THE BERMONDSEY "BAROMETER."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 720, 20 January 1910, Page 5

THE BERMONDSEY "BAROMETER."

UNIONIST IN OCTOBER, LIBERAL : TODAY

Who can- tell Hie mind of' tho.elector? In , October last, .amid the vociferous nc-; clamation of the Unionist press, the Bermondsey. (Southwark) seat,- which had been won by a'Liberalj(l)r.". G. J. Cooper) in,1906,' on his death was wohback aptfn ■by.a Unionist and;Tariff.Reformer/ Mr. J. Dumphroys. :Nowv with the echoes of , the Ootooer. cheers of the Unionist Tariff Hefonners still ringing, Berraondsey has turned Liberal again." Dr. , Cooper'sLiberal majority in 1900 \vas 1759; Mr r Dumphreys's Unionist majority, in October last was 387; Mr. Glanyille'6 Liberal majority to-day is 969." -.--.■•. '■■■■;;■' Tho -striking' thing, about, these figures is that this ~ Bermondeoy electorate was ■termed. by tho Unionist press last October a barometer, and its' decision was hailed -' as a promise of vietory in the general election now-..'being.' held.' : For, instance, it was cabled at the time: "The Opposition papers aro jubilant, regardisg Bcrmonoßoy ae a political barometer'

indicating i'ne feeling of the constitxirn- \ cles as a uhole. It is pointed out that the Berinondbcy seat ntuaj" p-ms" m sympathy with the national feeling, having Deon Liberal at the 1892 poll, Unionist at tho 1895 and 1900 polk,. and being Dgain. Liberal in 1906." The real explanation seems to be that; in October Dr. Salter, the Socialist' candidate, split the Liberal vote,'tho figures L being: Mr. Dumphreys. (U.),- 4278;/ llr. S. L. Hughes (L.), 3291; Dr. Salter (Soc), 1435. To a\oid a similar three-cornered, contest, Dr. Salter retired before the present poll; and in a dual fight the Liberal wins by 969. No doubt this a the explanation :of tho "barometer's" Yes-No to Toriff Reform. L UNIONISTS IN FEAR FOR THEIR MAJORITY. A NATIONALIST BALANCE OF.. POWER. CHIEF LIBERAL WHIP AND HOM" RULJJ. London, January 18. Progress returns show that the following members have been returned:— Liberals __ 79 Labour .;.........'..... .:..._. 14 Nationalists _ „„. 13 Unionists' ;. ■■;.'......'.„■:. .;_....„. 93 Gains and Losses. Unionists ha\e' gained 32 seats from th» ', Liberals and 5 from Labour; tho liberals have gained 7 scats from Unionists, and 1 from Labour; and the Labour part; has gained 2 from the Liberals and 1 from tho Unionists. Unionist newspapers, commenting upon , tho course of the elections, recognise that a tremendous effort is still required to bring down the Government majority to anything like vanishing point. *

;V' The"Daily. Mailf! (Unionist;and-Tariff (M > 'Reform) says.'that, no .danger, could '.be J,';, ;greater;',than:'that;of;■;the-; holding the 'of. power. , Now 'UK "i't the. !time,.'says-the .''Mail,"': for;all;'mod-V;l»V erata ..men .'and', wise Liberals,to rally to:.. ;/■•'.! tlie:country.;;. The have: givea l■ '-'/:' thorn the;lead. ':'; , '-\,-{\-i'.[^!^-r^';>-'H > .vi An Echo of. Home; Rtrle > Election;of 1 Wsu; Aj> v 'The /Daily:, Chronicle"' (Liberal)':- 6aysJi|J| -that 1 up to.' thejpresent; it books'/like ;th'eVvi; : s • : ultimate';.liiberalVtoa]oril7^eice^ing/l^t,V;. :; i :of''Mr'.-Gladstone^in>ißßs',(wheri■;tho : : era!, election:-returned.':'about 333 25l;"Cohseryatiyes;;'and ! .giving •Mγ, Gladstone a S:-; *pf,'abont' :^VorlKjU^iQie^KjE^iobalißt6 ! included)^:^^.i^^^■'»v^^''^^';v-V:'■y;iV : £ Mr; J; A;vPeaseyj.Chief addressing .his' .constituents 'at :■, Saffron £;5-?-;i Waldon,. pledged" himselfitd'jyote/against;^?; I '. v inyepen^J; : i; , dent /executive/.;V; '• :•;'•':,-.■:■.'■■.\- '*:'■■ i , '. V'V.:'tv ".;%£'#

;. : ; Polling;:;in {f brjty-twb;constituencies ; :proceeding;to-day: ■•:';Tte the '?:;}/■! polls;,thronghout ■ the '.country. is? duo ) ; inji;':: •:' "some: degree t 0 -the mildness "of the wea-'J vi ! ■ ; Sfc^'w;®:^ V^DpMJNIOI^IAND^EFERENCEX!;;^ K?m -E/: : BEST MEiCEO'OKfI H^ '-'fC^yy'V^^SSTATEMENT 7 ,-"-Vo/\.'::;';; : J?.( l i';:S V K-^K^'y-i Melb'oiiriie,"V.Jantiary:l9ff;;ffi:i;; i v&; Customs/: in: a; speecn":.at\;BaUarat;;;repiis diate'dithei'-cable'd statement;attributed) our't'recent -.visitor, 1 Mr.': Will;. the r>; "ffi; defeated-; Labour, candidate f; for.^^-.Woblvdch'>•:';-;;/ •(to--the::effect:; that- \thej.people '0 •South.-Wales- complained of .;tlie.','':ft; 5 per .cent.vtariffi". under.' which 'the price,.;Js)';'.l. of.'commodities'had been-:taiEed. ; ls cent.'; :.also, Oiat: aU colonials"; repudiated 5i '\i, yn&\ scorn 'and; , derision^■:anyy ; suggestibn r ■!-,- to 45

■-''Sir.Robert;Bestjdeclared 'that;nojsentirif^ 'is , traliaV'thai; ,, lmperialj;-'p^erence, ; , -year^;it^d;;meant''a-7.oluiit^/Bift^ofVy i ;"^ i i in .duties to : Mtfoy.y<h ife; ; l ''..' V' ! *' 'T-VW-'tf ; DEMONSTRATIONS. S;;:^j; -';■■; '^i : ' ?'vi- , ''';ii"'ii' ,, -'.'',- , '' ■' London,;: January :JSJ(.i,'i''<V the.; b^oemekt:'made\l)y;;tieii' v j>g agents ;TsitK -the colliery;: owners Jrespeofc.'ing.ithe -'eightVUpois; in.': mines, ! .VdemoßK;.h'.' strat'ed against Mr. ; J.: Johnson,'!.the our. candidate 1 foV Gateshead. '■':-■; ■':)■:'':. vl'fft .''; The;:minersvtaldng, parj; in the; demon-:A;;.y stration ; :riotedi;' and 'did : JnuchV damage; to {fZ?f. : :didate ; .i for {Bishop; Auckland. H'^r^^^M.