New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-03
MENDING THE LORDS.
Dir. Bryce's academic Proposals.
The PrecedentS.


London January 10.
How is the will of the British electorate to pre-
vail? When the Education bill was defeated by
Mr. Balfour with the help of the Lords. the
Prime Minister declared that the resources of the
Constitution had not been exhausted and a way
would be found for enabling the democracy to
govern the kingdom. This defiant outburst was
received by the Liberal, Labor and Nationalist
members with exultant shouts. 1t was the su-
preme moment OF the Liberal leaders career
when he committed himself without reserve, not
necessarily to an aggressive, but certainly TO
reform, campaign against the Lords. There has
been silence among ministers since that deciara-
ton of the rights of q representative democratic
chamber thrilled the Commons They have been
waiting for him 10 raise the signal and to lead
them in a triumphant invincible Onrush. There
has been some irresponsible invectlve against
the Lords at DR.. Cllffords meetings and at labor
assemblies; but ministers themselves have held
their peace and enjoyed quiet holiday. Mr.
Lloyd-George is as brave fighter as there Is
among Them and he has not gone further in
addressing the Carnarvon Liberals than to warn
them that If they find the government manou-
wiring their artillery into position for leading an
attack on the Lords they must send to the
guard room any Welshman worrying them into
attending 10 anything else" Mr.. AsQuith. Mr..
HaIdane Mr.. Morley and Mr.. Birreu have not
allowed themselves to be drawn into any pout-
zeal ambuscade.
Mr. Bryce in his last words TO his faithful
supporters at Aberdeen took advantage Of the
privileges of @ retiring veteran He did not
make q premature revelation OF the Primo Min
listers purposes or tactics, but he discussed in
the academic manner which is natural to the
scholar IN politics the relations of the two houses
and the intolerable anomaly of irresponsible
Sfno ma YriIy.
uega He admitted that the public had become
so accustomed to thinking Of the Lords as a
partisan body out OF touch with popular senti-
ment that any other kind OF second chamber
could not be easily imagined. Yet the problem
was one which the Liberal party would have to
take up, and unless the Lords were TO be abol-
ished altogether there were only two practical
methods OF working out a solutions one by re-
stricting the upper chambers privilege OF
amending and rejecting bills, and the other by
changing its structure well as reducing its
powers Mr.. Bryce not dogmatio, but he
could have left no doubt in the minds OF his
auditors respecting the method which he pre-
ferred. He evidently considers II necessary to
retain the Lords revising chamber, but he
wishes to impart moral weight 70 IL by improv-
ing the quality OF it's membership and by having
all parties fairly represented In It Mending
instead OF ending It, he would enable 1t to exert
with those Of the Commons, which would re-
main ultimately supreme. So enlightened an
organ of Liberalism as THE Manchester Guard
ian" at once touches the vulnerable point OF the
proposals when st says: 1.-THE standing dilemma
of reforTners is between a second chamber which
is not good individual enough TO Justify its
existence and one that is too good to Justify the
unconditional supremacy Of the House OF Com
mons except after direct referendum. toward
which Mr. Bryce feels rather shy"
The great advantage which the Prime Minister
has IN taking up this question is the practical
demonstration at the close OF the last session
that the discredited leader OF feeble opposition
controls the educational system with the help Of
the Lords The country by overwhelming
majority commissioned the Prime Minister to
revise and reform Ar. Balfour's act. The will of
the Opposition leader has prevailed The reform
bin has been thrown out and the Balfour act has
been kept in operation when experience has
shown that It Is impracticable TO administer II.
The Lords privilege OF amending bills may be
what II may but certainly the electorate did not
put Mr. BaIfour with a beggarly remnant Of his
party in opposition 10 save his own Education
act with the assistance Of the Lords. The de-
clared will Of the people has been overruled by
what Mr.. Bryce calls "a superannuated relic
from the feudal constitution Of the Middle Ages
and the result IS "a grotesque anomaly in an
| otherwise popular government" The necessity
| for q adjustment of the relations OF the two
houses IS TOO obvious TO require argument The
leader Of the Opposition has established a prima
| facie case for the reform of the Lords, and for
| the Prime Minister IT can only be question of
WAYS and means for effecting requisite changes
/ in accordance with precedents
So far as the educational reforms are con-
| cerned it ought not 10 be more difficult for the
government to carry out its main objects and to
| assert the supremacy OF the Commons than II
| was for Mr.. Gladstone to repeal the paper duties
| and to abolish army purchase, when adverse
votes of the Lords were superseded The grew
! ances Of Free Churchmen without doubt can be
| removed by a financial bill which the Lords can
| not veto. The larger question Of making over
| the upper house into non-partisan revising
chamber will be a more deliberate undertaking.
| There are, too clearly defined lines Of precedent
| for it. and in England any reform is half accom-
p!ished when there are presidents for it. One Is
| the Appellate Jurisdiction act Of 1875 by which
the House of Lords was remOdelled as final
| Court Of Appeal The selection of a hxed num-
| her Of legislative Lords representing the main
| political parties Will follow the analogy OF tIle
| law Lords who exercise judicial functions for
! naerly performed by the whole body OF peers
| The presumed legal capacity for one class OF
/ work can be matched by a similar qualification
| for legislative business without derogatnB from
| the privileges of the peerage as a body There Is
| moreover a line of precedents showing that the
! Crown and Parliament can regulate and remodel
| the composition OF the House OF Lords. Not only
! are Lords of Appeal in Ordinary created Dy stdt-
! ,ta but also bv acts of Parliament have the
! hishops retained or lost their seats, the Irish
! bishops been excluded and representative peers
! OF ireland and Scotland been seated Tor me-
! Here are the presidents for selecting picked
/ -, NJ ovDerIenced statesmen and adminiStra-