The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-21
WAR ON THE LORDS
BRITISH LIBERALS MEET AND CON-
DENIM THE HOUSE OF PEERS.
ROsebery Requested to Take Steps
to Abolish the Veto Power of the
Upper House of Parliament.

LEEDS, England. June 2o.-Two thou
sand delegates were present to-day in Al
bert Hall when Mr.. Spencer Watson called
the anti-lords conference to order. The
conference was organized by the National
Liberal Federation and a committee of that
body submitted the following resolutions:
"First-That the power now exercised by
measures passed by the representatives of
the present House of has been
systematieaily used to defeat reforms. is
self-government, and should cease to exist.
"Second-Thst the meeting cali upon the
government to introduce a measure for
the abolition of the Lords veto power, by
providing that whenever a bill passed by
the shall be altered or rejected
by the Lords the same bill may be reaf-
frmed by the Commons with or without
such alteration, be subject only to the
"Third-That the meeting assures the
government of the resolute support of the
party in any steps that may be deemed
great constitutional reform"
Contrary to expectations, few of the
delegates present were men of note. The
most prominent persons on the platform
were Chairman Watson. James Henry Dali
ziel. member of Parliament for the Kirk
caldy district OF Scotland; Sir Wilfred
Lawson, president of the United Kingdom
Alliance for the Suppression Of the Liquor
Traffic and member of Parliament for the
Cockermouth division of Cumberland; Mi
chael Davitt and Henry Labouchere.
During the course of his address at the
opening of the conference Mr.. Watson said
that the present position 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 gov
eminent itself was endangered. When once
the policy of the party towards the House
OF Lords was formulated there could be
battle must be fought out to the end, and
the end must be victory. Mr.. Watson then
moved the first resolution. Secretary Har-
ford. of the Society of Railway Servants,
in seconding the resolution, condemned the
House of Lords for it's attitude in regard
to labor questions.
the same subject, Delegate Barnard COM
planned that the racing and gambling pro-
pensities of the lords had not been men
toned. For the second resolution Mr.. La
bouchere moved a substitute declaring that
the Lords, being useless and dangerous.
ought to be abolished, and calling upon
the government to introduce a measure
for the abolition Of the House of Lords.
reception, and during the speech which he
made upon his substitute he declared that
self-government was a farce SO long as
Lawson, in seconding Mr.. Labouchere's
amendment, said that the members Of the
House of Lords were descended from the
the face of the earth. But" Sir Wilfred
continued. their teeth will be drawn and
they will be forever left sitting as repre-
sentatives of medieval monstrosity. They
are hereditary miscreants and ought to be
swept away"
Mr.. Labouchere's amendment was lost
by a large majority. The chairman an
amendments proposed, but the meeting de-
cided to vote on the original resol ltion,
which was carried with enthusiasm.