The Irish standard., 1893-03-04
THE BRITISH PEERS.

THE BRITISH PEERS.
The upper chamber of the British par
lament has at present over FIVE hundred
members who take their seats by virtue
of their noble birth. The great majority
of them ara old fogies and young boobies
whose names are never mentioned until
they figure in some social scandal. They
display no ability in craftsmanship, but
they are aristocrats of the bluest blood
and that entities them to be legislators
by inheritance. In former days some
able men occupied seats in the house Of
peers, but to day out of the five hundred
you can count on your fingers all the
men above mediocre ability in states
manship or anything else. The British
aristocracy have deteriorated both physi-
cally and intellectually. They are in
ferior to she members Of the lower house.
The majority of them are Tories and
Liberal Unionists who are resolved that
Gladstone shall not give Home Rule to
Ireland if they can prevent it. When
the Irish bill reaches the upper house in
June, it will undoubtedly be rejected by
an overwhelming vote Of these heredi-
tary lawmakers. Mr.. Gladstone expects
that. and is preparing to meet them be-
fore the people. He knows that they
will do their utmost to kill the Home
Rule bill and::drive him from public life.
Perhaps if an appeal were made to the
voters of the United Kingdom on the
Home Rule issue alone, Gladstone might
get the worst of it. TO avoid such a
misfortune the Liberal party has taken
the precaution of introducing other
remedial measures which will be pleas
ing to thespeople whose su6rages will be
asked for lin the next campaign. The
registration laws will be 80 amended as
to increase the Liberal vote, and no man
can vote but once. The odious church
establishment in Wales will be abolished
like the Irish church in 1870; several
u1SdSuI06 Ill U11o 1AtO4O9O VI VI 0OO0~ uA4OAA0
and agricultural laborers will be pushed
to the front during the present session,
and all these measures will 20 to the
peers for their endorsement in company
with government for Ireland. Will
the upper chamber have the temerity Of
rejecting these reforms? 1t they with
hold their approval of the measures in
the interest of the British workmen,t they
will be routed horse, foot and dragoon at
the polls, and then the lords will submit
with fear and trembling, lest their own
house may be abolished for standing in
the path of progress and reform. But if
they pass all the British measures that
will accompany Home Rule, and reject
the latter, then the Liberals will be re-
elected by an increased majority.
The recent votes in the House of Com
mons show Enthusiastically that the Glad
stone forces are cohesive and pull to-
gether on division. The Grand Old
Man" has demonstrated his superiority as
debater and tactician over his oppon-
ents, and Morley, Asquith and other
members of his cabinet have had the
best of Balfonr and his colleagues thus
far. The country has already shown it's
appreciation of Gladstone's efforts as a
tribune of the people by returning Lib
raj members from even Tory constitu
,ncies in the bye elections that have oc-
:urred since the opening of parliament
Everything transpiring in Great Britain
nd Ireland gives courage and strength
the veteran statesman who is fighting
he battle Of human liberty at the ad. !
anced age of eighty three years. Let
he hereditary tyrants of the upper
youse beware. In spite OF them Glad
tone and his phalanx will give the long
uffering people Of the British islands an