Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/125

 1899.] Mr. Bobson'8 Education BUI [117

that the Lancashire members saw the uselessness of prolonging the struggle, and the bill was finally passed.

The immediate cause of the rapid passage of the bill through the report stage (June 7) was in some ways due to the strange fortunes of the Service Franchise Bill, introduced by Sir Blundell Maple (Dultvich) and supported by the Conservative party. It had been opposed by the Radicals on various specious grounds, but principally on the plea that policemen and shop assistants would be chiefly benefited. Mr. M'Kenna (Monmouth- shire, N.) on going into committee, with a view of mutilating the measure, moved that the fact of an employer living on his business premises should disqualify his assistants. With scarcely a pretence of debate this amendment, practically rendering the bill futile, was agreed to by 58 to 40 votes, the author of the bill vainly protesting that he was opposed to this treatment of his proposal, and the Government apparently indifferent to the change. The Radicals, however, having succeeded better than they had anticipated in wrecking the bill, promptly withdrew all the other amendments of which they had given notice, reserving them for the report stage, and the field was thus left open to Mr. Robson. Sir Blundell Maple, however, was not disposed to be made the catspaw of his political opponents, and when his bill next came forward (June 14) he moved that the words struck out in committee should be reinserted, and that his proposal should be limited to restoring the franchise to those who had previously exercised it. There was a fair amount of fencing between the advocates of extension and restriction, the main object being to allow the whips to get their men into line. Finally, after three dilatory divisions. Sir Blundell Maple carried his point by a narrow majority — 171 to 154 — the Government having at the last moment thought it expedient to assist their own supporter.

The progress of Government business since the Whitsuntide recess had been marked by several important debates. The vote of a grant of 30,000Z. to Lord Kitchener of Khartoum gave an opportunity of showing how deep was the cleavage of the Liberal party in the matter of foreign policy. The idea of making the conduct of troops in the field the touchstone of Ministerial responsibility was not altogether a new one, but this was one of the rare occasions on which the grant of a reward to a suc- cessful commander was made the occasion of political feeling. The official leaders of the Opposition declined to associate them- selves with such tactics, and the Radical "rump," led by Mr. Morley, found but little sympathy and support even among the journals of their own party. Mr. Balfour, in moving (June 5) the grant, endeavoured, as far as possible, to avoid all con- tentious questions. He was anxious that his fellow-countrymen should realise what it was that the Sirdar had done for the Soudan, for Egypt and for England, and should not think of him merely or chiefly as he was before the fortified lines at Atbara