The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-06 00:00:00

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.

(THIS DAY.)

THE HEFORM DISCHEMON.

In presence of the antipathy which Englishmen
feel towards " new-(angled " suggestions, and seeing some
danger that the reform of our electoral methods may in
consequence be decided without sufficient consideration,
the Times enters into an elaborate statement to-dav with

the view of proving that there into been a remarkable
agreement of opinion among persons of all political parties
in favour of the cumulative or distributive votes. Begin-
ning with the recommendations of Mr. Winthrop Freed,
the TOMS quotes the suggestions of the late Lord Grey
during the reconstruction of the municipal corpo-
rations of Ireland in DOG ; the resolutions of a committee
of the Privy Council in 18.50 relative to the proposed
constitution of the Cape ; a pamphlet of Mr. Garth Mar-
shall publiahedin 'Ka ; the Reformiltill of the Coalition

Ministry in WA ;bind the amendments of Mr. Lowe and
Mr. 3lorrison last yew. In all these it contends the
principle of the cumulative vote was recognised. The
ministry have 4.i seats at their disposal, and it is possible
after providing for the enfranchisement of places now Un-
represented, to swell the number of " three-cornered"
constituencies in England and Wales to at least 40, return-
ing 120 members. It can no longer be said, therefore,
that there is no opportunity of trying the cuninla-
tive vote on a sufficient stale, even if it be restricted to
these constituencies.

The narrow and wavering majorities by which in several
divisions the question of making a dwelling-house an
essential in the county tenant-at-will franchise has
been decided, encourages the Daily lrr,,s to hope that at
some future stage the present decision may be reversed.
No honest reason can be alleged for the conservative obsti-
nacy and eagerness in urging that land without buildings
should qualify at so low a figure. There can be no cue
else whom Mr. Disraeli desires to favour in this than the
fictitious tenant, who is either the friend or the
dependent of the landlord of the estate on which his
qualification exists. In short he must be a faggot voter,
and the reduction of the franchise will enable such quali-
fications to be constructed by the hundred. Every 1001.
of rental will admit of half a dozen of them, with a com-
fortable margin. A modest estate of 5,0001. a year will
supply raw material for 300 voters. Let us hope the
liberal party will see the danger, and yet avert it ere the
third reading makes it irrevocable.
The Slar premiss the great cities and boroughs to let
their full claims to further representation be known.
London has been very backward in asserting her over-
whelming pretensions to an increase of representation.
Mr. Hughes, if we may judge from an amendment
on the paper, is more deeply concerned about the
representation of the minority of tones in his
borough than about asserting the right of Lam-
beth to a due proportion of members. He might with
propriety leave Mr. Doulton to attend to that busi-
ness. Where is Mr. Liyard ? He can generally speak
with emphasis when the rights of Southwark are at stake.
Where are the champions of household suffrage who re-
present lolarylebone? The members for the small boroughs
have got their triumph by combining against the amend-
ment to disfranchise boroughs below 5,000 population.
If the members of large boroughs were true to themselves
and their constituents, by insisting on the rights of their
respective towns to a larger representation, they might yet
compel ministers greatly to extend the scope of the
measure.