The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-06-20
DOWN WITH THE LORDS.

The Movement Takes ON Activity nc n Big
Public Meeting.
LEEDS, Eng, June 2O-Two thousand
delegates were present today in Albert
Hall, when Mr.. Spence Watson called
the anti-lords conference to order.
The conference was organized by the
national Liberal federation and a commit
tee of that body submitted the following
resolutions:
First-That the power now exercised
by the house of lords 10
mutilate and reject measures passed
by the representatives of the
ople int he house of commons has
been systematically used to defeat re-
forms, is inconsistent with the right OF
free popular self government and should
cease to exist
Second-That the meeting call upon
the government to introduce a measure
for the abolition of the lords veto power
by providing that whenever a bill passed
by the commons shall be altered or re-
jected by the lords, the same bill may
be reafirmed by the commons, with or
without such alteration, be subject to
the royal assent, and thereupOn become
law.
Third-That the meeting assures the
government the resolute support of the
party in any steps that may be deemed
necessary to enforce the passage of this
constitutional reform.
Contrary to expectations, few of the
delegates present were men of note.
The most prominent persons on the plat
form were Chairman Watson, James
Henry Dalziel, mem Der of parliament
for the Kirkaldy district of Scotland; Sir
Wilfred Lawson, president of the Uni
ted Kingdom Alliance for the suppress
sion of the liquor traffic and member OF
parliament for the Cockermouth divis-
ion of Cumberland; Michael Davitt and
Henry LabOuchere.
ho Of io OBJ Of ha
opening of the conference, Mr.. Watson
said that the present condition of affairs
was unbearable. The time for action
upon the part of the Liberal party had
come. There must be a definite policy,
because the government himself was en-
dangered. When once the policy of the
party towards the house OF lords was
formulated, there could be neither
wavering nor compromise. The battle
must be fought out to the end and the
end must be very determined.
Mr.. Watson then moved the first reso-
luton, that the power now exercised by
the house of lords to mutilate and re-
ject measures passed by the representa-
tues of the people in the house of COM
mons has been Systematically used to de-
feat reforms, is inconsistent with the
rights of free popular self government
end should cease to exist
Secretary Hartford of the Society of
Railway Servants in seconding the reso-
luton condemned the house of lords for
its attitude in regard to labor questions
After other speeches had been made
on the same subject, delegate Barnard
complained that the racing and gambling
propensities of the lords had not been
mentioned in the resolution. The reso-
luton was then adopted as proposed.
For the second resolution Mr.. La.
bOuchere moved a substitute declaring
that the lords being useless and danger
GUS ought to be abolished and calling
upon the government to introduce a
measure for the abolition of the house of
lords.
Mr.. Labouchere met with an enthusiast
tic reception and during the speech
which he made upon his substitute, he
declared that elf-government was a
farce SO long as hereditary Legislators
existed.