The sun., 1894-05-05
Mr. Goldwin Smith on the House OF
Lords.

The most sensible and useful suggestions
that have been made concerning the refor-
nation oe the upper chamber OF the British
Parliament are put forward by Mr.. GOODWIN
Smith in the current number OF the Nine
teenh Cent,rU. Unlike Mr.. LABoUCHERE.
who would rpduco the House ~! Lords
almost to a either. Mr.. SMITH would like to
see 1t become us strong rs the United States
Senate: and he proposes two more or less
practical methods OF attaining. or ut least
approaching. the end which he has in view.
The members Of the second chamber might
be elected by the county councils. and
would thus be provided. he thinks. with
mandate equal In weight to that possessed
by members OF tho House OF Commons: or.
II It proved impossible TO carry out this
plan. the House OF Lords might reform
itself by resolution. passing self-denying
ordinance to the effect that only those peers
should vote who had acquired the respect
of the community by their services In pub
lie or high professional capacities.
We suppose that oil Americans who
appreciate our own system OF checks and
balances. will agree with Mr.. GOODWIN
Smith In thinking that no existing defect
In the unwritten Constitution Of the United
Kingdom Is SO uncomfortable as would be IN
uncontrolled House OF Commons. Yet there
Is. apparently. but ono way Of preventing
the usurpation of unlimited power by the
House OF Commons, and OF saving Parlia-
ment from becoming an organ OF revolution.
That way Of prevention Mr.. SMITH would
ind In SO terminating and strengthening
tho second chamber as to make IL once
more a fully coordinate branch OF the legis-
iature. and fitting 1t to become the bulwark
aud rallying point Of the rational conserva-
tism OF the country.
II is clear. however. that this can be done
only by adapting the House Of Lords to the
spirit and necessities Of the age. The day
OF the hereditary principle Is past all over
Europe 1t Is In state OF manifest and irrev-
ocaJls decadence. The public sense re-
volts against the rule OF men whose sole
claim TO their places Is that OF being tho
sous OF their fathers. Mr.. SMITH secs. also.
that personal scandals. although perhaps
not frequent. considering the large number
OF peers. are disastrous in their effect upon
tho minds OF tho people. Neither can 1t be
denied that the record OF the House OF Lords
has been for long time one Of indiscrimi-
nato resistance 70 changes demanded by
oiiiBheohcu ohu
as we'll as to political reforms. 1t is like
wise pointed out that the origin OF many
OF the peerages will not bear investiga-
tiou. and. finally. that SO much OF the au-
thority OF the Lords as rested on the pos
session OF hereditary estates has been to
large extent extinguished by the depression
of the landed Interest. The conclusion is
that. mended or ended the House OF Lords
certainly will be.
No exception will be taken by Americans
b. the next point made by Mr.. GOODWIN
SMITH. namely. that II the British second
chamber is to be mended. the mending
should he thorough. so as to make 1t sub
stantially equivalent to the American SEN
ate. possessing full powers OF initiation
Except In the case Of money billsl and OF
rejection and amendment. How can such
a change be effected? The easiest method
would be ths creation cf n large number OF
life peers. Air. SMITH's objections 10 this
course are that an invidious distinction
between the hereditary and the life men,
bers Of the chamber would be felt. and that
as often as the latter were defeated by the
former. the cry against hereditary legis-
lators would be renewed. IL would at all
events. be needful to reduce greatly the
number OF hereditary members. and 1t has
been proposed to do this by applying to the
English. as now Is applied to the Scotch and
Irish peerage, the plan OF electing repre-
sentative peers. But no one has shown how
this process OF election could be arranged
30 as to prevent all the representative peers
from being drawn from one political party.
This mode OF rec0nstructing the upper
House is. accordingly. rejected by Mr..
SAITH. and so Is the suggestion Of a nom
NATIVE Senate. which has been tried In the
British colonies aud has failed nOtoriously.
Theoretically. the capital object OF Great
ing a powerful second chamber would be
best promoted by placing such a chamber
on basis OF popular election. Mr.. SMITH
thinks that such basis presents itself In
the county councils. which thus far have
proved trustworthy. and whose character
would probably bs improved II the priv
ilege u sleetiRg to . branch OF the national