ENGLISH POLITICS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12202, 24 May 1905, Page 6

ENGLISH POLITICS.

The extraordinary scene which took place in tho House of Commons on Monday, reported in our cable messages this morning, throws a good deal of light on the political situation in England. We explained yesterday the difficulty which existed in the way of Mr Balfour and Mr Chamberlain pulling together in regard to the approaching general election. The statement made by the Premier in th* House on Monday, and the explosion on the part of the Opposition which followed 'it, shows.

unless wet mtm very much mistaken, that Mr Balfour has given in to Mr Chamber—in in regard to a t«tf vital pit—it. It is quite true, as stated by Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, that Mr Balfour, on more than one occasion, has implied that there should be two general elections beforo the fiscal question was finally decided—the first to settle whether it should be referred to a Colonial Conference, and the second to pronounce on the recommendations which the Conference, if held, agreed to make. Seeing tjiat Mr Chamberlain is now sixty-eight years of age, it is obvious this meant postponing the decision to an unconscionable time, so far aa he was concerned—that it was almost equivalent, in laot, to a motion in the House that a Bill be "read this day six months," which is the polite official way of killing it. Mr Chamberlain intimated, suavely but firmly, that this proposal did not meet with his approval. Mr Balfour has now discovered that the last Colonial Conference resolved to meet automatically in 1906. Although it is not stated in so many words, there can bo little doubt, we think, that he has made, a fresh compact with Mr Chamberlain, to the effect that, so far as he is concerned, the dissolution shall be postponed until aftor this Conference has met and discussed the question of colonial preference. This is a tremendous victory from' Mr Chamberlain's point of view. Ho believes—and no doubt rightly—that such a Conference will show a great preponderance of colonial feoling in favour of Imperial preference, and that if that is the case it cannot fail to influence very strongly the English constituencies. Even the Liberal leaders would probably hesitate before proposing a course whioh appeared to be directly opposed to colonial feeling. Moreover, by that time feeling in regard to Chinese labour, the Education Act, and the Licensing Act will probably have died down or become mot* or less obliterated bj the fresh interest aroused in the Imperial problem. We are not surprised at the exasperation of the Opposition at this new development. We imagine that it will not be altogether palatable to the Unionist Free Foodera. It remains to be seen, whether Mr Balfour will bo ablo to hold on to offioe in face of the steadily growing adverse influences against which he haa to contend. In the meantime, however, there is no doubt that Mr Chamberlain has made a most important score.