The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-04
ENGLAND'a ELEC roRAL Law.
Hon. James stapfield Moves It's
Amendment.

Hon. James stapfield Moves It's
Amendment.
LONDON, March 3.-In the House of
Commons tonight the Hon. James Stan
field, member for Halifax, in moving that
the House amend the electoral law by enact
ing that nobody can vote In more than one
electoral area, that the term qualifying the
person to vote be reduced to three months,
and that the act of registration be simpli-
fled, argued that the present system is en-
tirely out of date, for as the law now stood
a man could vote in every county and every
borough where he held a house. These out
voters often turned an election against the
wishes Of majority OF the resident
electors.
Mr.. Howorth, conservative, member for
South Salford, submitted an amendment
that any alteration in the law was inex-
pedient, unless providing that the different
parts Of Great Britain and Ireland should
be represented in parliament In proportion
to their population. ireland" added Mr..
Howorth, sis grossly over-represented. 1t
is absurd that one small Irish town has
eight times as much electoral power as a
city like Dundee. 1t is in Ireland that re-
form is necessary. if anywhere" [Cheers,l
GLADsToNE's ARGUMENT.
Mr.. Gladstone held that tho amendment
virtually admitted the necessity of amend
ing the registration and acceptance Of the
principle of zone man one vote" The con-
sorvatlves, he said, ought not to prevent the
removal Of confessed grievance, but when
the resolution becomes embodied In the bill,
they should exclude what was deemed dam
gerous in committee. The country would
not long tolerate plural vote
when convinced that it enabled the
upper classes to throw their weight
against the judgment OF the working
classes. The possession OF the plural vote
was Objectionable because it had no con-
nection with virtue, wisdom, character or
public services. Property was not entitled
TO extra representation. He was unable to
sec that the convictions of the great mass
of the people we're less sound than those Of
the higher classes. The amendment was
not legitimately connected with the motion.
It was refusing TO remove one grievance
until another ceased to exist
ENGLAND's MONOPOLY.
II Ireland had eighteen members more than
it wGs entitled to on strictly numerical
basis, how long had this beenf How long
had England been greatly over-represented
compared with other nations England
still held two-thirds Of the voting
power and insisted that the whole
business or the natlonal nrm snoulo
be transacted at her own freside.
[Hear1 England certainly had no right to
complain, looking at the vast power she
possessed and the use she made Of It, regu-
iating affairs in other por lions OF the king
dom, not by their sentiments, but by her
own. If there existed grievance 1t was not
hers. [Cheors.]
Mr.. Chamberlain said that sooner or
later there must be uniformity In the suf-
frage, but it was perfectly legitimate to
meet the proposal for an incomplete settle
ment by an amendment demanding a COM
plete settlement.
Mr.. Stansfield's motion was rejected by
vote of 291 to 189 The largeness of the
majority was due to the absence OF the
Irish members