IMPERIAL POLITICS

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12870, 4 January 1906, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS, CONTEST TO BE KEEN. United Press Association—Per Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, December 2. The Liberals will contest every seat except those of the Universities, and a few constituencies where its is undesirable to oppose the Unionist Freetraders. It is ■expected that ninety Labourites will stand. ATMS OF THE LABOUR PARTY. POSSIBLE REVOLUTION IN ENGLISH POLITICS. In a recent number of an English paper Mr Keir Hardie.'M.P., draws a lively picture of the' troubles awaiting a Liberal Government 'oai.'its accession to office. Sections of the party demand precedence, each for its own pet project—education, disestablishment, temperance, and the rest—while •the Irish party remains unreconciled. But the new" factor will be the Labour. party, probably thirty- strong, '••pledged "to force : social and industrial legislation to the front and keep it there." "The very reason for its existence is to insist upon the intervention of the State to protect the individual against evils which he finds himself unable to cope with singlehanded. The rehabilitation of the law for the protection of trades-union funds, the insistence upon the responsibility of the State to put employment within the reach, of every applicant, the provision of rateprovided meals for under-fed school children, the extension of the franchise to women, the use of State funds and credit in acquiring land and erecting suitable dwellings by the public authorities, the care of the .aged poor. apart from the degrading influence of pauperism, these and kindred questions will form the battle-cries with which the Labour party .will seek to rally, the working class electors under its banners. There are, it seems to-me, but two ways of preventing its succeeding in its object—either that it should be outbid by one or other in resisting its demands. The latter stage is not likely to be reached in the coming Parliament, and the former is impossible. A much more likely development is that the Socialist Radicals, the Nationalists, and the Labour folk will be driven into each other's arms, and come to some understanding whereby they will be able.to act together as a fighting force. Sooner or later some such development is, as I view the situation, inevitable, and should the next Government turn out to be as impotent as was that of 1892-95, it might come with surprising suddenness, and its coming would be a complete revolution in politics." A LORD ON HOME RULE. Received IL3O p.m., January 3rd. . LONDON, January 3. | Lord James of Hereford, in a letter to the Freetrade League, says that the House of Lords rejected Home Rule by ten to one, and that again it will be decisively rejected unless a vote of. the electorates is specifically taken, which is not now the case. He adds.: "I fought for the maintenance of the Union, and will continue to fight for it; but I protest against the present* sham battle cry. It is unfair. We see the Unionist flag high aloft, beneath it the protectionist flag. It is forced on me. Freetraders are entitled to say 'these ere not our friends; we fight on their side, but true faith bids us fight against them.'" THE UNIONIST POLICY VINDICATED.. VIEWS ON HOME RULE. Received 11.57 p.m., January 3rd. LONDON, January 3. Mr Balfour, in his election address, vindicated the Unionist policy in regard to domestic, foreign, and colonial affairs. The new Government was known to Otte electorates chiefly .-as the; critics criticised, sometimes unscrupulous,'' ' sometimes"perverse. He denounced- the programme of-Home destruction and;spouation and env ;phasised the 'differences- dividing the' confederacy- pf-parties whereon the" Cabinet depends. '"' lJ - ■ "•'- ••'-- ■ ' »;.••;• Lord.Welby, in ah-address- as president of the Cobden Club;' emphasised the dangers of any.return to asystem of intricate provocation".tariffs. "'.He recommended a sweeping freetrade majority, lest the protectionist agitations should distract the nation's counsels for years.! Mr Lloyd George," speaking at Carnarvon, said that he had Sir Heniy CampbellBannerman's authority to announce that disestablishment in Wales advocated since 1888 was still an essential part of his programme. Mr Chamberlain, in addressing his constituents, said that more had been done for social reform in the past decade .than hi any previous period. As regards the main issues cf the election there were two sides to the Unionist policy. The negative side was resistance to Home Rule. A Liberal majority would mean a Government, wholjv by Redmonds. The positive side was fiscal reform. He advocated a duty on luxuries and imported manufactures, not raw material.

Mr Augustine Birrellj speaking at North Bristol, said that no settlement would be come to on education until every public elementary school was under complete popular control. Earl Percy in his election address denounces the promise as a stealthy attempt to attain Home Rule. It had been twice refused when urged by Mr Gladstone's candour and courage. A MOST IMMINENT DANGER. THE UNIONISTS OF IRELAND. Received 1.3 a.m., January 4th. LONDON, January 3. !' The Duke of Abercom. in presiding at a great demonstration- at Belfast, said that Home Rule was a danger most imminent. They were determined, come what might not to; live under the voice of Home Rule' The Unionists of Ireland were unable and daTed not entrust their liberties to the present Government. The Latter might put an enemy at every commanding position, undermine every defensive work, slacken administrative control and reduce the country to a condition wherein the refusal of the larger policy could be represented as having become tantamount to civil war. *—