Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
WORkINGMEN IN PARLIAMENT.
Advent Of the New Element at the Head of
British Politics.

Harper's Magazine.
No one can have watched the leaders of
the workingmen for the last ten years
without finding among them men capable
of commanding the attention and respect
Of the house Of commons, not merely for
their eloquence, surprising as that is, but
for their good sense, good feeling and
good breeding" Such were the words of
the late Charles Kingsley twenty years
ago.
The prophecy has been soundly veri-
fed. Nearly ten years, however, elapsed
after these words were uttered ere work
ingman member was found in the house
of commons, though several determined
attempts has been made. Mr.. Burt, who
has occupied a place in the parliament of
1874 and 1880, the late Mr.. Alexan-
der Mcdonald, who was in the
house from 1874 until his death in
1881, and Mr.. Broadhurst, who was elected
in 1880, were the first to wear the honor,
and each has commanded the attention
and respect Of the house of commons, so
much so that Mr.. Broadhurst was appoint
ed minister of Mr.. Gladstone'sncabinet.
Now that several colleagues have been
given to them by the recent elections, the
influence of the workingman member may
be expected to increase rather than di-
minish.
The advent of bona-fde workingmen to
seats in the British legislature only mark
ed phase in that vast, though as far as
England is concerned, peaceable revolu-
ton which will ever be regarded as one
of the distinguishing features of the nine.
teenth century. During the early de-
cades of the century the laboring classes
were politically, and in many respects So
cially, under the heavy heel of a
tyrannical OF Indifferent aristocracy
their voice was unheard or
unheeded, save when, as in 1882, the voice
| was mingled with the stern rumblings of
revolution. Intellectual working classes
then were far behind the standard Of to
day; socially they had no influence; po-
| litically they were regarded as outside of
the pale and untitled to exercise even the
power contained in vote. The time was
| weary one for the laboring man, and
| Justice was apparently slow to make It's
advent. But delay had its advantages.
/ The workingmen of Great Britain re-
ceived a much needed education in the
management of their trades unions and
in many other directions-a training that
matured the Judgment and self-control OF
| those whose vote IN future days will be
so powerful for good or i'll.
The social and political improvement
in the industrial population has been
most clearly observable during
the last twenty or thirty years. Fifty
years ago workingman would have been
ostracised even if he had obtained cleo
ton to parliament: now he is received
there as an equal Before the reform
bill of 1867 the voting power of workmer
was comparatively small, and few of the
middle classes would have listened to g
request for a workman's representative
had there been no property qualification
to stand in the way of such an election
With the passage of that act
the condition Of things was changed
in the great centers of popula
ton. 1t is not therefore a matter
for surprise that there should be wish
on the part of those to whom political
power has been committed to have
direct voice in the making of the laws il
which as citizens they are so deeply in
terested. Ardently, however, as working
men members might be wished for By
their class, greater difficulty still block
ed the way-the want of money to sustain
them in parliamentary life. This diff
Guilty has, however, been overcome by the
nomination to parliament of the men
who are leaders in the unions, and who
are being maintained by the funds of the
societies.