The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-27
Weeks Gossip ofLondor.
iIWnE EIlIIHlEE EEamITTI TIlRmHH8 WHElIHm
BY W.. HAMFLToN RHODES.

BY w., HAMILTON RHODES.
 London, Dec. 26--Various proposals have from time to time been made with a view to reform of the constitution of the House of Lords. but the report of the Select Committee recently pre- sented embodies the first scheme that has come before the House and the country as the result of mature delib- eration by body of Peers who may be fairly regarded as representative or the opinion of the House at large. It is true that the Government declined the attempt to modernize and strength en the House of Lords, and il. is matter for regret that the Lord Chancellor, Lord Crewe and Lord Morley did not take part in the deliberation of the committee. Still. 1t cannot be saiu that the Liberal party was not tolef-- ably represented in body which con tained Lord Selly, Lord Courtney or
 Penwith, and Lord Ribblesdale. and which had for it's chairman Lord Rose bery, whose directing hand may De traced on every page of the report.
 This committee was appointed upon the failure of Lord Newtons Blil last year. and 1t is no small tribute 10 uie perspicacity of that indefatigable ad- vocate of reform that the recommenda- tions of the committee bear a very close resemblance to the provisions or tbe nrovfsions of his Bill. It Is inter- esting to note that what may pc cait- ed the main principle or the scneHne now formulated-the limitation ot the hereditary right to legtslate--cairaI.le tta asSe1+ of the whole committed witb the solitary exception of Lord IJaIsburv. The fact goes far to snow that the subject is regarded by the paars from a public standpoint. ana that they are unduly biased by the preiudices supposed to belong 10 tnelE class. The delegation of the powers oF inc peerage to elected representa- lives was accepted by all sections or tba committee. but there were at nrst dieferences of view as to the other ete- ,asnts to be added to the representa- 1 five neers. Eventually, however. the uost liberal of these opinions WaS l adopted by the committee, wnlch pro l ceeded upon the view or those who' while accepting the inclusion oE aele oates from the hereditary peeraSe. anu
 oossibIv of representatives from with 1 oi,t. were strongly of opinloh undt | oHsliAcation should be the main test | Sor Admission to the reformed House l of Lords, holding that the pest eueI- | antee for the satisfactory per otIiIa nv
 of legislative duties l2y m Ihe t, eNne1 ter | fence of affairs derived from tme 'eii- %
 ,re of high and responsible oIhee' or sror active service in public life.
 Principle of Reform,
 The aim is to bring into tho House se
 of Lords as many men as posslnie WHO l nave proved themselves wise ana cap
 abie leaders of men, and to secure
 tbroueb the representative peers that
 continuity of tradition and that posit- | ion within the Constitution which are | axceedfngly difficult to secure for i completely novel creation. It is pro, nnsed accordingly that 200 peers shall
 he chosen by the whole body of Peers whether of England, Ireland seotlaha' | or fine limited Kingdom, to represent l them in the House of Lords. It is sug- | rested that the election should be by a
 sort of cumulative vote, each heredit- l are representatives. and being at 1ib- | erty to divide them as he pleases. It ! fs not believed that the arrangement l would lead to the party wirepullins | which was suggested as 8 possible ob- lection. These representative peers
 would sit for the duration of ParIia-
 msnt, not for life; so that there would