The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-12-16
EACH VOTE CAST IN
ENGLISH ELECTION
WORTH 81
Great Taxation Campaign IL Now IN
Full swing-Libersl Party Seeks
To Abolish House Of Lords,
=. Which Has els Peers.
How They Hold a National Election
British Constitution Recog-
m nizes No Parties

LONDON. Dec. 16.-England is now
ia a state OF tremendous excitement
overthe national election 10 be held
IN January. Although no nominations
have been made, the campaign Is
nevertheless seethibg hot
English elections are very different
from elections In America, tarlia
} men;s arc elected for terms oi seven
years, but seldom serve out the full
terms. Some issue generally arises
upon which the--administration either
( wishes or Is forced Ia take releren-
DUN. and the only way 20 take one Is
by the cabinets resignation rarlia-
ment's dissolution and national cleo
1 ton.
Not counting what the candidates
spend, an election costs England about
81 per vote. In 1906 the bill was So
! 1885. aud only 5.6+5l04 people out
/ OF a total electorate OF ,264 COS voted.
Thiswas for the issuance Of Wits. the
printing OF voters lists and OF ballot
papers. the rental OF polling booths
and other incidentals. The candidates
1 themselves have 70 pay the polling Of
fcers' fees and the party organizations
.
ture and speakers expenses So the
total cost must he between $4,000 200
ard sl2 000. 900
English ballots are not divided into
party tickets. TIE names Of the can
didates are simply printed ia alphabet
teal order. and the voter must make
his choice. The party organizations.
which have been Worrying his ife~out
~ IL ~
orv 10 tell him who is his party can.
didate. The reason for this Is that
tho British constitution recognizes no
parties
IN the house OF lords which The Eng
lisr Liberal -partr wants 20 abolish
ASA he retttary -iegts'ar tve body. 6lS
peers sre-eut4tled To seats Three Of
them are princes of the royal blood
5i5 are lesser English noblemen 26
arc bishops and -archhishops. and is
and IS -respectiyelx are Scotch and
Irish peers The English members are
strictly herltary legislators the eccle-
siastics hold office for life by virtue OF
their appointments 10 their church po-
sitiOrs. and the Scotch and Irish no
bI'Ities elect their representatives
from uniurg themselves-thn former
from session 60 session. sud IRE latter
for life. The lords sit under The presi-
denoy. OF tho lord chancellor who is
not 10 be confused with the chancellor
Of the exchequer.
The house OF commons consists OF
$40 members II elects IS own
speaker. and though each parliament
goes through the form of choosing IFS
own. once elected. the speaker is on
titled by precedent 10 hold Office for
life. There is the theoretical n1sSibii-
ity that he might IN defeated a. me
pohs when e. nov. parliament IS elect
ed, but. as a matter of fact "a Is mat
ter Of political courtesy 20 run M
candidate against him To is not on
titled TO .yote eXcert tQ-set'lr ties
and is supposed. whatever his views
before election. 10 be strictly non-par-
tsan as soon as he takes the chair
He receives . salary ~ So 600 yearly
and the use ~ a~tiandnme ~ idence.
and takes precedence ofFriai'' over
everyone in England below p" rank ~
peer.
The. American one. H.au Hue vote
rule does not prevail In EuGland IN
Individual who lives il oRe dis'giCr
and has business interests in e do7cn
others Is entitled 20 vote In all flil-
teen. As most persons iderffcl vi G
. large number Of vested interests are
Conservatives this arraugcmcr' works
20 tho advantage ~ 'hc Conservative
party. Tho Liberals have repeated,
trlcG 60 put sn end w " hur fi'o Ceu-
sorvatiYes IN the house 90 lords have
always chcCkmated them
Members OF parliament receive uo
salaries. though tho Irish parts aud
several bis labor organizations. whose
representatives cannot afford 20 -orJ p
for nothing. receive annual allowances
vOllntarilv MADE bv their con iiilants
Members OF the cabinr can be
chosen only from -qr1uuz rlc -tent,ers
OF the house Of lord, or rhC house ~
commons. 90 Fhis IS alwat S cas; 20 ar
range, however. as a "safa clu.titl-
enc,s.iS, always. found bv the leaders az
The dominant party for anyone 70
whom they wish 10 give portfolio.
The premier. who IS alvaFs the Load
or Of tho party IN power. receives u,
salary As h. is often a poor maa
and must be- provided for if +. cue-
tomary for him to take TWO cabiaot
possible premiership ana auoflcr
one 20 which a salary is attached This
Is usually tho post ~ first lord of The
treasury -WaleA involves no work and
pays SIS. 900 ycarlr