Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-18
MIR. Gladstone and the Peers.

Ten DAYS ago the political sensation In
England was the rumor that Mr.. Glad
stone. owing to Ill health and the in
firrnities OF age, intended TO resign. Mr..
Gladstone spoiled that sensation by de-
claring that he had no such intention,
and returning from his vacation In fine
health and spirits and almost as spry as
q man In his forties. Now the sensation
IS that he will go to the other extreme,
and undertake the herculean and useless
task az abolishing the House OF Lords,
because that body would not agree TO the
Parish Councils and the Employers
Liability bills, as these passed the Com
mons.
1t is almost certain that the Grand Old
Man will also spoil this last sensation.
Aside from the fact that during his public
career Mr. Gladstone has created nearly
twice as many Peers as have the Conser-
vatives in the same length OF time, and
he is known 10 have a decided reverence
for traditions. the questions at issue do
not Justify any such radical and revolu-
less abolishing, the upper house.
The Parish Councils bill, IN brief, Is a
measure to establish uniform local govern
ment throughout England by giving 10 the
country pari.hes the same form OF gov
eminent that is enjoyed by municipalities.
Some Of these parishes. with populations
OF 500 or upwards. now have councils.
called local boards. but in the vast ma
jority OF the territorial divisions inte-
rested the old vestry system still obtains.
Against this system the Liberals ard
the Radicals have raised the cry that the
parson and the squire rule and the peo-
pie have no representation. The COM
mons and the Lords agree upon the gene
raj principle Of the bill, but differ as TO
some OF the details. the chief point OF
difference being that while the Com.
mors proposed 10 give councils to all
parishes Of a population OF 20 and
upwards, the Lords are willing to accord
this right only to parishes Of popula-
ton of 500 and upwards. The Employers
Liability bill, the other measure on which
the Lords and the Commons have split.
is bill by which the Liberals would deny
the right of employer and employee
to enter into a contract by which each
contributes to a common fund. and in case
the employee Is injured or killed while in
the service Of his employer he or his heirs
are to get compensation, but have no
right of suit. The Lords stand for free
dom Of contract, ana the bill as passed
by the House of Commons would abroglte
a system which already obtains with seye-
raj large English corporations.
These are the questions upon which the
sensationalst would have us base the be-
lief that Mr.. Gladstone Is ready to at
tempt 10 tear the British Constitution
into tatters. Mr. Glads,one's politica. IT,
cord is very inconsistent and is not un-
tainted with demagosy, but we BE-
lieve him TO be both too
wise and too patriotic TO engage
in any such undertaking. II, however,
his ambition should in the present in
stance dazzle him as to the history OF
reforms in England. and he should fol-
low the small men OF his party who are
decrying the Lords, rather than lead them
in the safe. slow, and sure road Of pre-
cedent. he Will find that the English pcO-
pie are not behind him. The demand for
the abolition of the Peers IS OF piece
with numerous reform improvements that
have died aborning" since the great re.
form bill was passed over sixty years
ago.