The Washington herald., 1911-08-26

Was it not Lord Brougham who once
referred to the House of Commons as a
"menagerie?" At any rate, there was q
former speaker who said that 1t was
mo school for manners" Events at St.
Stephens during recent years will lead
many to agree that these remarks are
not altogether unmerited. The last uproar
was without a parallel Never before
in the history of the British Parliament
has a prime minister. the chief adviser
Of his King. been refused a hearing in
the very House in which he is the leader.
Yet there have been scenes" in the
Commons equally as exciting and sub
versive Of the dignity of our legislative
assembly as that which took place the
other day.
When Mr. Asquith was shouted down.
Mr.. Balfour endeavored to excuse the
disorderly conduct of his followers by
citing the scene Of 1905, when the Liberal
party refused to give Mr.. Lyttclton. who
was then colonial secretary. a hearing
The circumstances of that incident, how
ever, differ somewhat from the recent
scene" inasmuch as the Liberals then
wanted to hear the prime minister of the
day-Mr. Balfour-not to howl him down.
and resented Mr.. Lyttelton being put up
in Mr.. Balfour's place. They obstinately
refused to hear Mr.. Lyttelton. and after
nearly an hour Of incredible disorder,
the deputy speaker was obliged to ad-
journ the House.
There are old parliamentarians who
still remember the memorable scene of
1872, when the late Sir Charles Dixie,
whose speeches had accused the court
Of wanton extravaganza and attacked
monarchical institutions in general-de-
claring himself to be purely and simply
a republican-was challenged to make
similar statement on the floor of the
House. With characteristic determine
tions Sir Charles did so. and when he
found an ally in Mr.. Auberon Herbert,
who rose and declared himself also
republican. an extraordinary tumult
arose.
Several hundreds of strong, excited
members were shouting on the benches
with the object of interrupting and
drowning the voice of single man. They
roared, hissed, gesticulated, with the fury
of a cheap theater gallery. The shrill
"cockcrow." unheard of then in the House
OF Commons for a generation. once more
insulted the ears of the bewildered or1-
cials. Ultimately Mr.. Herbert was given
five minutes in which to finish his speech.
1t was many long day before tnat Incl
dent was forgotten.
The strength Of the Irish party in the
present House, and the furious fight
which is promised on the home rule ques-
ton, is causing people to wonder whether
there will be a repetition of the scenes
which occurred when Mr.. Gladstone was
fighting for this measure. 1t was no un-
common thing for Irish members Of Par
lament in the '70's and SOS to be
SUSPENDED in patches of twenty or thir-
ty at a time, while in 1901 Mr.. Flavin and
ten other Nationalists were forcibly re-
moved by the police. But all these scenes
pale into insignificance when compared
with the free fight which took place on
the floor Of the House July q, 1893.
1t began with Mr.. Chamberlain's oppos-
ing the passage of the fourth clause of
the home rule bill through the House.
Mr.. Gladstone playfully alluded to his
opponent as the devils advocate" and
in a bitter speech the member for West
Birmingham taunted the followers of Mr..
Gladstone with coming to heel at the
call of the &c. .. M
Unfortunately he commenced one Of his
sentences with Never since the days
of Herod," and the word "Herod' had
hardly escaped his lips when there came
volume of answering cries from the
Irish members, Judas! Judas. judas.
Immediately the House was in a state
Of excitement, and the climax was
reached when an Irishman, Mr.. Logan,
thrust himself into seat next to MI
Carson. Mr.. Fisher promptly seized him
by the neck and flung him from the
bench.