Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-09
Party Will Probably Have a Small
Working Majority.
NEW ISSUES TO THE FRONT
Unionists Succeed in Crowding
Budget Out of Discussion.
MORE STRANGE BED FELLOWS
SIR Arthur BalfOur and Socialist
BIRtchfOrd Are Shouting for Big
Navy, Because of Ger
man Menace"

LONDON Jan. Some week from today
the balloting will begin in one of the most
bitter and weightiest political battles since
Gladstone's home rule policy split up the
old parties in the eighties. Twelve London
AMI ffty-six provincial constituencies go
to the polls next Saturday, large numbers
on Monday and Tuesday, and the voting
will drag out through a fortnight.
The Issue is in no wise open to a conf
dent prophesy. The present tendency seems
to foreshadow a new liberal government
with small working majority. on the
other hand, 1t is within the possibilities
that the conservatives may win enough
followers to capture control. They are
most likely to suffer through apathy, but
such a campaign as being carried on must
bring out the most hardened stay at homes.
That there will be many returns to former
unionist allegiance of seats which the radi-
calls won four years ago is not doubted.
UniOnists Are Confident.
The long list of seeding liberals, who
have been won over to tariff reform, pub
lished during the week indicates that there
may be great surprises in the coming cleo
tions. Many of these are manufacturers,
who may influence the votes of their work.
ers. The unlonist leaders proclaim their
| confidence In the result and they undoubt-
edly have hope, but q unionist victory
would require such an enormous turnover
| that it is questionable whether even with
the tide in favor of that party, more can
| be done than reduce the government s
| majority to such a small margin that 1t
would have to depend on the Irish vote for
legislation. This might result in. speedy dis
solution and another appeal to the country,
in which the unionists would have better
| prospects of success.
Mr.. Balfour, Lord Lansdowne, Lord Mil
ner, Lord Curzon Lord Rothschid and
Austen Chamberlain, the ex-chancellor of
the exchequer, have been the opposition S
heavy gains in the last week. Premier AS
quith, Chancellor Lloyd-George, Sir Ed
1 ward Grey, foreign secretary; Reginald
McKenna, first lord of the admiralty, and
Winston Spencer Churchill, president OF
the Board Of Trade, have been pltted
against them.
With tariff reform and the German
menace for ammunition, the opposition
speakers have compelled the budget and
the hold-up fthe budget by the House o.
Lords to take a back seat. Mr.. Balfour
plain speaking about Germany provided th'
sensation Of the week. He Is the strang
bedfellow OF Socialist Blatchford who's
clamorous demands for a great navy ant
conscriptions have made him one of tn
figures of the day Joseph Chamberlain
puts forth daily letters in behalf OF tn
protectionist candidates.
[ The lords seem to have rather bettere,
J their position by meeting the people freel
! and they have gained considerable persona
: popularity, but the liberals accuse sucl
, proconsuls" as Curzon and Milner as bein
so accustomed to ruling subject races tina
. they have lost sympathy with a govern
ment by the people
The meetings in halls, where reguarl
! enlisted speakers hold forth, have mum
= bered thousands this week. but they ar
< few as compared with the informal gath
$ erings nthe parks and streets, where tn
r question whether the "foegner pays tn
tax in protecte" countries is waged end
g lessly. One hundred thousand voluntee
T workers with many automobiles are bus
!, In London and lar6c proportion of tn
Il women are making a personal canvass.