Morning journal and courier., 1883-11-16
Friday. November Io, 1888.
THE ENGLISH LIBERALS.

! 1 The great conference of Liberals held at
 Leeds, England, two weeks ago was very significant and important meeting. Two
 thousand delegates were present, represent ing five hundred and forty Liberal associa- tions. The conference was convened by the
 committees of the three great Liberal organi-
 zations in London, Birmingham and Man. chester. to consider the pressing question of parliamentary reform. The most important point which the conference had to determine
 was whethsr. In their opinion, she extension
 government next session. This question was l decided in the affirmative.
 Among the other matters acted on by the
 conference was resolution favoring woman
 suffrage. This resolution was supported by
 two of the lady delegates, of whom there
 were about dozen present. These two were
 the daughters of Richard Csbden and John
 Bright. They met with very cordial re.
 ception, and their views were received with
 such favor that the resolution vas passed
 almost unanimously. This is the first time that great representative conference of the Liberal party has declared definitely for wo- man suffrage, and the advocates of 'the cause'' are naturally much encouraged.
 Another subject of discussion was electoral reform, SO that the domination of the small
 boroughs shall cease. As 1t is now a rich man who happens to own property in vari- ous counties has 8 vote attached to each. One man in this way has had no less than forty votes. Then, too, twenty-four thou sand voters in Manchester count for no more in the House of Commons than seventy or eighty in a small Irish town named Portar- lington. This is quite as bad as the system by which the cities of this State can only have two representatives in the legislature Ths conference expressed a very decided opinion against the continuance of such system.
 The most conspicuous feature of the meet ing was perhaps tho feeling displayed against theIRouse ofLords when the possibility of that body rejecting the franchise bill was referred to. Nr. Bright made speech and in careful and measured language reaffirmed the state ment he made twenty years ago that an as sembly of hereditary and irresponsible leg islators could not be a permanent institution in free country" This declaration was loudly eheered. A London correspondent says: On the whole, should say, as one of those present throughout the whole pro- ceedings at Leeds, that the conference marked the growth and power of radiOslism. It was radical affair from beginning to end, al- though MT. Bright repudiased the name for himHelf. The chief paper of Lseds. the Mercury, which ss 8 seni-whig organ, has long been thorn in the side of liberalism, admitted this, and the press has generally indorsed tais interpretation. The immediate future, therefore, of the liberal party depends upon the whigs if they choose to accept radical guidance, the union of the party can be maintained; if not, it is perfectly obvious that split must come. MT. Morley felt this, and counselled union in his opening | address. referring to the "grOup" system by | which, in France, where, with MF. Chamber l lain, he had met M. Clemencsau. It seems probable that this great demonstration of | opinion will have such an effect upon the whigs as to bring them, at any rate, for time, into line with the rest of the party.