoken Of safeguard against repetitionIt " IS
sad he had referred to royal quuant es, but
lb lIGUA ClJH GNhE0y ICCCtNCl ~
sired royal guarantees. 1t was the duty
Of ministers to excIute the Royal prerogl-
tiyes from partisan differences, and improper
to ask royal action regarding proposals
which had not passed the House of Com
mons or had even been submitted. TE9 Gov
ernmeut, he continued, intended to pass the
budget and then deal with the situation
created by the Lords previous rejection. The
Government will proceed IN the first instance
by resolution, which VIII afterwards be en-
bodied in q bill, and the resolution should
bc considered before the spring recess.
Owing to the urgency Of the fnanc al ST.
tualion the Easter adjournment VIII be
from Thursday to Tuesday only, and
then the session will proceed until the mid
die Of April or until the budget is passed;
he proposed the same regarding the Lords
reform resolution and then q reasonable
holiday. The remainder Of the session after
the recess to be devoted to the bill embody~
ing the resolution,
Mr.. Redmond said the Nationalists, now
as always, had no allies, they supported the
Government upon Their Home ale pledge,
supplemented later by a more Important
pledge preliminary to Home Rule and ad-
v%aLcinR it. He had, he declared, understood
Mr.. Asquith in the sense which he (Asquith)
had disayowed and the country had the same
understanding. Tho programme now to pass
the budget, no reference to royal guar
antees essential to progress, rejection
OF Home Rule, aud waste Of the popular
mandate, would enable the Lords to force
another dissolution on the veto question.
The Commons would waste a year upon "a
measure foredoomed to defeat, and the Gov
eminent by passing the budget is wasting
its most useful weapon. The Nationalists,
he declared, win assist only upon reasonable
assurances regarding the passage of the veto
bin; they viii not pay that price for nothing,
and they will not be parties willingly to
p(0ughing the sands.
Upon a mott Il by Mr.. Barnes the House
adjourned.
These are bad days for Mr.. Asquith, whose
moderation, compared with bis uncompromis-
ing campaign speeches, has surprised all his
follow ers, who are disappointed, and many are
humiGtated who were more militant. The La
bourites are also enraged. The debate
practically collapsed to enable It consideration
Of the situation,
The newspaper comments this morning
regard the new Parliament as still born, it's
life limited to days, perhaps merely hours,