The Star. MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 1906. THE ENGLISH ELECTIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8522, 15 January 1906, Page 2

The Star. MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 1906. THE ENGL ISH ELECTIONS.

The general eleotiona at Ham© hays opened most dramatically -witihi the dei feat of Mr Balfour. There are instances in British, political history of prominent statesmen, and even Mm* iaters, being beaten at the polls, but iti is seldom that suohi conspicuous figures as Mr Balfour hare gome under in the i tide- of the general! elections. Three months ago Mr Balfour, if not the foremost statesman in England, was the leader of the Government and the Prim© Minister of the country. To-day; . ne cannot even claim a seat in Parlia-* ment. A seat will, of course, be found for him ultimately. An obliging fol* lower will retire from a "safe" constituency, and the ex-Premier will take 1 his place. But (his defeat for Mfttti Chester Bast will do irremediable In* jury to his party. It will discredit its leader, dishearten "the rank and file, and proportionately encourage its op\ - . pqnents. The incident is further proof of the unpopularity of Mr Balfour'a fiscal views among the workers/ Manchester has always been strongly in favour of freetrade, and the result of the Manchester East . elect-ion shows . that it is determined nob to depart from' its principles. As far as the dee* ! tione have gone a strong freetrade feel-* ing is observable in many other part* ■ of the country. The long list of Liberal and Labour victories which we publish; to-day is a pretty clear indication that a large section of the British workers is not in sympathy with protection in the , form proposed by Mr Balfour. It is clear, ;. also-, that Labour is at last about to take its rightful place in the English political world; and, further, there is good reason to assume that the return of the Bannerman Government is assured. True, the elections will las* some days longer, and many changes may take place during that time. But the tide of battle has set in so strongly: in favour of the Liberals that it will ba surprising if a reaction gives their op* ponents a- majority when the final figures are posted. At least, it is safe to assume that Balfourism is dead for the present, and that in the unlikely event of the Bannennanitea being beaten it will be by the extreme party; of tariff reformers:, headed by Mr ' Chamberlain.