New-York tribune., 1909-12-13
THE LORDS COUE
Last Muster of an Unreformed
House.
I.nndnn- Novern

TO-nights coup d'etdt IN the giidet
chamber may be neither a blunder nor a
crime. but without doubt ID is the las,
muster OF the unreformed HOUSE Of
Lords on an occasion Of supreme I'M
portahce Let the general elections q,
as they may. the privileged chamber VIII
be set in order. If the suspension OF ths
finance bill be resented by the country
and the Liberal government returns Q,
Westminster with a substantial major
ity the legislative powers Of the Lord,
Will be materially reduced. the suprerr-
scy % the Commons established and N,
existing block on the activities Of IN.
representative chamber removed.
II the Tariff Reformers carry the .irc-
tionS one OF their earliest works after
the introduction OF a new finance sys-
tenn will be a rearrangemsnt of the priv
ileged House so as 20 make u more pre-
sentabIe. efficient and Representative
Reform may come from without or from
within. and IL may be brought about IN
d hostile or in a sympathetic spirit. bur
II Is Inevitable. Fhe old constitutional
order passed away when the Lords held
up the budget. forced a dissolution OF
Parliament by power over the purss and
placed the government on IT'S derenc. be-
fore the country. With the new order
there will be another House OF Lords.
either greatly impaired In political
authority or reconstructed and decorated
with the insignia OF merit IN place o.
heredity.
What Conservatives are saying IN ttlsts-
ication OF the unprecedented course os
the Lords IS that relatively they ara
stronger and the Commons weaker than
they were in 1892. In that momentous
struggle, when the reform bill was
thrown out three times and finally ac-
cepted under menace OF a large creation
OF peers. the Lords were titled land
holders. governing the country by virtus
of hereditary privilege and controlling
the election and action OF thu Common,
by means OF pocket boroughs and cor
rupt patronage. The Lords were show
ing indisputable evidence OF exhaustion
and degeneracy. whereas the Commons
were already invigorated with fresh
blood from the middle and commercial
classes and revealing superiority IN en-
cheney and practical intelligencs.
In the course OF two generations thers
has been a marked change IN the rela-
tions OF the two houses. The Lords have
profited By the peerages conferred FOR
eminent public services to the state and
for political rewards. The basis OF tbs
upper house has been broadened from
heredity to successful conduct OF public
affairs and practical ability I'm amassins
private fortunes and conducting busi-
ness enterprises. 1t is not the hereditary
strain so much as the infusion of fresh
blood that makes the House of Lords
what il Is. especially when a consider
able proportion of the titles are creations
of the Victorian and the present reigns.
The remarkable debate on the finance
bill has suficed TO disclose the courage
and intellectual ability. II not the inds-
pendence of mind. of the Lords on high
plane OF action.
The corresponding point claimed BY
the Conservatives Is more controversial
They assert that the Commons have
steadily declined in character. debating
power. dignity and practical efficiency.
This is. OF course. an Indictment of de-
mocracy which triumphed in the general
elections OF 1905. There was nothing
less than social revolution when cotton
spinners and millhands defeated Tory
squires and the sons OF earls. and men
who had started life as printers. navvies.
railway guards. stonemasons. miners,
carpenters. sailors and newsboys were
sent 10 Parliament in place OF university
men. bankers. country landhcld~rs.
manufacturers and retired gentlemen OF
leisure
From the Tory point Of view the Com
mons have deteriorated as rapidly as tbs
Lords have advanced. Certainly there
has been a general decline OF manners
and dignity. and on the Opposition side
there is a marked decadence in debating
power. Yet ministers have succeeded in
accomplishing an immense amount OF
work I'm four years. and would have
rivalIed the record Of the great Gladstons
administration Of 1S6S If many Of their
most important measures had not been
blocked TN the upper house: and even
the Labor members. with crudeness and
ineIegance of speech. have shown that
the trades unions supply training for
forcibIe OrstOry and the responsibilities
OF public life.
The Lords may 10 stronger and tbs
Commons weaker than they were. nus
the rival houses must each fan back
upon the people for commanding author
ity. The Lords have assumed that tho
budget is unpopular and that The gen
eral electorate has reverted from Free
Trade TO Tariff Reform. II they are
right i'm their forecast-and scores oc
practical politicians have been consulted
by them-and the nation is really behind
them their errors In tactics and defiant
disregard of the constitutional practices
of generations will be condOncd- u they
have made grave miscalculation OF the
conditions OF public opinion they VIII
have recklessly staked their existence az
a coordinate branch OF the legislature
and lost at a single throw more thsh
they have gained during dtty years
through fresh blood and promotions Tor
eminent public services. and degrada-
tion OF influence and decline OF AUTHORITY
will be in reserve for them in place OF
the statesmanlike order Of reform PRO-
posed by Lord Rosebery for streusthen-
ing the upper house and restricting ths