The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-21
ENGLISH POLITICAL ISSUES.
Relative Strength Of Liberals and Con-
servatiYes in the Commons.
The Coming Meeting of Parliament and the
Choice of a Speaker-The Great
Question Of Suffrage.

which takes place month from this date. Be
fore abiding to the circumstances which are
likely to make the session one of unusual inter
est-one of the most memorable in the history of
the present generaton-I will give your readers
a little information in regard to the relative
strength of the rival political parties.
The House of Lords is, on full vote, over
whelmingly Conservative. What the Liberals
get from that chamber they get on sufferance,
simply because their lordships dare not too often
set the will of the people at defiance. The full
strength of the House of Commons is 65S votes.
AT the general election, four years ago, six seats
were left untitled, that number of constituencies
being disqualified on account of corrupt practices.
The 652 members who met at the organization
were divided as follows: Liberals, 1854; Conserva-
tiges, 236; Home Rulers, 62; the Liberals thus
having majority, at that time, of 118 over the
Conservatives and Of ffty-siX over Conservatives
and Home Rulers combined Since then twelve
more seats have been DISTINGUISHED on account
of corruption, and there have been ninety new
members elected. In the contests to fill these
ninety vacancies. the Liberals lost sixteen seats
and gained three, making net loss of thirteen.
The Conservatives, on the other hand, made
net gain of ten Seats having wrested thirteen
from their opponents, while yielding to them
only three The Home Rulers have likewise
made gains. Thus, the House consists of
six hundred and forty members the supporters
of the government numbering three hundred
and thirty-two, the Conservatives having two
hundred and forty three, and the Home Rulers
sixty five, which leaves the government with
majority of eighty-nine over the Conservatives
and only twenty-four over these and the Home
Tp,,Ia, 4la,
jorities, originally, of one hundred and eighteen
and ffty-six These figures may be relied upon,
and the serious elimination they indicate in the
strength of the party in power is circum-
stance that will give more than ordinary inter
est to the debates and divisions that will take
place. as aqstf-..-os .-..-.
The first event of the session will be the cleo
ton Of Speaker The salary Of this offceis
$4,000 year, and when the person holding it
takes notion to retire he carries with him life
pension of $25, 900 per annum The Speaker is
technically regarded as ''The first Commoner of
England and the dignity attaching to the Office
sittle less than that with which the post of Prime
Minister is invested. The nomination here is
not by caucus, nor does the incumbent change
with change of administrations. Sir Henry
Brand elected by the Liberals, filled the chair
when the Tories were in power, and has al
ways pleased both parties. Given the highest
social standing the other requisites for good
Speaker are tact, patience and fairness. The
Speaker must never be partisan Not only
must he show no bias in the House, but he must
be as noncommittal possible upon current
topics even when addressing his constituents.
Mr.. Arthur Peel, named for the succession by
Mr. Gladstone, fills this bill to a nicely. The
youngest of the famous Sir Robert Peel his
social prestige is, of course, wholly uneXcepton-
able and as to the other qualities the fact that
he has glided smoothly through political
reer extending over a score of years, having
made little stir and provoked few antagonisms,
proves most conclusively that he is not wanting
in either shrewdheSs or moderation. Neverthe-
less Mr., Peel has offended in one quarter, and
the affair may give him trouble 1t is scarcely
likely there viii be any organized opposition to
him in the Tory ranks, for parliamentary cour
tesK would forbid this. But there is an clement
within the Conservative party, led by Lord Ran
dolph Churchill, which never wearies in trying
to embarrass both Mr.. Gladstone and Sir Stafford
Northcote, and if this element should go off at a
tangent on this Speakership question, it would
almost certainly be joined by the Home Rulers,
fold grudge against Mr. Peel They remember.
first, that he is the son of his daddy who W: /
once Chief Secretary for Ireland, and they b
have lively recollection of a speech he madei4 Is
support of the Irish crimes act. @5
Assuming that Churchill could commanCSS
such movement as this any considerable "a fC
Der of straggers from the Conservative =. | nun
and that Parnell could bring to it the " cam
strength of his sixty-fve Home Rulers - entil
readily be seen that Mr. Peel, though r.. it wi
still be elected, would not take the chs migl
the happiest of circumstances, and i "air und
Gladstone, for the same reasons wou... that M
that he had made the happiest Id not fe
beginning in the difficult work of whs ,st hopef
to be one of the most perpexing of p;,,o.t promis
ry sessions. ant lrlament
THE GREAT ISSUE OF THE sEsad
But the tug of war will come inntrsIoN
and division on the franchise , the deba
past history of parliamentary dis sure. If t
for anything in forecasting the fu cussions &C
tors will then be out in their full ture, the o.
such speeches will be made as thents strength, a
listened to since 1866 Not to House has
newer members who will plead LIS, speak of
or con, there are a couple of meAow eloquently
fidently be expected to crown, eek n who may C
complete in that debate, careeraessif they do
fuence which, extending over imI of forensic
tufy have been without their erful,arly half C
nation on earth. Mr.. Bright of thralels in
once was but all that he is will vorat not what
that occasion. and it would nots usufssert itself
the magnitude of the issues of tn, surprisin;
raise him for the time to heigh ettngolved wer
has never yet scaled hight grandeur
speaks as forcibly as he eve larry Gladst
may be SIRE that in advocat innes tlid, and
of the franchise he will do jrrive and+be axtens
self and his theme Both tfnrovedt 70 10Th
very near the gettingoff paceans. al men are
nam memper OF the House Where Bright will