New-York tribune., 1909-12-16
BRITISH ELECTIONS
Liberal Leade-ship-4 Demo
cratic ParliameRf-Forerasts.
Lon don. December 4.

lcnEe Tor scneFal @iecA'h. N1hout a
.ssn Of hesitation ar weakness he has
ss-,ined 70 enter into any Negotiations
= q rnodus Nivendi with the Lords on
s,ance. mas carried a remonstrance
.rslpst q breach 81 the constitution and
,,s,,rfsfion Of privilege by an eloquent
s,eorh IN the Commons and has brought
tbe democratic Parliament elected in
rsas a. an abrupt close. IL the Liberal
rartv needs strong. courageous leader
sbip-and nohooy can deny 1.-THE Prime
Asinister has commanded loyal support
frsn an sections and helped 20 cement
= .i=se coalition with the Labor group.
. f.as spoken wrsh authority. presented
,be constitutional Issue fOrcibly. united
ms followers. given the working people
s,naethinC new 10 talk about over their
luncheon pals and become the cham
Mon Of the representative chamber. In
snDesling 70 the country he warns the
electorate that the House Of Commons
V-u cease 10 be an independent assem-
blv. capable Of exercising its constitu-
.ionsl functions. IL il can be starved out
AZ supplies and dissolved by a titled oil
,sr-hv unaccountable 10 any cOnstitu-
sncv. He may be defeated in January
ap that issue; but at the worst there will
NJ a lost heritage "a be rsainea for the
Commons and for aggressive Liberalism,
s,a sooner or later he viii return 10
,oUer as the defender OF representative
institutions.
The democratic Parliament which has
heen brought TO an end has been the
most strenuous and industrious since
the great reform administration OF
1ssSs74 when Mr.. Gladstone exhausted
the energies Of the country by under
,aking SO many important measures IN
the course OF few years During four
wears Mr. Haldane's reorganization
scheme has been adopted for the army
and the territorial force has been Gre
sted. an imperial defence plan has been
carried. with the help Of q colonial con-
ference: Lord MOrley's reforms have
been introduced in India; the. Trans
vsal and Orange River Colony have re-
oeived constitutional government. and
the south African Union has been legal
lied. Ireland has obtained a university
biu and Z supplementary land act: the
trades disputes bin has been enacted;
tbe benefits OF accident insurance have
been granted 10 domestic servants;
miners have been allowed their eight
hour working day; old age pensions
have been sanctioned; anti-sNseating and
labor exchange measures have been
passed. Mr. Burns's housing and town
planting bin has been saved. and there
has been legislation on patents, the erea-
Ton of a public trustee. the childnen's
charter. criminal appeal. marriage with
deceased wife's sister. small holdings.
women's rig. 10 hold local Offices. and
other subjects. Few parliaments have
done 50 much work as the one prorogued
yesterday None has accomplished
larger results IA Industrial and social
reform.
Yet. astonishing as is this record of
legislative industry. seven important
Government bills have been killed by
the Lords during the last four years.
end three OF them-the education,
licensing ana finance bills Of this year
have engrossed the attention of Par
lament tor LONG periods. There nave
i.s. indeed. two education bills before
-he house and two additional Efforts to
fleet = comDromise of the religious
rueetion. and these three subjects have
been as exhaustively discussed as the
famous reform bil OF ISL
large portion OF the legislative time
5f thls Parliament has been wasted N
futI- discussion Of seven controversial
measures. which We're not. allowed 20
become laws. although the Government
had one ~ the largest msjorities IN the
Commons ever known in the annals d
representative government IN England.
THE standing grievance OF Liberalism
has been emphasized by the Govern
rnen-rs experience during these busy
wears. Its measures are hung up or de-
stroyed by the Lords without reference
10 the a.-loriry impaired 10 the repre-
sentative chamber by the general elec.
torare. whereas there has been no recent
instance OF the rejection OF a COnserva-
tive bin by The privileged chamber. In
these circumstances party government
becomes SO unfair and unequal as 10
be farcicaL
The coalition between Liberalism and
trade unionism has been steadily
maintained during the four years. Labor
and social measures were the safest
Government bills because the Lords old
not venture 10 throw them out There
vas prompt acQuiescence in the re-
vision OF the law Of combination. as IN
terpreted by the highest court. and thls
Was followed by old age pensions and q
series or social and industrial measures
in which organized labor was specially
interested Scotland, after returning 20
the LIBERAL fold, was rewarded with a
record of broken promises. MI. Glad
stones gallant little Wales" was forced
70 b. content with a single reading OF
the disesta blishment biz and per-
functory speech by the Prime Minister.
Ever pushful Ireland was more sue
oessfUl IN compelling the government
70 take up her grievances. educational
and agrarian. N0ncOnfOrmity utterly
sailed 20 command the removal OF the
ineguitles Of Mr.. BalfOur's education
act which has been kept in operation
with the help Of the Lords.
Trade uniOnism has received an
amazing return for the investment OF
the pennies and shillings Of organized
labor A sheaf OF labor measures has
bear ,r.,,-.-os .ra oaaa has beeu eOWn