The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-26
fight ON BETWEEN
PEERS AND PEOPLE
Result May Destroy Precedent
of Past; May Produce En-
tireIy New Situation.
1T MAY DETHR0NE POWERS;
MAY CAUSE UPHEAVAL
No Such Political Battle Has
Ever Been Waged in the
United Kingdom.
BY LADY HENRY SOMERSET.
peclal Cable to The Tribune.

BY LADY HENRY SOMERSET.
Special Cable to The Tribune.
LONDON. Dec, 25.-lt is impossible to
talk long on any question these days
without reverting to that subject which
still claims our thoughts, namely, the
struggle that is TO come about so short
ly between the peers and the people,
In England we travel so quickly along
a given way that YOU are apt to forget
that a sharp turning may be imminent,
and when II suddenly comes we realize
that we are being diverted from the old
track and hurried along an entirely new
route. and changes sucn as these in other
countries spell revolution. but here they
come naturally in the order of events.
This change may bring about n great po
litical struggle. bat II is not called by
big names. 1t may destroy the prece-
dent of the past, IL may cause n great
social upheava, hut wuen it comes II is
faced as anything and everything except
n revolution.
Is Fierce Struggle,
No struggle the like OF that which lies
since the Commonwealth. II Is great
decisive battle between the aristocracy
and the democracy. 1t cannot be said,
however. that our aristocratic champions
have shown wisdom IN the fight The
children OF the people have certainly. in
their generation. been wiser than their
senseless prophecies have been. much TO
the regret OF their party leaders. hurled
from the platforms on which peers have
spoken.
1t is we'll, however. from time to time
10 go 10 concrete instances in order To
prove whether the possession OF great
estates and vast wealth. really ministers
To the welfare OF the people. Not long
ago. when Mr.. John Burns introduced
the Town planning bill before the house
OF lords the Northumberiand said that
0I
urgent matter" and he added. LIT is
much more important that owners should
be safely guarded, T., in The possession OF
many OF the lords is a matter OF marvel.
Perhaps IL is not so strange when one
realizes that they are for the most part
and who. therefore. when they utter as
founding statements like that we have
quoted, are not aware how strangely 1t
sounds In ears that have been taught TO
hear,
Would Be Razed in Day.
Those who have visited Alnwick will
remember the magnificent castle gates.
which rise and hold with a SORT of
that clusters at it's feet a grey wal!
many miles in length encircles the do
main Ike a sirdle. and over the great
gateway stand the figures OF the men
in armor which remind one that the
House OF Northumberland has been the
proud possessor Of its lands and domain
which shields the pr!ncely park from
vulgar eyes lie the cottages, the pro
vision of which is not urgent" so the
duke says, but the existence. OF which
would be swept of the face OF the earth
In the day when the dukes are no longer
the first care of the English people
Official Language Used.
When you feel very strongly about
fair account. and therefore II is best to
use the official language OF one OF those
whose duty II was TO visit and TO report
upon these dwellings, a short time ago.
Leading from the main streets hidden
awav beyond narrow, covered passages.
IS an amount Of old, damp. dilapidated.
unventlated and overcrowded property;
the existence OF which no one would
think possible from a cursory inspection
OF the main thoroughfares. | have made
thorough inspection OF these yards. and
have been into each separate room OF
a great number, OF the houses. They
are not ell in an equally bad condition,
hut without minutely describing The de-
fects OF each scriatim. ] may say that
for the most part they are entered from
the main street by n covered passage.
about twenty TO thirty feet long by four
confined passage are entrances into tene.
mented property, at the further end
Of the passage is. rs rule, row OF
similar property on one side. and row
of out-offices on the other The end fur
thest from the main street Is frequently
closed in by houses or other buildings.
out, or a cart road extending part of
the way. There IS frequently one door
and staircase for all the tenants OF each
house. windows on one side of the house
only l. e. next the yard. and these
are In many cases either not made TO
open or are too rotten 10 be disturbed.
Speaking generally. each room Is occu-
pied by :. separate family. thus causing
all the evils due 20 orcrcrowdlng. The
upstair ceilings md walls are in many
Instances wet from defects In the roof"
Conditions Are Awful.
The preservation OF the rights OF the
great castle within the walls is of more
Importance than the conditions of the
families who live outside. The duke says
this sincerely, and believes H. What are
the conditiors7 The tenements have
feet inches. They are damp and in
bad repair. The two rooms arc occu
pied by man and his wife and eleven
children The eldest Is q years OF age.
The water supply is shared by four
families. The second house has rooms
OF about the game calibcr II is occu-
pied By man and his wife and nine
dark. owing 20 It facing the house out
side. which is only five feet aWay
The next tenement is occupied by a
man and his wife and two children in
two rooms. One OF the rooms was so
damp that IL could not be used for tina
reason; so the man worked at night ard
slept during the day in the only habit
able room. The rents OF these places
run as follows: For one room. one shil-
ling and nlnepence weekly for two
rooms. two shiilings and nlnepence TO
throe shillings.
Now. these slums are not owned by
the Duke of Northumberland He does
No ho md t,,1,i ,ick-