Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-06
No Hope for Unionists
in English Elections;
Returning Of Government 10
Power but Question otMargin.
Opposition Hopes to Reduce Major
ity Of Coalition Of Allies.

London. Dec. 5.-The position of the
parties tonight after the second days
pollings in the general election is as
follows:
| Government Coalition:
| Liberals 81; Labor IA; Nationalists
Is. Total III.
| Oppostion Unionists liz.
| The result today merely confirm the
opinion formed from the results Of
Saturdays contests that the Unionists
now have no possible hope of re-
placing the Liberal government in
power. The only question remain
ing is whether the Liberals will re-
turn with larger or smaller majority.
| To gain a bare majority in the new
Parliament, the Unionists must make
a net gain of 62 seats. Thus far they
only have a net gain of five seats.
They have gained II and the Liberals
ISix seats. The gain for the Union
lists on Saturday was seven, while
the Liberals gained four. Today the
Unionists gained four and the Liberals
i two seats. y continuation ut this
rate of progress would fill the Union
list prediction that the AsNuith cab
met would come back with a greatly
weakened majority and would be
more than ever dependent upon their
Irish and Labor allies.
1t must be remembered however,
that the Liberals lost at the January
| elections a large number OF seats
Through three cOrnered contests. Sucn
contests are largely eliminated in the
present elections, and this may give
| the Liberals sufficient gains to balance
| those of the Unionists On the whole
| it seems likely that the new House of
| Commons will meet with the position
of the parties practically unchanged.
| The question will then arise whether
the King will feel justified in giving
| guarantees for the creation Of Liberal
peers to force the veto bill through the
| House of Lords.
| The UnioniSt rally in Lancashire has
| been maintained and the Liberal hope
of winning two seats at Preston has
been disappointed, but what the Lib
| erals lost in lancaster was cOmpen-
! stated for by their better showing in
! Yorkshire.
| In Liverpool the strong campaign by
the t'nionist candidate +. l.. Smith.
| had the result of greatly imp owing
| the t'noniSts position.
| The two seats the Liberals lost in
London today. Islington North and st.
Pancras West We're held by very small
ma joltcs in the previous Parliament.
apparently. therefore. the metropolis
| is much the same as January in it's at
titude toward the contending parties.
Perhaps rather significant are some of
the Liberal gains. such as Wakefield
| ;,I l,,,. n1
Unionist for eight years and Chelan-
ham. another Tory stronghold and
residential city largely composed of
| retired officers.
| It is also notable that in the royal
borough Of Windsor the Liberals sue
ceeded in reducing the Unionist ma
jority.
These signs Of the conversion of the
| additionally conservative middle class
| may be an Indication of a similar
| change in the country agricultural dis
| tricts which went almost entirely
Unionist in January.
London tonight is displaying much
enthusiasm and the successful candi-
| dates are being borne in procession
| through the streets with torch lights.
| AS these returns come in. showing the
| closcness of the contest, interest is
| grtatly increased and vast crowds
| gathered in Fleet street, Trafalgar
| square and other places where the re-
| suits were shown, cheering and boom
| ing according to their political aftilla-
| tons There were similar scenes in
| Liverpool, Leeds and other towns
where elections were held. The weather
| improved greatly during the after
noon and evening. so that the crowds
were enabled to watch the returns
| without discomfort.
The political clubs were filled with
members. At the Carleton and other
tnionsts gathering places. much dis
appointment was expressed at the
Smallness of the gains which were eX-
pected to be treble of what they turned
out. In Liberal quarters, the great
est enthusiasm prevailed as it was
predicted, even among the Staunchest
supporters of the government that the
! Unionists would make net gain Of
eight seats in todays polling.
| Among the members returned un-
opposed is Alderman Daniel Boyle for
| North Mayo. Boyle won this seat
last January by only 40 votes and his
unopposed return is now attributed to
appreciation of his services in accom-
panyins John +. I.edr1ord on his re-
ccny mission to America.
Mr.. Redmond tonight issued q pun
lie denial cf the allegation made 10y
a Conservative candidate that Red
mond in a pu!lic speech repndiated
Allegiance 20 the King.
The Stock Exchange which had an
ticipated the big tnionist gains. was
affected adversely by the result of
Saturdays pcllirgs. Prices of Con
soils and home rails We're depressed
| throughout the day.