The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-09-11
MORlTURI TIE SALUTANT.

Until the vote on the home-rule bill, few
people had any idea that there were 40
peers OF England existing in the flesh.
The average attendance in the House of
Lords does not exceed fifty or sixty. AS
peers can vote by proxy. there is no rea-
son why noble lords should forsake their
shooting or their travels or their ease at
home to put in an appearance. and thus,
though there are actually 500 members on
the roll of peers, the most important bust
ness is transacted by house numbering
less than tenth of that number.
In the determination of the Lords to
thwart the progress of democracy, party
was thrown TO the winds and personal
obligation forgotten. Four hundred and
nineteen peers, nearly equally divided be-
tween Liberals and Tories. voted against
home rule. Among these were ninety of the
100 peers who have owed their crea-
ton TO Gladstone. They felt that privilege
was at stake, and they stood ny their
order. The Bishops, feeling that the state
church was interlinked with the nobility,
voted to a man against reform. Trey
seem to have embraced the opportunity of
setting the march of progress at defiance.
and of challenging the people to amend
their laws. The event is really striking.
Sixty years ago the Lords tool an analo-
gous position. They absolutely refused to
pass the reform bill. and the knight was
William the Fourth-apprOved the course
they pursued. But they had to contend
against men who intended to carry their
point. Grey and Brougham met the de-
fiance Of the House of Lords with de-
mand upon the King that he sign the
patents of as many new lords as they
chose to create. After brief resistance
the King gave way through fear of revolu-
ton. Theheading member of the House
of Lords at that time was the Duke of
Wellington. His political principles were
wrong, but he was man CT foresight and
clear head. He saw plainly enough that
nothing would compensate En- gland for an
outbreak of civil war, in which he would
have had TO slaught his felIOw-subjects
with shot and she'll He advised the King
to yield and his brother lords to anticipate
The adulteration Of their order by a whole
sale creation Of peers drawn from the
people by Withdrawing in such nun bers
from the house that the Liberals were left
in ajorlty. From that day to this IL
has been understood that the Lords would
not oppose the Commons on a measure OF
Importance. As a SOD to their dignity they
have been allowed to throw the decease ed
wlfe's sister bill year after year, but on
matters Of req moment they have acted as
though they realized that they were an
ornamental part OF the political machine
Now they have ventured to reassert
themselves the English papers say that
their demonstration will only have the
effect of pOstponing home rule for a year;
that when the next Parliament meets they
will be told that they must pass the bill
under the alternative of being swamped.
But many things may happen in a year.
No one can gauge the effect on the British
mind OF this attempt of the Lords to de-
feat the purpose of the people. No one
eau feel sure that it may not prove very
serious indeed.
The British aristocracy are az incon-
gruous anachronism. relic of a past age
like the beef-eaters with their haIberds. So
long as they served for show merely the
desire for their abolition was lukewarm.
People regarded them as harmless, like
Cog and Magng. But if they are going to
stand in the way of the political develop
meDt of the British people they may come
to be viewed as nuisance which calls for
abatement. And if ever the radical out
cry against title and privilege crystallizes
with a general popular demand for that
abatement the movement will gain force
from the enormous landed wealth OF the
nobility. Ii they were abolished root and
branch there would be land enough to be
distributed among the people so as to give
every man two acres and a cow. No
Englisbman realizes this danger more
clearly than the intelligent memD OF the
aristOcracy. Such men must LOOK upon
the vote on home rule "a defiance to fate.
They must have thought that in their
mouths the vote Content" was eQuiva-
lent TO the gladistor's farewell to the En-
| perOr-Morituri te sautant.