The morning call., 1892-06-26
BY The WAY.
BEING a Rambl6T'S Observations on Things
in General
The Clang Of English ElectiOns-Peripatetic
Science - What to Do With Our
Boys and Girls.
Written for THE MORNING CALL

This week England resounded with the
din of strife among the political parties.
The general election for the whole United
Kingdom is on, and as there is transcendent
interest in the next Parliament and the Is
sues it will have to face, the struggle pro-
eeeding Is both intense and memorable.
There is nothing humdrum about this war
of the political giants. They are in earnest
about the assertion Of principles, and II
persons are involved II is only as champions
of principles. Tie grand issue at stake is
home rule for Ireland. The opponents OF
home rule say that The integrity OF the en-
DIre is involved. They maintain that Ire
land cannot have a local legislature, sitting
In Dublin, TO deal with purely Internal
affairs vet having no control over customs
duties or the army or navy, without leopard
ling the unity Of the imperial sway.
portion Of the Irish peOpe-the Scotch
Irish and EugliSh-lrish of the n0rth-aSsert
this also; and they have recently INDUCED
in much dithvFambic, valiant language OF
minaiory and impacable character II IS
the business Of Craftsmanship TO neutrallZe
or harmOniZe these dscordant elements ana
establish some cOmmon-sense arrangement
by which ireland. for local purposes, VIII
not require to go TO Westminster, where her
representatives. from the sheer force OF the
difficulties, have always been hammered and
retarded in movements for the regeneration
Of their country.
An English election differs greatly from
the election of President and Congress
men, Supervisors. School Directors, officials
of many ranks, all at one time. a member
of Parliament mas the honor of an election
ali 10 himself He and his opponent can in
no way confuse the issue. II is the choice
Of one Of them 10 serve the constituency in
Parliament Most of the constituencies
now return only one member. Great cilles,
ike London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Manches-
fer and Birmingham are divided up into
separate Parliamentary districts, and each
retnFns one member. The Inhabitants as
whole do not vote for all the members. They
only vote for the particular member repre-
senting their own district. Some eXceD-
tons there are, as IN the city OF LONDON
NeNCastle-On-I yne and Haddersheld, Hall
fax, and various ether twO-memoeT con-
sti,uences, hat the principle OF one-mem-
Der constituencies Is the rule, London,
with its 1900 eco Of Inhabitants, has an
enormous representation, but vet not quite
as large a it should be il the numerical
basis is alone taken into account.
Stumping an English constituency may be
regarded as a leasant kind Of sport, trying
20 The nerves, not very expensive, and az
fordng abundance Of excitement. As a
rule a couple If meetings, day or night,
VIII suffice to advertise the candidates
views and enable a measurement 10 be
taken Of his brain power and goodness of
heart. The old style Of rough and rude as
saults vita rotten eggs dead cats, decom-
posing potatoes and other stimulants of
argument too dlSreputRble for enume ration
b passed away. The candidate is treated
TO little worse than derisjve cheers or an
moving QUeTulOus interpretations by oppO-
nents, but he is generously supported by his
gWn side, and may manage TO come out Of
ali RS heckiDg tTiUmphantly. IN addition
20 that. be may expect fair treatment from
the press. The papers at least which favor
him take care to give his speeches the &C
CuTacy Of cOpiOus shorthand treatment, and
when he says anything impressive il has a
chance 10 60 before the public.
All candidates are now spared the ordeal
Of public nomination before a hootiug and
turbulent crowd. Hastings ceremonies are
absolutely abolished. Down comes the writ
from London ordering an election. II for
borough. the writ goes to the Mayor; If
Tor q county or district In county Il goes
10 the Sheriff. nomination day, with a
specified hour, Is filed and announced, and
al that requires to be done IS that the pro-
poser and seCondeT should fill 10 the proper
form declaring Mr. SU-and-SO z candidate.
j
becomes q member for the constituency on
TIE spot, ard the Mayor or Sheriff so certi-
fes in his return 20 the wit Ii there is q
contest, a pOliing-day Is fixed, and az the
end Of the count, that night or next day, the
winner is declared returned, bare nBjOT-
fly ef votes being sufficient. Votes Of thanks
ere usual The winner proposes and the
loser seconds. and ali Is harmony ana con-
Bt!tUti0nRl amty, as is generally the case
IN our own elections.
One dissgreeable thing the English mem
Der of Parliament has TO face-he has to
pay the expenses OF bis own returns. 1t is
true be is not leeched greedily by the Off
eials. he has only to pay the bare costs Of
polling booths, advertising and hire of
clerks, aud the loser paws his full snare for
q contest as well a. the winner. 1t is sys-
TEN not to be supported Oh any footing of
principle. Tie country as a whole ought
10 pay these Indispensable expenses, or
tie constituency Itself should do it. But
somehow the system has prevailing ma
1OTity OF advocates. The result is that
many a desirable man Of talent who would
be nseful IN Parliament is kept out Of it. A
member Of Parliament has no salary. II
appointed 10 a Government Office be has a
lair d0llop of emOlument. but nothing TO
tempt man who is well of. The average
member OF Parliament has simply the honor
OF serving a constituency at his Own ex-
pense and he is glad Of the privilege for the
sake Of getting into society aud Introducing
his wife and daughters into the eligible
monde. Perhaps II wealthy and a good
g. gier he may become peer.
When a Parliament assemblies in Dublin
1t will be necessary to provide a salary for
the patriots who assemble there. Very few
Of the sons Of Erin, gifted In political
strategy and oratory. have any money to
o. are, and as the labOTer Is always worthy
Of his hire it would be a proper thing to
make adequate provision to Temunerate the
Irish legislators. That can be done out of
tales and so relieve American and Aus
i-ailan contributors from their present
most generous voluntary assessments
Nearly the whole Of the present phalanx of
Irish members on tile Nationalist SIDE are
N receipt OF allowances from the various
funds which have been formed, but owing
TO the bitter quarrels the receipts Of late
must have been pEecarious and CONSTRUCTED.
The American Association for the Adj
yancement of Science viii meet this year at
Rochester, n. Z, and Professor Joseph lie
Conte is its president. He is a naturalist
who has done grand work, and be deservedly
Is entitled to the honor of presiding over
the deliberations OF this peripatetic body
. NJ S'''o'INb OVAePoOIlfS ieNLSW "a
science within his own &C degrees OF horizon
about as much as anybody can now do
who Is not Of the stature Of HelmhOtZ and
thus endowed with panoramic vision. Pro-
lessor Joseph's voice, strident, penetrating
and fsr-reaehing, If not rich In sonorous-
ness, viii ill any hall in which he addresses
four or five thousand Of the dev0tees of
science or disciples temporarily enlisted for
the sake OF the outing and the agreeable
society OF men and women WHO think Of the
past and future, but very little about the
money Of the present, bimetallic or other
wise. We should hope to hear from him
some review Of biological advancement
Bat be Is master Of great range of intel
lsetual country aud will choose for himself
His fame does not depend upon lecture 10
mixed audience 10 opera costume
The American Association for the Ad-
81 Co;o &.