Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-02-16
Down Go the Lords.

1UDNDuN, l. GU lOs L llptt hlt h'Hb
signs that the country is on the eve Of
grave constitutional crisis. The ques
ton of abo'ishing the house Of lords
has become acute, and it now depends
upon the ac ion of the cabinet meeting
to be held on Tuesday whether or not
the continuance of the upper house shall
be discussed in the first plank of the
national liberal federation's platform.
Mr.. Gladstone is unwilling to lead
campaign against the peers, vet he may
be forced to it by a combination of the
ministers insisting upon the necessity of
the issue. There IS 40 doubt that in
the cabinet many favor summary modes
of dealing with the lords, Campbell
Bannerman, secretary of state for war,
said in a speech last evening at New
castle that the question was whether
free self governing community or body
of irresponsible peers ought to prevail.
Professor Bryce. chancellor of the Duchy
of Lancaster, said to liberal meeting
in Liverpool:
of he hous of lords will force the
conflict we must clear away the bar on
which so many vessels freighted with
useful Legislation have been wrecked"
Sir Charles Russell, attorney general,
in addressing the liberals of Wesbach,
SAID;
"rhe question now is whether the
lords, sitting by accident of birth. can
be allowed to mango an act passed by
the chosen representatives. OF the
people"
These extracts f.om speeches of the
most conspicuous liberals show which
way the wind blows Instead of home
rule, the abolition Of the house of Dlds
is taking first place among the questions
of the dav.
The peers themselves, judged from
unusually industrious attendance on
parliamentary sittings, seem to have the
cons 3iousness that their situation is pre-
carious On all votes they now turn out
200 strong against the government. b.
The programme that finds much favor
among radicals Just now is for the
ministers bluntly to accept he peers
amendments to either the parish councils
bill or employers liability bill, and in
troduce bill to abolish the upper house
by abolishing the system of hereditary
Legislators On the strength of this
action, radicals say .he cabinet should
then appeal to the country One
obstacle to this course is Mr.. Gladstone's
invincible attachment to the hereditary
upper house; another is the premier's
strong desire to see the home rule bill
kept in the foreground of liberal legisla-
ton. Despite his influence, however,
the time Is ripenlng for the abolition OF
the upper no, Sc in Its present form II
the wire.pullers of the national fedora
ton have free hand, the agitation
against the peers will become the lead
ing question of the hour.
Mr.. aud Mrs, Gladstone have retu ned
from their visit to Biarritz. They
arrived at Charing Cross station at 6:l5
this evening. News Of their coming had
spread and an enormous crowd had
gathered at the station to welcome the
prime minister. Wheu be appeared he
was gree ed with heary cheers by the
C OVID. Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone were
; met inside the ststior by Sir Algernon
West and number Of private friends
A carriage was in waiting, and Mr.. Glad
stone and his wife were at once driven to
I. their official residence in downing street.