The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-06

csanos deal With IL. TIE uexs parliament
or8y as sdopsed - lsw L Il . sanctioned BY
S@o~tn sr1s majority
The Greek constitution o. fssSS-whsca
rezsacea TIE par las1enE 70 slage casEs-
GERS sssA fao-e ragsd n ugpvaains SAFE
guards ~ PTosecr tie Constitution against
undue revision The special change pro
pose. must be voted ay tn-~e-EozrEhs
and tier the cham ser - dissolved. and
spectal charnhey containing tsics tae num-
Tor Of members Is summoned TO deliberate
upon tie particular revision proposed
In Switzerland. By the shfr3 chapter OF
the corzss taEion Of 1874. she proposal for
TIE revision OF any sc@cIaA point n ah-
constitution can he made by either cham
Der, or 5y SO GO citizens II Is "a the nrss
instance referred 20 The People - decide
wseshsF u shall be considered. II the vote
u n The sstarTn sslvs The two chambers are
1fsHo3sea. and reelected specially for de-
llberatzon Epc0 tAs proposed a tegsii1sS.
The measure. a. 1rawn SO by she cham
bers specially eonvozed. ts then submitted
agasz 10 the pcopas for scceptAacs os re-
iees51s.
Thexe various nations have been Pro-
foundly Impressed with the belief taas
change in their constitutional laws - one
81 the most aonentoas decisions which
nation can give. ard they have adopted
TIE most elaborate precautions 10 secErs
that the coarse taken shall represent the
deliberate iudgmen; Of the nation. We,
IN this country, also profess to agree
With them thai IL 10 matter
ton only, should decide. Bat, while
they take the utmost pans that the pa
ti0D's opinion shall be aseertasne4. we
have NO procedure whatever for tie direct
attainment Of that object. AL these con-
situations ascertain the nations views IL
the most obvious and simple way. Wish
INK Tor clear answer. they ask clear
question A vote az the polls Is taken On
tne issae--yes or no--@heinsr the pro-
posed constitutional change shall be
adopted or not. There can De no possible
doubt ae 10 the meaning OF each vote 10 at
Is delivered. How - 1t with us7
We are at the pTesent Iuacture asked TO
adopt one OF the most vita changes 10
which s nation can suomsA We are 70
cut our country IA two, and. in the
smaller portion. we are TO abandon q M
norlty If our OAR blood and religion 10
the power Of their ancient enemies, in
spite Of heir bitter protest against the
deDasing and Tulnoas serTltude 10 which
gs propose 10 leave them. No more
fundamental change could be adopted
than this surrender Of race
~oot III Gays past ssSufhtu tiir4f
present position of danger at our
bidding. and Shom sesFe now command
ing 80 exchange lheir present allegiance,
which they love. tor new. un,rled, slnis-
ter subsection which they abnor aud de-
spise. Have We asked The consent OF our
nation to this supreme abandonment
Surely. before We do an act for which Il
parallel will hardly be found ia the annals
OF any civilized nation. sc might take the
h,aH md
mental change Ia the constitutions OF such
popular states as America, and Belgium,
and Holland. and Norway, and Greece.
Surely, before taking this step We might
ask the people the plain and simple eues-
tion--Do you wish 10 have Il sof
No such question has been put TO them.
There has been general election at the
usual time with nothing TO distinguish IL
from previous elections which have taken
place under the provisions OF the sep,en-
MAJ act. Ii has resulted in displacing the
ministry which was in office At the DISCO
ton. Precisely the same result has, be-
fore the close of the first session, followed
every dissolution Of the nine which have
taken place since 1s47. Nothing, shere-
fore. can be inferred from this cireum-
stance as TO the views of the
electors on any legislative question.
What policy the electors intended
by their votes to promote is question
which must probably be answered in a
different manner In different localities. No
reasonable person doubts that a large num-
Der Of the Radical members have been
elected on account of their views on other
subjects han home rule. 1t is notorious
thai the Welsh voted for Radical can
didates not for their love OF home rule,
but for their aversion towards the Welsh
church. The croiters of the Scottish high
lands and the peasants of Norfolk were
full of agrarian projects and aspirations,
but they gave little heed 10 Ireland.
In Wiltshire and IN Oxfordshire
the laborers, misiei by faisehood of
magnificent audaeity voted TO prevent the
Tories from imposing duties upon corn.
The mining constituencies voted for the
eight hours bill the Leicester people voted
against vaccination: the dock yard con-
asituenctes were hred with Indignation
against some obscure admiralty wrong.
To say that amid this multiplicity of ques-
lions the electors, from whom the nature
Of tho intended home rule proposal has
been carefully concealed. have, by their
votes on this election decided for home rule
IS 20 use language without meaning. II
We wish 10 define what consulting the peo-
pie means let as look TO the elaborate aud
careful provisions for $50 ating the issue
which are found IN other constitutions
aud compare them with the confused din
asked 10 accept as the peoples voice on
the most momentous question OF constItu-
fiona revision tina; can re proposed to US
Our plan does not com pare more favor
ably With she arrangements Of other
nations IN respect 10 the proportions of
the majority required for decision 81
tGIs character. II q fundameuta, change
of this magnitude Is 10 De made, Il is vel
10 make 10 IN such manner that there
may he All emo of controversy. The com
muntty whose deepest feelings L will ouf-
rsre, and wacse dearest interests IL = il .
ia thelr Judgment. tmpeFii may Submit 70
10 q they are convinced that il = taken
with the deliberate sanction OF tha mass
# the English People. When a majority
= convinced that the views which
tney detest are those of large majority
of their generation, they vii, generally
eopv Ct.on, bus from CONSEQUENCES 1T IN
sni itv 'o resist. Eat To- tell the Ulster
loyal SIS. ana tbosr p no svGunsthlEe with
}her that th}s new subsection IS so be
forced anon them cy a decision turning
en- hsr5tul of votes. Is - tell chem shat
she Csp-3re ot today NAV WEI he canoe. ed
Gv the repentance of tomorr0w and 10
insure p~vTe Gity 90; roDal,t durinr
Which as former acrtmony wlil Steai q
become more bitter and the div slorx
which have ta~tet for So long VII grow
deercr ant more i0uas~ac3e.
These ~ to frs .ne.l the constitutions 60
wbtrh J have referred wr~e sensible of p =
DANGER a1t save IN most eases rset It by
r@glErlNE fur = tuu~f4rsftlrnsi chan 20