The Washington herald., 1906-11-30
TIRED OF The LORDS
BritOns DisapprOye Attitude
of Upper House.
ROW OVER EDUCATION BILL
Peerage Refuses to Concur in the
Measure Passed by Commons and
Result May BE Dissolution of Par
IIament-EngIish Lecturer Tells of
Condition of People in His Country.

IIament-EngIish Lecturer Tells of
Condition of People In His Country.
Baltimore. Nd. Nov. 29.-Sectarian in
structions in the public schools of Great
Britain have created a furore among the
people there, and so acute has the t;Ou-
bic become that il may end IN the disso-
luton OF Parliament and a call for a new
election in order that the people can pass
directly on the education question.
Legislation presumed 10 be satisfactory
to those objectlng to the present order Of
things has been approved by the House
Of Commons, but the House of Lords has
held the measure up. As a result, the
lords are feeling the full weight of pop
ular disapproval So pronounced is the
feeling shown that a demand is being
made for the total abolition Of the House
Of Lords This. Of course. would be a
radical measure, and. some think, one
that will be impossible to accomplish
without a revolution.
Parliament May BE Dissolved.
Lecturing at the Johns Hopkins Uni
versity on economic problems in Great
Britain IS Douglas Knoop, Of Owens Col
lege, Manchester, who is not looking Tor
any serious trouble as the result of the
fight over the education bill.
our people are conservative" he said.
UNLESS the trouble is adjusted # may
result in the dissolution Of Parliament
Nothing more radical Is 90 be expected.
In England" be continued, the pub
lie school buildings are often the prop
erty Of the Church OF England. The halls
in which public instruction is given were
built by the church on property that il
owned. Although these buildings We're
dedicated TO the use OF the public for
school purposes, the rector Of the church
nearby continues 10 take an interest in
the school. and naturally in the religious
instruction Of the pupils. Just as natur-
ally this instruction is sectarian to a GER
tain extent.
NOncOnformiNts object.
''Nonconformists. In which are in
cluded all Protestant denominations
other than those associated with the
Church Of England. made a vigorous
protest against these instructions
Catholics are not interested in the dis
pIte as they. as a rule. have schools
Of their own wherever they congregatt
in sufficient numbers TO maintain ar
educational institution.
THE present education bill went into
effect in 1902. Since then no oppor-
tuuity has been lost by the noncon.
formists for expressing their disap-
provaL often they have refused L
pay the school tax Tax sales followed
Whenever the aUctiOneer put I'm an ap-
pearauce for the purpose of selling
property TO meet the tax. the non
CcnfOrmists assembled TO make
demonstration. They assembled at these
sales in immense numbers. and voiced
their resentment against the education
laws. All wanted the schools and al
Were willing % pay the tax. It wa.
simply question Of eliminating th'
sectarian instruction and substituting
for them readings from the Bible
How Question Is Complicated.
This question went before the peo.
pie at the last election. InterwoveT
with it were several labor problems
and also the question of protection. AT
education bill was passed in the House
Various amendments were offered I,
the bill as it was originally submitted
Some Of these amendments were passed
by narrow margins. Sometimes tn,
Irish members voted for the amend.
ments, sometimes they voted against
them. When the bin came up for Z
final passage, however. II went through
by a majority Of nearly 200. I think
1T then went 10 the House OF Lords
where il was amended to such an exten
that the question Of sectarian instruction
was practically left IN the position II wa.
IN before the bill was introduced. Ii wa,
then the howl went Up. As so many is
sues were involved in the last election
/ the lords cOutended that IL was beyond
/ the ability OF any one to say that tn,
majority for the dominant party could h,
accepted as a demand for the change ir
Z the education law. They have stood thei
/ ground.
Threat That Was Effective.
/ In the Commons are about $50 mem
1 bers. while there is something over 500 il
/ the House of Lords. The members of tn,
Lords have this honor by virtue of heredi
/ ty. Back in 1882 there was a big fight
and the lords were threatened with tn,
/ creation Of additional peers to such
Eumber that they could be OutvOted Thl
! brought them around, as it was felt tina
/ the peers would become so common tha
! little honor would attach TO the dignity.
Now that the lords remain firm. tn,
education bill goes back TO the Common
/ for their concurrence Should the Com
mons refuse to recede from their position
and the lords continue 10 remain firm
( the only solution would be to call for
new election, where the people could pas
on the education bill without confusing i
with other issues. It would even then b
/ possible for the lords to remain firm
/ This was the stand they took when tn
/ threat YVES made Of the creation of addi
tiOual peers.
! 1T seems TO me that it would be a yer,
difficult matter 10 get rid OF the House o
/ Lords. as the members would be Gale,
upon to vote themselves out Of pOlitica
existence, and this can hardly be eXpecte'
Of them. II the people should vote for
change in the education law when 1t !
not confused with other questions, tn
lords wous6, I believe. vote for the bill
passed by the Commons.
THIRD PORTRAIT RECOVERED