Smyrna times., 1884-08-27
The Arraignment of the Lords.

The political campaign proceeding in
England is notable chiefly for the
fierce assaults which the Liberal speak
ers are making upon the House of
Lords. Of course there is exaggera-
ton in many of these philippics, and it
is understood that at bottom the |
Liberal programme does not contem-
plate any very radical interference
with the Upper House. Mr.. Bright |
proposes nothing more radical than a
suspensive veto, a measure which some |
Liberal journals think insufficient.
But it does not always happen that the
pioneers of political reform are able to
limit or control the movements they
originate. History indeed contains
many examples showing the tendency
of all such movements to get beyond
control. The English revolt against
Charles the First is a case in point, and
the French Revolution is another.
Mirabeau certainly never contemplated
the possibility of the Terror, and the
men who resisted the payment of ship
money did not imagine that the agita-
ton would end in regicide. 1t is true
that the Lords have been denounced
before, and that they took no harm by
it. But in that period, before the pas
sage of the Reform bill, the situation
vryoO tyorvv JiHlarauf TiHvv ,vaovs oorO
democracy had no voice in England.
To-day it is the controlling force; and
though it may be true that, as The
Spectator says, the House of Lords is
still dear to what Mr.. Disraeli used to
call the historic conscience of the
great mass of people," it is not less
true that for several years there has
been at work in England an influence
tending to weaken this sentiment, and
that this influence is most active
among the largest class, namely that
of the artisans and laborers.
These have a press of their own. A
press often ably edited, and sagacious-
ly, but characterized by hostility to
the aristocracy scarcely to be parallel
cd for virulence and intensity. 1t is
through this radical press that the
Liberal attacks on the Lords are being
handed on to the masses. 1t is accom-
panied by its CLOSES that such biting
arrangements as Mr.. Chamberlain's s.
for instance, will be read. And here is
a specimen Of that speakers tone
During the last hundred years the
House of Lords has never contributed
one iota to popular liberties or popular
freedom, or done anything to advance
the common veal, and during tha
time it has protected every abuse anC
sheltered every privilege. 1t has de
MED justice and delayed reform. 1t il
irresponsible without independence
obstinate without courage, arbitrary
without judgment, and arrogant with
out knowledge" Mr.. Bright's indict
ment of the Lords has been equal,
vigorous if less epigrammatic. H
has described that body as "the re
sults-many of them the spawn of tn
plunder and the wars and the corrup
tion of the dark age of our country
He has said that for thirty years, be
= tween the peace of 1915 and the repea
of the Corn Laws in 1916, "they raise
E their rents at a cost of periodic famin
=. to hundreds of thousands of families
. and now once more they are treatin
, the House of Commons and the peopl
!, with contempt and bitter insult"
These speeches and others like thei
! have been delivered to immens
= audiences, and published everywher,
Are they calculated to Increase til
= favor with which the English massC
regard their hereditary legislators?-
= N. Y. Tribune