Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-11-22
LORD MAYORS $
 LIMITED DOMAIN

Washin9ton. Nov. 24-A new lord
 mayor of London, Sir William Ire
 loar has just been inaugurated with
 tremendous ceremony, and the time
 honored pageant which has occurred metropolis for zoo years. There Is good deal of criticism among practi- cal people concerning the perpetuatlon
 of these pageantS which cost lot
 of money, but the .'liyeried com
 panies" as the guilds of the mef- chants are called, would not abandon
 them any more than they would deny
 their brthri9ht. The mayor of Lon paratiyely small city, with only few
 thousand voters. The day population is nearly a million; the night popula , ton about 26.o0e, and hsi jurisdiction extends only a little way above St. Paul's cathedral and over a mile square in the heart of the metropolis,
  by theh county council.
 The earliest mention of a mayor in the records of London appears in writ issued by King Henry II in 1154, but the history of that office begins i'll the reign ot Richard l, in 11S9. when Henry Fitz-E,ylwin was made lord mayor by the king and continued as such to the end of his life. In 1193 the mayor appears as the cu~todian of King Richards ransom.
 Up to 1215 the mayor was appoint ed by the crown. but in that year King John granted the citizens the right to choose their own ruler, and the election has taken place annually eve: since on St Michaelmas day, one of the members of the board of aldermen being voted for by his colleagues. There has not been d contest for many years. The members of the board of aldermen who are elected for life. take their turns and the senior in length of service. who has not already pass ed the chair is selected. London aldermen are elected for life, an ar engagement that would be source of great qualification to the present in cumbents of that office in New York, Chicago and other cities if the GUS tom could be introduced here. But the property qualification might bal them out No man is eligible for al delman in London unless he is worth | S3o,o0o in taxable property. and Whel elected is compelled to serve or pay a fine of $2.500. If a lord maNor-elec
 refuse to serve he is fined 5000. Al alderman receives no salary or pea. auiSites of any kind and his dutie!
 and responsibilities are a consider
 able tax upon his purse. Therefore
 no poor man can assume them. Th,
 lord mayor receives salary eff $1o. 000 q year. although he has only 26, oto constituents. but he is required fl spend nearly all of that money fo charity, and for social and ceremonial functions. and in maintainiuG ih mansion house. which is rent-frce bu ! costs a great deal to keep up, An al defman has the title of @worshipful l until h. has been mayor, when he l always addressed as the riehr Wol sbiptul Sir John Doe
 l Ali free men. hat is. all property ] holders a the city of London. hay
 the right 10 vote There are twenty ' fix wards and twenty-five aldermen and the elections are conducted ! ballot although they oeca very il I reqUvu5T. Before an alderman ca \ ta his sea he must he approved l & lis future colleagues. should | Il electors of any ward return d perse Mhe is determined to be unfit to suI port the dignity and djscharge the dI \ lies of the office, the other aldermt \ may reject him and a new candida \ must be elected. If three candidat < are rejected in succession the boat \ of aldermen have the right to sele
 a proper man to fill the office.
 S In carly times aldermen had 90
 of proprietary right over their wa
 as the dukes and earls have over the & counties, and in the history of the q & of London We find r,4sance to |, & Ward of Ludgate, the 4ard ot Ne'