New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-08
LIFE IN LONDON.
PARLIAMENT AND THE SEASON-RUMORED
REVOLUTION AS TO THE DINNER HOUR.
Westminster. January "a.


period dating back to the beginning Of the
century the sessions of the British Parliament have
opeped in February, usually in its first week.
The date Of the Propagation has. particularly of
late wears been more difficult to fix. There
time, not much more than twenty years back,
when the House of Commons would have
thought of sitting on Sundays remaining IN
session over the Twelfth of August. Usually the
Propagation took place on the 9TH or the Sth, III
good time for Peers and Commons to be on the
mOOrs bright and early on the Twelfth Ir. Glad
stone broke through the spell in his lighting
Parliament of s6s. He thought it was more i'm
portant that the Irish Church BILL the Land bill.
the Education BILL the Ballot bill and other items
in his colossal programme should be added to the
statute book than that Members should be
grouse-shooting punctually on the Twelfth.
When, in 1874, Mr.. Disraeli came into power.
il was assumed as a matter Of course that the old
order of things would be returned TO. and the
sacredness of the Twelfth vndicated. So it was IN
the first session of the Disraelian Parliament But
in the following year the Home Rule movement
was born obstruction was created, Mr. Parnel
and the immortal Joseph ellis Biggar came TO the
'front.' and all Parliamentary traditions were upset.
There were all-night sttings, sittinGS half week
long, sittings almost into Good Friday. certainly
one sitting into the quiet Sabbath morning and as
thumb in the armhoe of his famous imitation
sealskin waistcoat, while with the other hand he
signaed the attention of the Speaker las if he
were hailing a bus, it used TO- be said, observed
in his most raucous tones: If honorable gentle
men opposite couldn't do without pheasants. they
might go and buy them at the poulteres III
was of course, grouse the honorable gentlemen
were after on the Twelfth of August: but MIR
Biggar, when lis blood was up, not particular
TO a point like that.
Since the session of 1875 the precise date of
the Propagation. has become increasingly indefinite
The nearest approach TO certainty was that 1t
was likely TO take place nearer the lst Of Sep
TENDER than 10 the 1st of August If the Gov
eminent of that day were strong and resolute,
they kept in 1.-THE boys at Westminster till they
had completed their appointed task. If they were
not strong, they clustered good deal, threat
,ncd to sit I'D to Christmas, and after wasting a
week or fortrgh prOrOgued in the third or
iouIth week of August after withdrawing their
principal bills. This is a scandal protested against
gear after year The fact has been recalled that
the whole arrangement of the session is an III
novation of comparatively modern date. In the
time of the Georges Parliament was summoned
in October or November. sat within hail of Christ
mas adjourned for a hricf recess, got 10 WORK
again early in January, and had wound up every
thing in time to leave town in June, so enjoying
the summer time in tie country. Now ParAa
ment, meeting in February, sweters IN town
through the summer. Members finding opportunity
10 make holiday at home only when summer has
waned.
Last session something was done TO remove this
reproach. Sir George Trevelyan submitted reso-
luton recommending that a fuller period of the
winter months should be assigned for Parla-
nentary work leaving the summer free for happier
pursuits. He was defeated on division, but the
majority small that Conservative Gov
eminent which has already happily distinguished
itself by revolutonizing time honored Parliament
airy procedure suddenly resolved to take this
further step. Arrangements were made whereby
the new session opened on the 25th of November
last, made considerable progress with the Minis
terial programme, adjourned over Christmas, and
met again on Thursday, intending 10 prorosue
about the middle of July
Society not openly consulted in this matter
but as it happened, it will III no wise interfere
with ordinary ARRANGEMENTS of the London season.
Perhaps if il did, the result might have been
otherwise What is called the London season
loftily ignores the Parliamentary session; actually
it is greatly influenced by it, As soon as Parliament
meets. whatever the month may be, there sets in
period OF social iestivity. During the Parl-
mentary session no well appointed dinner table
west of Charing Cross is completed without one
or two Members Of Parliament the better known
in the newspapers the better for host and hostess
In Nav and June, tie very spring tide of the
London season, when the cream of Society Ian
ruidly permits itself 10 be stirred, there arc a
good many dinner parties, where Members Of
Parliament qua Members are regarded as not quite
the thing Bat these are exceptions, and scarcely
rufie the dominating influence OF Parliament upon
the best dinners and the most attractive at-hOmcS
Given in the London season. If the new scheme
had involved The sitting of Parliament exclusively
through the darker months, say from mld-October
10 mid.April, that would have been serious blow
10 London Society. As it is, Parliament, sttng
from mid-January TO mid-July, is in session concur
rentlv with the whole Of the LondOn season, anu
will be able TO enjoy it and contribute to It's en-
joyment as heretofore With Goodwood week
which usually begins about the 18th of July,
London Society takes unto itself wings and fees
away. Formerly it has lett unhappy legislators
with their nose to the grndstOne and the dcpress-
ing knowledge that they will not he released for
another month, or peradvcnture two. Now, II
the promise of the new arrangement is kept 10 the
hope, Parliament and Society will finish the sea-
sons labors at the same time.
Some time ago paragraph went the round
of the papers announcing a heroic intention on
the part of the Prince of Wales TO curb a grow
ing disposition to dine late. The normal dinner
hour here is 8 o'clock; but more especially IN
the rush of the season. there is a tendency TO
drift on toward o. The House of Commons Is
distinctly responsible for this. Members bldden
to the feast and coming in half an hour late are
always privileged to plead the urgency OF puohc
business A division has been called after half
past Z: duty to their country and constituents,
at whatever personal inconvenience Ito others,
compelled them TO remain to take part in it, and
so they are late. When this kind of thing happens
night after night people get tired of arriving at
the hour for which they are asked and as
everybody knows everybody else will be late,
nobody comes in time. The evil has, in fact
become so ingrained and recognized that people