New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-04
vou,6 abolish the Lords tomorrow and leave the


There ough. 10 be reform, The hereditary prin-
cipJe Is vicious The present constitution OF ne
House Is defective and dangerous. NO coup' IL
nus. bc reformed /; 1t Is 10 survive. WISE
statesman not under compulsiOn from an al III
patient party would seek to remove the deiects' 10
get rid OF the hereditary principle. or 10 mitigate
1t. and to introduce a preponderant elective eie-
ment into the second chamber. But THESE de-
fcc.s become comparatively inconsldcraole In Inc
rresenca Of such n revolution as l'rd NoS'ocIH
starts-a revolution the effect o. when woala De-
II successful. to leave Great Britain inc 0h'F
great Power in the world ruled oy single cha'h-
5er Great as are the evils OF hereditary second
chamber the evils Of single elective cnairoer
supreme over everything unchecked, ana inc
faci,e legislative instrument Of the impulse and
political caprices Of the moment. would be i'm
measurably greater.
The Tory supremacy In the Lords Of which
Lord Rosebery complains is accidental ana tenn
porary 1t Is the creation Of Mr. Gladstone not
til his time did the majority OF Peers range
themselves on the side Of Conservatism 10 meet
I. this accidental and temporary obstruction. he
enters upon a revolutionary movement which ne
himself describes as the most sweeping consti-
tu;.onal change attempted for goo wears There
Is no evidence that the people wish it. The
svishos It. Even that is uncertain. Their have
been five or six separate efforts within the last
fifteen months to arouse an agitation against
1.-The Lords All have failed. The country re-
mains apathetic II not hostile. But an organ
lied agitation with the Prime Minister at It's
head is thought likely 70 have better chances
and to offer the party its best hope OF success
at the next general election. Not only that but
It Is hoped in this way to keep together party
which is split into cliques Of crotcheteFs. each
clamoring for its own measure first. BY putting
the abolition Of the Lords first this struggle FOR
precedence is TO be soothed Such is the calcula-
ton; again say. purely party calculation.
do not think Lord Rosebery enters upon this
business with a light heart but he does it with
the appearance of light heart His speech
was perhaps as able as circumstances permitted
him TO deliver but il left both his supporters
and his opponents in some doubt now far he
was in earnest. He will proceed by a resolution
Of the House OF Commons, the terms or which ne
has not settled. or did not state. He sketched 1t
vaguely as q resolution affirming unmisiakably
that the House oe Commons is the predominant
partner In the legisla That unlucky phrase
is revived. Anybody might vote for a resolution in
those terms. When II is passed. there is TO he
a dissolution. and the people TO be invited TO
assen. 70 the resolution. Then. II is thought. the
Lords must give way and pass bill 10y which
they will commit political suicide Meantime all
sorts of mea sures which II is known the Lords
will not pass except in obedience 10 a distinct
expression Of the popular will. are 10 be rushed
through the House Of Commons, in order 10 be
rejected by the House Of Lords and 50 to IN
tensify popular discomfort with that BODY. II IS
calculated that anybody who wants any one
of these measures will vote for abol!shng the
Second Chamber or its veto" which comes to
the same thing, and the votes Of al the parti-
sans Of all these bills are to be counted as votes
In favor of abolition.
1t is an ingenious scheme the scheme OF
clever politician schooled in the arts Of the eau
Gus Whether it will succeed Is the question. II
will be carried in the House of Commons over
the head Of England. the predominant partner
as Lord Rosebery himself called her. by Irish
votes If a majority be obtained for 1t at the
next election that also is likely to be an Irish
majority. Nobody expects that England. by her
self or Great Britain, BY herself. will vote for
revolution Ireland is 10 turn the scale. ma
iority Of 5000 900 of people are 10 vote down
majority Of 30 100000
Already the English voice is beginning to be
heard on this subject. If England has TO choose
whether she will be governed by an Enghsn
House of Lords or by an Irish majority mar
shalled to the polls by Archbishop Walsh. II Is
not absolutely certain that she will prefer the
Archbishop even to Lord Salisbury. She VIII. to
say the least deliberate. There must be long
struggle the course and issue Of which no man
can foresee.
But what Lord Rosebery has done Is this: by
virtue of his prestige his high character, his po-
sition as Prime Minister and his authority as
adviser 10 the Crown. he has put the ancient
n Of
melting pot and he is going to trust partly to
luck, partly to machinery. to bring forth new
one in place of the old If he succeeds, IL will
be a catastrophe for Great Britain. II he fails. 1t
will be a catastrophe for him. policy winch
provides for catastrophe. whether it succeed
or fail is not the policy Of a statesman; or, since
Lord Rosebery is entitled to that name. OF a
statesman who considers the State only.
Lord Salisbury's speech at Edinburgh in re-
ply to Lord ROsebery was perhaps the best ne
has ever delivered. He has apparently aban-
doned his uncompromslng attitude on the ques-
ton of reforming the House Of Lords lie now
has an open mind that subject. Ee pre-
sented no scheme. however; for that there has
been no time since the Prime Minister put him.
self al the head Of that motley band OF fanatics,
doctrinaries and mere politicians, who are
s,orming against the Constitutions; but Lord
Salisbury dealt with the matter IN the hiosi
serious convinced and weighty manner. Pro-
posals for reform. II he Is really wise, will not
be long in coming.
There are courts in London. as was once re-
marked Of Berlin. and the London County Coun-
ell are likely 10 make that useful discovery at a
time when they mucn in need of some ee-
men,ary knowledge Of law and justice The
courts have granted a rule compelling the
Council to show cause why they should not re-
hear the Empire Theatre case and grant license
Internationally. Strange allegations are made
Ii Is alleged that members Of the Council. and
even of the Licensing Committee. were parties
to tine private conclave in which the raid against