Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-07-27
House of Commons in Frantic Up.
roar during Last Act Of Par
liamentary Revolution.
STORM OF HOSTILE PASSIONS
Mr.. Asquith Forced to Adjourn
Sitting Amid Hoots and Jeers
-Tumult Drowned
Speaker.

London. July 24--The last act of the
parliamentary revolution was ushcred
in to-day with a evolutionary scene.
For the first time in its history the
House of Commons refused to listen
to n speech by the Prime Minister.
For the first time In it's history the
speaker of the House was compelled
hrm "in case of grave disorder to de-
clare the sitting adjourned on his own
responsibilities"
No such hostile passions have boon
given free rein in Il chamber which
additionally carries on its debates
with chivalrous courtesy. since tho
stormy days of the Gladstone Home
Rule bills. Probably there has been
no such passage in the American CON
gross since the reConstruction era.
During three quarters Of an hour Mr..
Asquith rose at short intervals and
read a sentence or two from a manu-
script, only to be overwhelmed by
ieers, hootlngs and cries. among which
traitor" vas the most frequent. but
with "Redmond.' Patrick Ford" and
american dollars often distinguish
able.
VOICE DROWNED IN TCMCLT.
Again and again the prime minister
tried TO speak. but his voice was drowned
/ the whirlwind. He gave utterance to
a few broken sentences, a word or two of
which could he heard. Finally he glared
at his tormentors like a lion at bay, his
straight cut features flushed with anger.
He closed his manuscript and cried: Il
am not going to degrade myself. I shall
simply state the conclusion at which the
government has arrived
Having announced the governments
intentions as briefly and hurriedly as pos
s!ble-although they We're not heard-the
premier sank back into his seat.
BLOWS THREATENED.
The leaders in the outburst against the
prime minister We're Lord Hugh Cecil, an
Intensely unpopular member of one of
the old patrician families and a young
tarristcr, f. II. Smith. who recently
achieved prominence In the Conservative
rarity. The former kept up a constant
fire of monotonous cries. and the labor
member, Will Crooks. in rough clothes
and SLOUGH hat sitting across the aisle,
several times jumped up as though about
TO assault him, but was pulled back by
friendly hands.
The Speakers pleadings to observe
the decencies Of debate" were drowned
in the tumult. The wonder was that
the crowded house did not come to
blows and bclli.erent members were
often pulled down by their ~neighbors.
The political hatred ~engendered by the
veto bill mad to-daN's session the
F~torN!est il the eMor Of the Oldest
merlber. Every means short OF ply
steal violence was successfully used
to prevent Mr.. Asquith from placing
the Views Of the government before
the House and the nation. So violent
were the opposition members and SC
indignant were the ministeriGlists that
the speaker. after VIZ hours, decided
% suspend the sitting in order tc
covtnte gravsr disorders.
The members dispersed amid a scene
Of violent excitement, shouts Of 'trai-
tor Coward" following the prime
minister as h. departed. to which tho
m!nisterislists hurled hack cries OF
you're beatcn.' we shall yin"
Mr., Asquith tonight issued TO the news
NV q HtflliiihiS VI Wv FI''t'' 'r 'N'
prevented from delivering. In it hc con-
tended that the principles Of tn ma
chinerY OF the bill had been before the
people Mt two elections. by no form OF
referendum devisable could the opinion OF
the electorate nave been more carefully
ascertained. The government had accept
Cd the important amendments in the
House OF Commons; the purpose or the
lArds' nI~1nN n Donpta N.a : n CO, tho -
chinery aside. The government had pro
posed specifically to describe what were
finance bills; tho lords proposed to create
a committee, which the premier des-
crlbed as a 1unta, to determine what were
finance bills and what were matters OF
great neutrality-suspicious. that might near
which should be put before the coun,
try by referendum. There was not a great
budget of the last seventy years which
could not plausibly have been thrown
out by such n junta.
BECOMES DEAD LETTER.
when YOU have 4 unionist majorit,
In both Houses" continues the prim,
minister. the whole thing becomes
. dead letter. Measures Of the mos
far-reaching effect may be passed i,
defiance of public opinion and over tn,
heads of the electorate. You live un
der an unchecked and undiluted sinEl
chamber government: but with tn
liberal government in power yor
would have a House of Commons. fet
tered beyond all its predecessors, II
control OF finance, and in all case
where an irresponsible and non-rep
resentatlve body Independent OF hot
Houses, should so determine, ever
} deadlock will he settled, and settle
only by referendum.
G These amendments" adds Mr.. AS
= quith, 'taken as q whole amount t
e rejection Of our bin" He then quote
u in detail constitutional writer's an
the history OF the passage of the re
S form bin by William " and gives hi
promise to create enough peers to in
v sure the passage of the present bin.
a. j. B~alfour, leader of the oppositlo
Yhen his turn came to reply to III
speech which the premier was unable t
rake, received a quiet hearing. lie wa
somewhat apologize, saying: II frank