The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-18
EXPECT LIBERALS ID REGAIN POWER UnioRists Are Still In the Lead,
 However JOHN BURNS TRIUMPHANT Picturesque Fighter Has Become an Entirely Different Man-Much Ex- citement Around Battersea
 and WooIwich.
JOHN BURNS TRIUMPHANT

of today's polling in the general election the parties stood as follows: Unionists go, liberals T, laborites 1S. nationalsts 13
 Net gains for the unionists %.
 The government fared much better to- day than their most ardent supporters ex- pected. The unionists gained 1s seats. the liberals 1 and the laborites 1, making 8 net gain for the unionists for the day of IA, one less than they gained at former elections on Saturday.
 This practically assures the return of the liberals to power with fair majority. for among the places still to poll are those in Scotland and Wales. which always are sol:dly liberal.
 There cannot be said to have been many surprises today. Some expected that John Burns, president of the local government board, would be defeated in the Batter sea division of Battersea and C1apham, but pessimism has been prevalent in every election since Burns has been a candi- date, and he himself never had any doubt as to tile result
 Burns comes back to parliament with
 
 slide of 1908 he won by 1900 votes, his normal majority is about 200, and In to- days hard fought battle he beat A. Shir- ley Benn, unionist, by 555. The votes: Burns s540, Benn 1885,
 Burns a Picturesque Fighter. Since the most picturesque fighter in Westminster was sent to the house of commons by the enthusiastic support of the workinsmen and socialists of his home district as their spokesman and since he has held positions of increased responsibility. he has gradually outgrown his old radical Ideas. John Burns of to- day Is a vastlyl2aifferent pArson from the old John Burns, who exhorted the work ingmen in Trafalgar square to rise against the police. He has become one of the most conservative of liberals and is even said to be at heart good tory. John Burns has so far outlived his fam ous dictum that no man could honestly earn more than s2St yearly, that he holds S0.000 position, and is likely to be pro- noted to a S2S,c50 position, although his style of living remains as modest as ever. While he has gained the respect of all parties in parliament and is considered one of the ahlest, as well as one of the most interesting legislators, traitor and
 
 applied to him in the labor campaign. Excitement Not Lacking. The excitement in Battersea tonight was greater than elsewhere in Lon don. Immense crowds surrounded the candidates quarters until a late hour, waiting the news. The enthusiasm at Burns headquarters was intense when the result was received.
 WOOlr1Ch another sceuA of citement. At this place the labor leader. VIII Crooks, had a dramatic reception on his return from Australia on the eve on the election. Crooks went about the streets followed by great crowd. He was cheered everywhere and freuuently stopped and made an impromptu speech on the steps of the houses One of his speeches was directly in front of the headquarters of his antagonist, Maj w. A. Adams, a unionist. who viewed the scene from a window. Crooks was beaten by 300 votes, where as, in the previous election he defeated Major Adams by 2112.
 The result was no surprise, for the government had turned out many labor CTS by reducing the work at Woolwich arsenal and they and their friends were sworn to get revenge.
 Ten thousand Durham miners marched into Gateshead to oppose J. Johnson, the labor candidate, for reelection. Johnson has been against them on the eight-hour i act. On the way they attacked Mars ley Hill colliery, wrecked the offices and threw the books and other effects down the shaft.
 Outcome Not Surprising.
 The general view of today's battle bears out the forecast recently made The north is solid for the government, the midlands section, especially in the vicinity of Birmingham, favors tariff re- form, and the victory of the unionists at Wales points to an extension of Joe Chamberlain's influence.
 The metropolis which after the bye elections which all went in favor of the unionists was expected to make c7ean turnover, is displaying a. remarkably slight variation in representation all though the liberals are not obtaining the majorities they did in 1906
 The hope of the unionists lay in the home counties and West Cheltenham Exeter, Colchester and Beford all re- The area is too restricted, lacking big industrial centers, to afford them any great chance of success.
 With the exception of three constituent cies the result of all of today's polling was announced complete.
 Among the successful candidates are Hammar Greenwood, a Canadian who represents York and was considered a prominent candidate for high office An other Canadian, Joseph Martin, former premier of British Columbia, was more successful, winning his seat for St. Pan- cars seat without complete figures be- ing at hand.
 Other prominent members defeated l.. c. Chizzoa Money. apostle of free trade, who lost his seat for North Pad dington, and Will Crooks, the labor lead CT for Woolwich; Sir Robson, the liberal candidate for North Kensington, failed to obtain majorities, as did also Sir John Gorst, former minister and at one time a member of the fourth party whose leading spirits were A. J. Balfour and Lord Randolph Churchill
 On the other side. Lord c. Cecil and c. Stewart Bowles who ran as free trade unionists, failed in their attempts to oust Philip Hhowden, the labor leader, and Sir Thomas Barclay at Blackburn Doc tors had much to do with the defeat of Claude Hay, unionist, in the Horton di- vision of Shoreditch. His opponent was T1S ~ AddfaDu q fnu101ln Iklnn