The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-11
diation arc unmistakable their utterances
become not merely embarrassing. but mean.

diation arc unmistakable their utterances
become not merely uninteresting. but mean
ingless and even impairment.
Nothing, on the ether hand. Ia mora GER
tain than that. from the moment the
House OF Commons becomes truly repro.
sentative OF the British democracy. It's pro-
ceedings will become OF tremendous mo-
ment and its debates will be fraught with
absorbing interest to the whole community.
For let us suppose that all the powers now
lodged in all OF our State Legislatures. as
well as in our Federal Congress. were con-
centrated in single assembly uncontrolled
by any written Constitution. It Is obvious
that the doings of such an omnipotent as
sembly would come home to our business
and bosoms to an extent OF which Ameri-
cans can have no conception. We may DO
sure that the masses OF the British people
will read with tho kcenest anxiety the de-
bates in the House OF Commons when 1t Is
their own delegates and not tho spokesmen
Of the arlstocratic and plutocratic classes
that dominate that body. They will not
wish to overlook word OF tho reports
when tho subjects OF discussion are such
questions as revolution In the principles
of land tenure. tho abolition OF the House
of Lords the readiustment OF the monarch
ical feature Of the British system to scale
of republican simplicity and economy, ana
the gradual substitution OF the State for
the private capitalist in the employment OF
labor. There Is not one of these questions
which is not likely to be pressed as soon as
the British Parliament becomes n demo-
cratic assembly: and then debates In the
,,-;Il l,n toi En-,
rivet public attention as were the debates
in tho House OF Representatives over the
Nebraska bill. the admission Of Kansas. and
afterward throughout the war and recon-
struction periods
The truth is that when tho British House
of Commons becomes, what since tho last
two Reform acts it is plainly destined to
be. the organ Of the toiling multitude. tho
stupendous range OF its powers will be for
tho first time fully recognized. Awakened
to the limitless extent of the authority
delegated. the English people may be trust
ed ultimately to take precautions against
their own delegates. and to impose checks
upon them. They will, in the first place.
materially shorten the statutory term of
Parliament in order that members may be
after the author wishes to withdraw 1t.
Then. again. they are likelyto circumscribc
the dangerous omnipotence Of Parliament
by introducing some form Of the referen-
dunn. Wherever there is q close approach to
manhood suffrage. and where the qualified
electors are acknowledged to be the foun-
thin OF power, the referendum is unqucs-
tonably conservative institution. We
see this in the form of referendum familiar
in the United States, where the State and
Federal Legislators are forbidden to modify
the written Constitutions without a specific
appeal to tho people on the change pro-
posed. Some check Of this kind on their
otherwise too powerful legislature will no
doubt eventually commend itself to the
British democracy.
Meanwhile we may take for granted that
the British House OF Commons. once trans
formed into faithful organ OF democratic
aspirations. will excite the interest and
command the influence proportioned to its
incompatible powers.