New-York tribune., 1907-06-25
MOVE AGAINST LORDS.
THE PREMIER'S ATTACK.
A Demand for Supremacy of Rep
reSentatiUe Institutions.

London, June 24.-Sir Henry CampbelI-Ban-
herman. the Premier. to-day moved his resolu-
tion curtailing the power of the House Of
Lords before the largest house of the session
The galleries also were crowded. those present
in that part Of the house including many peers
who were anxious to observe the beginning of
the attempt TO reducs their power to control
legislation. The resolution was as follows:
That IN order to give effect to the will of the
people as expressed by their elected representa-
tiveS IT is necessary that the power OF the other
House 10 alter or reject bills passed by this House
should pe SO restricted by law as TO secure that
within the limits Of a single parliament the final
decision OF the House Of Commons shall prevail
Replying TO a question, the Premier said II
was not proposed that the resolution dealing
with the House OF Lords should be moved in
the upper house after its discussion IN the House
Of Commons had been completed He empha-
sized the fact that the resolution embodied the
principle Of the supremacy of the House of Com
mons, and said that IN adopting this course they
were following certain historic precedents. The
resolution itself, even If carried, would not have
the effect Of law or procure the desired results.
Dill would be necessary, and the government
would exercise its discretion to when It should
be introduced. His majesty's ministers now
only desired TO test the opinion of the House and
make sure they had the Commons behind them.
They held the view that the Commons alone
were authorized TO express the country's senti-
--io-497' ne sd4u mat IIle only course open was
10 recognize ungrudgingy the constitutional
authority which rested in the lower house
Amid loud ministerial cheers, the Premier
protested that If this authority should be
usurped by a nop-elected house it followed that
representative institutions must take a sec
ondary fplace The government proposed that
provision should be made for conferences be-
tween the House OF Commons and the House OF
Lords where differences arose over a bill. If
no agreement were reached the bill should be
again introduced and sent TO the House Of Lords
with a declaration that should second confer
ence fail 10 result in an agreement the Commons
would pass the bill over the heads Of the Lords.
The Premier added that the present govern
ment believed that the reduction of the period
OF existence Of parliament TO five years would
effectively prevent 'an effete government which
had lost the country's confidence from forcing
through unpopular and improper measures"
"A j. Balfour, the Opposition leader, opposed
the resolution and defended the House Of Lords.
He admitted that the House of Commons was
the constitutional, dominant partner, but said
that even If they abolished the House of Lords
the country would insist on a substitute
Other leading members of the House took part
in the long debate.
The House then adjourned. The debate is ex-
pected TO last three days. In a general way the
Liberal comment on the governments plan as
heard in the lobbies, is not too favorable. on
the ground that the proposed conferences be-
tween the two houses would entail too great a
delay, the whole life of Parliament being ex-
pended upon a single contentious measure. Al
together, the proposal is considered too COM
plicated, and not sufficiently drastic from Lib
eral and Radical point OF view. The Conserv-
atives describe the plan as absurd and clumsy.