The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-03-03
MIR. Gladstone Declares War Against
the Lords.

tub LOEub.
In the memorable speech which Mr.. GLAD
STONE made on Thursday In the House Of
Commons. perhaps his last speech in the
role OF Prime Minister. he announced his
conviction that the time has come for the
people the United Kingdom to determine
whether the work OF their representatives
shall be annihiated by a knot Of hereditary
legislators. That speech hus made the
drastic reconstruction OF the British Con-
stituton the commanding issue Of the
hour On that Issue the Liberal party will
go TO the country at the next general cleo
ton: and its next leader. whoever he
may be. will be pledged 10 carry out the
programme.
When Mr.. GLADSTONE moved. the other
day, the abandonment Of tho Employers
Liability bill. he disappointed the majority
OF his party by his failure to rebuke the
treatment which that measure had received
in the House OF Lords. 1t is probable that
he hoped TO be spared the necessity OF COM
hitting his party to a controversy. the con-
stitutional Significance Of which he could
appreciate, and that he counted on the
ability OF the Duke OF DEvoNsHIRE to per-
suade the Lords to recede from all their
amendments 20 the Parish Councils bill.
This the Lords, however. refused to do and
it lie. therefore. they. not Mr.. GLADSTONE.
who are responsible for compelling the
country to decide whether the whole ma
chlnery Of legislation shall be blocked by
small body OF men. most OF whom belong to
one political party. and who represent no
body except themselves. From them has
the challenge COM. and in the name OF the
i nm tty Y. - haa III
1t in n firm aud unequvocal way. I'VE
feel II our duty" he said Ito state the in
disputable fact that the issue Is raised be-
tween a deliberative assembly elected by
the votes OF seven million men. and an as
sembly OF a very different kind. although 1t
includes some men Of virtue and talents
That controversy" he added. "once raised.
must go forward to its settlement" He
admitted that the present House OF Com
mons could not take IL upon itself to pass
judgment upon the matter. or be the final
Judge OF its own case. There was. he said.
a higher authority than the House OF Com
mons. namely. the authority OF the nation.
which must. In the last resort, decide. In
his judgment. the time had arrived to invite
this decision Of the people. and. when rom
dered. the Government would regard 1t AS
absolutely final. This means. that II. at an
election mainly turning on tho question OF
the powers to be exercised by the upper
chamber. the Liberals shall return ma
jority. the House OF Commons will immedi-
ately proceed. by resolution. to the ending
or mending Of the House Of Lords.
Men like the Duke OF DEvoSsHIRE foresee
that the House of Lords is doomed, the
moment that the question OF its existence
Is submitted to the constituencies, which.
since the last Reform act. practically in
clude the whole OF the toilng masses OF
Great Britain. The notion that an English
man dearly loves a lord Is largely tradi-
tional. and was always confined to the tuft-
hunting and shopkeeping middle class.
The operatives In mills. the miners In the
coal fields. the artisans In their workshops.
and the agricultural laborers detest the
hereditary legislators who have always
done their utmost TO thwart the struggle
for political emancipation and social amel-
ioration. and to cheat the people OF the ex-
pected fruits Of successive franchise re-
forms. What is now complained OF Is but
the latest chapter in an ancient tale OF
wrong. The recent insoent rejection of
legislation which had cost an unparalleled
amount of time and labor. is as Mr.. GLAD
STONE said. only the last drop Ia the cup OF
bitterness which the Lords have forced
upon the nation during the last sixty years
They have now filled up the measure Of
defiance O. the progress OF events: they
have carried beyond the limit OF endurance
their blind disregard Of their own insignlfi- |
cance and incOnRruity. in an essentially |
democratic system. Let the people once |
have chance To pass judgment on the |
Lords at the ballot box. aud so decisive |
will lie the utterance. that the only subject |
for amazement will be that an anomaly so |
as hereditary Legislators was |
suffered to exist so long.
To doubt the popular verdict on the issue |
proclaimed by Mr.. GLADSTONE. would be TO |
impeach common sense and calumniate hu-
man nature. II is not thinkable that seven |
millions Of freemen. having once gained the |
opportunity Of voting yes or no upon the |
question, will voluntarily paralyze their
own elective assembly by giving a power OF
review and veto to body II men whose only |
title To leGslate rests ON the accident OF
birth. and half of whom are VIGOROUSLY de-
iicient in character and intellect.