Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-21
ENGLISH PARLIAMENT.
UNLIMITED POWERS OF THE HOUSE
OF COMMONS.
Authority to Change the Line of Success
sion or to Abolish the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ness Of the Upper House-Why Victoria

sion or TO ABOLISH the SlOnafcny-n ooke
ness Of the Upper House-vhy Victoria
Reigns in Peace.
had long talk the other day with q
prominent lawyer, who is special friend
of the Prince of Wales. The lawyer has
transacted great deal of business for the
prince He has made o careful compare
tive study of English and American con-
stitutional methods. He said that he
thought the strength of the Prince Of
Wales with the people lay in the fact that
he carefully refrained from having any
thing to do with politics. Upon this line
of action depends said he, ,'the future
of the monarchical system in England.
The queen will never be disturbed in her
lifetime in single one of her prerogauves,
simply because she never dictates any
political policy or seeks in the slightest
degree TO influence the ministry. The
monarchy will endure in England until
there comes king or ruler who shall seek
TO take in his hands the rens of real
power Then you would see at once
prompt and decisive action by the house
OF commons.
POWER OF THE HOUSE
only responsible government for Great
Britain. This body has unlimited powers.
II is not generally known in America that
the very best lawyers in England agree
that the house of commons alone has the
power to abolish the monarchy tomorrow
if it should see 1T or to change the line of
succession. Parliament could, If it should
choose eliminate the Prince of Wales
I t,o tn
one of his children, or transfer it entirely
to some other family. In the United
States your congress does not begin TO
have the unlimited power and authority
of the house of commons. To change your
constitution requires two-thirds vote Of
the two branches of congress and after
that approval by three-fourths of the
states. This is a very long road, and,
naturally, changes are made much more
slowly with you than is possible with US.
Now everything is quiet and passing along
well. The people do not object to the
monarchial system here because it works
very well. 1t has been reduced simply to
a show figure, and you know how we
Englishmen hold on to ceremonies and
traditions. Royalty now is nothing but a
tradition
''The house of lords will be the first body
to feel the effect of modern progress in
Great Britain. Undoubtedly the public
mind is slowly but surely forming against
the rights of hereditary sittings in the
upper house. The majority Of the members
of this body are without doubt cultivated,
well bred gentlemen. Among them are a
few black sheep, and their blackness is
made much more conspicuous by their
having become eocial outlaws from high
and conspicuous order. When once they
fall they are like women who have lost
their social position. When one considers
their surroundings, their wealth, their en-
forced idleness and the tremendous adula-
ton which surrounds them everywhere
they go, it is wonder that they remain
as respectable and good as they are. But
the fact still remains that talent is not Of
q necessity hereditary. The children Of
great men are nearly always weaker than
their fathers. The first places in the peer
age are won through ability or special
service. When that position passes to the
son it often passes to a weak and incom-
petent man. If the peeraSe were not
strengthened constantly by the presence
in the house of lords Of the law lords, the
bishops who come up through merit or
ability in the church and through dis
tinguished service in the house of COM
mons, the body would soon sink into hope
less intellectual inferiority. These new
recruits save it to Il certain degree, but
the body as whole is, in legislative
sense, weak.
WEAKNESS OF THE LORDS.
'This intellectual inferiority and lack
of legislative character constitute the chief
source for the popular prejudice against
the present prerogatives of the house of
lords. In other words. this body is I'M
able to protect itself through lack of
ability. The house Of lords to-day is alb
solutely powerless against the house of
commons upon any legislative question Of
the slightest Importance. In the United
States the senate, or the upper house, is
really the stronger body. In contest be-
tween the two houses in your country the
house nearly always has to recede Here
the house of lords always recedes If the
matter is of enough Importance for the
house of commons to assert itself. The
utmost that the house of lords can do is
to cause q slight delay which will give the
house Of commons time for second
thought. If the house Of commons reas-
cCItc ito oiiSliuI pOSitiyu tHCD tlc uOuSc
of lords opposition always fails. The
house Of commons is made up of tho
strongest men in Great Britain They
reach their places through fierce COMPETE
ton for the suffrages of the people. The
result is that their debates are the only
ones in which the public take any inter
est. The sweeping changes which have
taken place in Great Britain in the last
ten or fifteen years in the extension of
suffrage further strengthens and popular
ICES this all powerful body. With this
house the question OF future royalty lies"
How do you account for the fact that
the English people, forming one of the
most virile and independent Of civilized
nations, should be content to be ruled
even nomirally by woman: and. second,
how do you account for the fact that they
who have IA strong prejudice against for
eigaers should consent to be ruled by
lire of Foreigners His reply to this was
very pertinent and direct II had better
answer the second part of your question
first, said he 1T is true that there is
ar intense prejudice in England against
foreigners having anything 10 do with the
government. Foreign born peopl have
no chance in politics. The English people
will not have them in responsible offices.
But when 1t comes TO q question Of roy
atty there is such a jealousy among the
great families here that they would not
consent to any one Of them being elevated
to the rank of royalty. You see, there ia
a sacredness attached To the personality of
royalty which belongs TO nothing else in
Great Britain. The English higher orders
would prefer TO pay this personal defer
ance which royalty commands to a de
scendan, Of foreigner rather than to any
one Of their own social rank as to their
To be ruled by woman. that
IS mere incident. They know that roy