New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-05
REFORM FROM WITHIN
lard Ncscton's Scheme for Mending
an Upper Chamber.
London. February %.

~ made agains: II from either side Of the
,orse II Is not easy TO rise above partisanship
a. England The Unionist lords can assert
,t., the Government ought not 10 have indi-
-o,+ assistance from the Opposition when it has
s.clsred war upon the hereditary chamber The
ynoral peers can withhold support on the
g-ound that the Prime Minister IS entitled 10
-,ooedence in proposing reforms for the restora-
.,oD ~ a balance Of power IN the one-sided
1907 house The Tory lords complain Of
~ surrender Of the stronghold of privilege as
.oon IS the fanfare of Radical trumpets IS
r.,rs before the walls. The suspicious support
-, NJ the Government can sheer at the gift
,.o-sng Greeks as insidious enemies. Lord New
,,,q biU instead Of rendering the upper cham
bsr nowerless VIII strengthen 1t and prolong
&c existence, and that IS not what progressive
Radicals are now hoping for. Yet Independent
ana broad minded members on either side, il
lsft 10 themselves would not find it difficult 70
Justify hearty support of the measure from
onnosite points Of view. II is a constructive
scheme OF reform. which the Government could
aaopt with sobriety Of judgment and practical
.aqacty II is also a workmanlike project for
orrning the upper house with increased author
,tv and responsibility and converting it into the
most efficient second chamber in the world
The reform scheme is designed 10 limit the
hereditary privileges Of the lords legislators.
7, provides that birth shall not by itself carry
a right 10 membership in the upper house.
Peers who have held high political. civil, naval
or military Office. or have been twice elected 10
he Commons before succeeding 10 their titles.
will have an unchalenged claim 10 seats. This
v,ouls establish an order Of merit by which the
state would command the service Of eXpe-
rieroed administrators. diplomats. generals. re-
tired Cabinet ministers and political leaders
Men Ike the Duke Of Deyonshire. Lord Rose
berry Lord Lansdowne, Lord Miner, Lord Sell
borne. Lord Roberts Lord Ripon, Lord Aber-
deem and the Duke OF Norfolk would be titled
legislators by virtue OF their training, knOwl-
edge and superior qualifications for public life.
Their associates would have a representative
character. All peers outside the order Of merit
could have the privilege OF electng one-fourth
~ their number as their representatives for
single Parliament The Crown would also have
The power OF appointing az discretion as many
as one hundred life peers. This would be a
broader application OF the principle embodied
81 a lill introduced by Lord Salisbury far
hack as 1883 and carried TO second reading.
The qualifications for re peerages would not
De defined, so that any government would be at
liberty 10 strengthen its forces IN the upper
house at pleasure. The Scottish and Irish meth
DDS of electing representative peers would be
assimilated 10 the English system OF life peer
ages so that there would be no unfair dis
oriminations. The number Of bishops in the
House Of Lords would be reduced Any peer
preferring TO stand for election 10 the lower
house would be enabled to do so by relinquish-
ing his right 10 membership In the upper house
either as a qualified or as a representative peer.
While Lord Newton is not q Heaven sent
statesman with an Incompatible gift fer con-
stitutional revision he IL sagacious and
thoughtful peer. who has brought forward ten
'atively a clear and wen digested scheme 81
reform There is nothing revolutionary IN II
The composition 0f the House of Lords has al
ways depended on royal prerogative. operating
under limitations. and the upper chamber can
he reformed by act Of Parliament as easily and
As certainly as the House OF Commons. The Sc
leciiFe principle Of delegatng to few lords
the authority possessed by the entire house
has been sanctioned in the creation OF a court
Of final judicial appeal What had been prior
10 1876 the nominal right Of all peers was made
The special privilege Of q small group having
Judicial experience. and the law lords alone
could he present at the trial Of appeals There
is perfect analogy between this process and
tAst 81 selecting larger group Of legislative
lords by order OF merit and by virtue of public
services az home or abroad. The same prece-
dent fits in with the election Of representative
lords for the term Of single Parliament The
creation Of life peers for England follows the
analogy % acts Of Parliament by which Scot |
iish and Irish peers have been chosen for life
i is not a startling innovation. but a normal 1
development Of powers Of self-developlnent i'm |
the British constitution Parliament has ex-
Guided the Irish bishops from seats in the upper |
house ana taken away the privilege from one !
English bishop and given it 10 another and by |
the same inherent right It can reduce The num- |
Der OF bishops now armed with the privileges I
"f lawmakers. An enabling act for relieving I
peers IRON service in the upper house if they /
prefer 10 SIT in the Commons comes well within 1
me seh-determining activities of Parliament /
LORD NeEton's scheme might be adopted in de- 1
iail and there would be only fresh illustration /
h the law Of accommodation 10 which the priv /
lesed classes owe the retention Of their co-or- /
dnate legislative rights.
lhe proposals do not differ essentially from /
NE plans for the reform Of the upper house ad- |
nooated by two former prime ministers-the |
tate Lord Salisbury and Lord Rosebery. Each |
o. these experienced statesmen recognized the |
necessity for restricting the hereditary element |
and for inparting TO legislative peers a repre- |
sentative character. Whether Lord Newton has
devised he best possible scheme may be |
oouoted, but he must be credited with practical 1
ABILITY in arranging the details in conformity !
with precedents and the convictions Of advanced /
lilhkers on each side of the upper house. If 1
Lord Rosebery were TO reinforce Lord Newton 1
IN debate, the subject would be lifted above the /
low levels Of craftsmanship; but there is no au- !
tnentie Information that he is prepared to leave
tAe retirement of the lonely furrow. Single 1
handed and without the support OF the leaders /
On the Government side or in the Opposition, /
Lord Newton can hardly expect TO carry so COM
n securing a second reading OF the bill. He Is 4
me second baron with title that was unknown 4
until 1852 and his experience is as meagre as 1
Dis personal authority among the great peers. \