RESULT OF THE TOLL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11545, 30 March 1903, Page 5

RESULT OF THE TOLL.

LIBERALS AND THE LEAGUE. (Received March 28th, 7.6 p.m.) LONDON, March 27. Thfl Chertsey poll resulted in the election of Tj-ler, the Unionist candidate, who polled 57G0 votes Longman, the Radical candidate, polling 4520. (Received March 29th, 4.53 p.m.) Mr Longman, in thinking , his supporters at ChcrUwy, denounced the Liberal League, and compared its action to Mr „ Healy's wrecking policy. Jf it was necessary to fight for unity, the Liberals must fight the League as the Nationalists fought Hcaly. The Woolwich by-election was held on March 13th. and rmiited in a victory for Mr Will Crooks, the Labour candidate, over Mr Drage, a, Conservative. The- election created gre-at excitement in England, the "Times" stating that Mr Crooks'n huge majority was disquieting. and indicated

that, the.-spectre which had hypnotised Continental Governments had appeared in Britain. The '"Standard" stated that the result was almost startling. The contest was fought deliberately on labour politics, tho question of shorter hours und higher' wages. The "Daily News" .«aid "it is a, thunderclap and the gre.itest triumph for progress on record." Tho letter referred to was written by Mr It. W. Perks. M.P. for Louth, vicepresident of the Liberal Imperialist League, in reply to Sir H. Cnmpbell-Banner-man's speech at Leeds. In it he »aid tho Liberal party must choose between Nonconformist alliance und Irish alliance. The Nonconformists are determined to place the reversal of the Education Act before Home Rule. The Liberal party must choose between two irreconcilable policies and interests. Tho newspapers described -Mr Pffks'e letter a* a ■bombshell. The '•Westminster Gazette" condemned Mr Perks for asking the Liberals to pledge themselves to abolish the Education Act. or any Liberal to pledge himself to Home Kulo as a first measure.