THE VETO ELECTIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 14532, 7 December 1910, Page 6

THE VETO ELECTIONS.

THE PRIME MINISTER'S APPEAL. ■' THE LORDS' DEATHBED REPENTANCE. .TRUST' THEM NOT. Press Association—By Telegraph— Copyright LONDON, December 6. In the course of a speech at Accrington Mr Asquith, after describing the Lords' obstruction of Liberal legislation afkrr the election in 1906 as the- greatest electoral revolution, said that Great Britain was asked whether the unexampled majority of Liberals had then been sent to the House of Commons to lack their heels and spend weeks and months in elaborating legislation in order to have their measures nrardered and mutilated. Their four years of power, however, had not been barren. Tho greatest achievement of all, the one which ho would rather havo inscribed on tho record of his Administration than .anything else, was the granting of free, full, and responsible government in South. Africa. Had it gone to tho Houso of Lords Sooth Africa would never havo got that priceless boon. Lot them not bo deluded by fancy schemes launched at the fiftieth minute of tho elovonth hour. THE CHANCELLOR'S MESSAGE. TRIED FRIENDS OR NEW CONVERTS. LONDON, December 6. Mr Lloyd George has telegraphed that all parties aro agreed that tho absolute veto is doomed. Tho electors must now choose whether great 6teps in constitutional development shall bo made by the party believing in democracy or by tho party nervously seeking a new rallying ground, howover precarious, for the privilege of monopoly. A POLL OF THE PEOPLE. NOT A PARTY TRICK. LONDON, December 6. (Received December 7, at 8.5 a.m.) Speaking afc Sheffield, and alluding to tho referendum, Mr Balfour 6aid ho proposed to call it a, " poll of tho people," which would not bo taken on party lines. Ho said that the Unionists had been challenged whether they would accept a poll on tho issno of Tariff Reform, and their opponents expected a refusal; but, unfortunately for Mr Asquith, when tho Unionists were consistent, tho Liberals turned round and described it as a party subterfuge. So difforent were tho feelings of a man when he said " Como on " and his feelings when his antagonist responded. THE VOICE OF REASON. SIR E. GREY'S SUMMARY. LONDON, December 6. (Received December 7, at 8.5 a.m.) Speaking at Woolmer, Sir Edward Grey said that to ask tho Government to submit tho question of Irish Home Rule te a referendum, apart from a scheme of devolution and redistribution of seats, whereof it formed part, was equivalent to asking the Protectionists to submit the food taxes of a Tariff Reform Budget to a referendum. With the refexendnm in full play, there would be no need for either Lords of Commons. A staff of drafting clerks would then bo all that would be necessary. In view of Socialist attacks on tho Government, the talk of'a Liberal-Socialist alliance was all moonshine, THE TYRANNY OF THE COMMONS. A CATCH ELECTION. LONDON, December 6. (Received December 7, at 8.5 a.m.) In a message to tho people of Scotland, made through the Glasgow ' Herald,' Lord Rosebery declares that the late dissolution of Parliament was tho most wanton and reckless tho country had known. Tho Government proposed thereby to establish the tyranny of a Single-Chamber Government, to preserve tho hereditary principle of tho Houso of Lords, and to alter by a catch election tho immemorial balance of the Constitution. Moreover, they had refused to refer tho question of Irish Homo Rule i direct to tho decision of tho people.

LORDS ON THE LORDS. MR BALFOUR'S REFERENDUM. LONDON, December 6. (Received December 7, at 8.5 a.m.) Earl Spencer says he believes that before long the country will say to tho House of Lords: "Away with you, if you will not abide by our wishes." He was ns staunch a Home Ruler as ever, but hewanted to know much more about thereferendum before giving his adherence to it. Lord Honwigc and Mr Henry Hobhouse (ex-membcr for East Somerset) warmly support Mr Balfour's policy. THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTITUTION. LORD LANSDOWNE'S DISCOVERY. LONDON, December 6. (Received December 7. at 8.5 a.m.) Speaking at Cardiff, Lord liinsdowne declared that their opponents had forgotten to say that they had found a place for tho referendum in the Constitution which they had given to South Africa. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NAVY. LONDON, December 6. In a telegram to Mr Hemmerdo and Mr Harben (tho Liberal candidates who are opposing Lord C. Beresford and Mr Falle for Portsmouth) Mr Asquith 6ays that the Government party stand foT an unassailable Navy as security against foreign attacks, and at homo for a strong House of Commons as a bulwark against tho Lords' aggression. He appeals to tho electors to inflict the final defeat on the party of Tariff Reform and panic-mongeiing. BELATED CONCESSIONS. LONDON, December 6. Speaking at Southampton, Mr W. H. Long (an ex-Chief Secretary for Ireland) 6aid the Unionists were resolved, besides reforming the House of Lords, to bring it into closer touch with the people, and to introduce tho referendum principle, with such amendments ami extensions as would permanently 6ocuro tho people's unalterable right to control the legislation by which they were governed. IMPERIALISM AN IMPOSITION AN EARTHLY~ PARADISE. LONDON, December 6. In tho course of hi 3 election, address at Merthyr Tydvil (Wales) Mr Keir Hardio advocates Home Rule for Ireland and Wales. Ho describes Imperialism as a huge imposition, and adds : If all will combine and vote for Labor, the day will come when neither laudlord nor capitalist will be left to grind the faces of tho poor—when, indeed, there will be no poor among us—and the people in these and other lands will dwell together in unity and peace. A HOME RULE BOGEY. LONDON, December 6. | In the coarse of a speech at Warwick, j Mr A. Lyttelton declared that it would bo impossible to grant an independent Parliament to Ireland, which, while confcributi ing £7,000,000 to the Imperial revenue, drew nearly £10,000,000 therefrom. With

Home Rule, Ireland would protect herself against all goods made in Great Britain. VICTORY ALREADY SECURE. LONDON, December 6. Tho 'Daily News' (G.) states that yesterday's pollings wero an excellent defence of Liberalism, and every day now gives more and better opportunities of attack. ' The 'Daily Chronicle' (G.) declares that tho Tories and tho Peers arc already beaten. 'THE TIMES' FINDS COMFORT. LONDON, December 6. 'Hie Times' ssys that tho election is largely a replica of tho voting in January last. Only the moro wide-awako woro in the least prepared for or aware of tho serious difference in tho situation, and the majority, who wero in bewilderment and perplexity, havo doubtless takon refugo by voting as they did in January. An analysis of the figures reveals the beginning of a change, but the tactios and shifty experiences of tho Government have effectually precluded a new and considered judgment of tho situation. TORIES AND THE COLONIES. LONDON, December 6. (Received December 7, at 9.35 a.m.) Sir H. Kimbcr (who is tho Unionist candidate for Wandsworth) agrees with Mr Nesbitt (an ex-Canadian Judge) that there is a danger in the colonies feeling that their ties to the Mother ConnLry may be loosened by tho crippling of existing constitutional safeguards. ENGLAND (465 Members). j December 6. Tho following additional returns are an- j nounced: J DEWSBURY. Ranciinan (L.) 7,061 Simpson (U.) 4,033 [Previous election —W. RuncLman (L.), 7,882; Ben Dent (U.), 4.747.] LEICESTER (Two Seats). Williams (L.) 13,238 Macdonald (Lab.) 12,998 Wilshiro (U.) 7,547 [Previous election—K.. Crawshay Williams (L.), 14,643; J. R. Macdonald (Lab.), 14,337; .1. Foster Eraser (U.), 8,548; E. A. Bagley (U.), 8,192.] LIVERPOOL (Walton). Smith (U.) 6.383 Permewan (L.) 5,039 [Previous election—F. E. Smith (I.), 6,627; F. L. Joseph (L.), 5.513; E. G. Jellicoo (Lid.), 481.] LIVERPOOL (Scotland Division). T. P. O'Connor (N.) 2,458 Ockloton (U.) 689 [Previous election—T. P. O'Connor (X.), 2,943; A. Moy (U.), 776.] A DOUBLE WIN. LONDON, December 6. (Received December 7, at 8.40 a.m.) , SUNDERLAND (Two Seats.) Hamar Greenwood (L.) ... 11,997 Goldstene (Lab.) 11,291 Hicks (U.) 10,300 Samuel (U.) 10,152 [Previous election—Storey ( Independent Tariff Reformer), 12,334; Knott (U.). 12,270; Stuart (L.), 11,529; Summerbell (L.), 11,058.] UNOPPOSED RETURNS. Penrith.—Right Hon. J. W. Lowther (U.). Mayo East.—John Dillon (N.). DECREASED POLLS. LONDON, December 6. (Received December 7, at 8.40 a.m.) The percentage of electors polling yesterday was 74 per cent., compared with 80 per cent, last January. THE RESULTS SO FAR. LONDON. December 6. The following is the state of parties at present :

_! I -2 to _: "So 3 > >° Liberal.-; Unionists ... Redmond ites 107 6 2 11 — — 101 6 — 115 16 — 16