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Show LIBERALS ARE IN THE DUMPS Conservatives Win Two Important Import-ant Bye Elections. , . CHAMBERLAIN IS DELIGHTED APPEAL TO THE COUNTRY ' IS PROBABLE. London, Dec. .15. Bye, elections Avere held today in the Dulwich division of Camberwell and at Lewicham to nil vacancies caused by the deaths of Sir John Blundell Maple and John Penn, both of whom had represented their constituencies for many years in the conservative interests. In the borough of Lewitiham, Major Coates-, conservative, was elected by a majority of 2,012. At Dulwich, p Rutherford Harris, conservative, Avae elected by a majority major-ity of 1,437. Few bye-elections of recent A-ears have evoked a tithe of the interest shown in , today's contest. Dr. F. Rutherford Har- ris, conservative, who was confidential agent of the late Cecil Rhoades. and C. F. G. Masterman, liberal, contested Dulwich, Dul-wich, while Major Coates and J. W. Clei-and Clei-and represented the consen-atives and liberals, respectively, in the Lewisham borough. Victory For Chamberlain. The fiscal question has been prominent throughout the campaign and Joseph Chamberlain intervened with letters in support of the conservative candidates, the Question of the importation of Chinese Chi-nese labor into South Africa has been used by the liberals at Dulwich as an anti-Harris slogan, while the conservatives conserva-tives even draggled in the king's name, attaching, the words "Edwardus Rex" to posters in such a wav as to create the im pression that the king was a supporter of Mr. Chamberlain's fiscal proposals. The liberals telegraphed to the king on the subjeet, and promptly came a replv authorizing au-thorizing the statement that no permisT sion had been giAen to use the king's name in any way. Hundreds of motor cars scoured the constituencies, bringing voters to- the polls. Joseph Chamberlain expressed himself as delighted with the result of the elections elec-tions in Lewisham and Dulwich. and the protectionist dailies claim the results as a complete triumph for Mr. Chamberlain's Chamber-lain's policy. Liberals Hoped to Win. Both constituencies polled very heavilv. Lewisham, which is largely a working class district, shows a reduced majority of about 400 compared with the last contested con-tested election of 1892. In Dulwich, which is mainly the home of the city clerks, a greater reduction is shown, the majority for the conservatives in 1S95 having reached 2,M). These reductions are of small significance, however, in the face of the" fact that the Chamberlainite candidates can-didates secured large majorities where the free trade nartv undoubted hnn.l to win.- This double victory will be of great advantage to Mr. Chamberlain, who j will resume his campaign tomorrow nieht at Leeds, when he will address a big meeting. The liberal dailies confess discouragement discourage-ment and urge the free traders to redouble their efforts, since, as the Chronicle remarks. re-marks. "Mr. Chamberlain is a Dower in the country which it would be most serious seri-ous not to estimate highly." General Election Possible. The Daily Ntws discusses the proba- bihty of the government, being encouraged encour-aged by yesterday's results, appealing to the country without delay. Tne Daily Telegraph .boldly suggests that the resuit must dispel Mr. Balfour's doubts as to whether the. country is ripe for a preferential policy, and proposes that "Mr. Chamberlain should be invited to proceed personally to the colonies and see what practical arrangements can be made to secure a complete commercial union within the empire." |