The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-01-05
.BNGLAND'S FIGHT
TO SAVE HERSELF
FROM HER PEERS
Commons, Under Leadership OF
Liberals, Must Make Upper
House Elective.
Nobility Much Interested in
Protected Industries.
SITUATION is NOW CRITICAL

London, Jan. 4.-Political deyel-
lopments OF the last few days have
shown conciusively that England Ii
rapidly approaching the most start.
ling crisis II has known in three
quarters OF century. The existence
of the house Of lords is at stake. No
such important constitutional issue
has been raised in Great Britain since
1882 when the right Of franchise,
previously based strictly on property
qualifications, was made practically
universal.
The lords have been attacked be-
fore, but never very seriously. II
looks now as IL their years, II not
their days, as a legislative body an
numbered. Ending the old English
system OF hereditary lawmaking will
Involve practical reconstruction OF
the country's constitution. Nine gu,
OF ten Engllshmen have long regard
ed the peers as foolish anachron-
ism. Bound as the nation is TO pre-
cedent, however, II has been hard to
inaugurate vigorous movement to-
ward reform. AT last the Liberals,
the dominant British political party,
have declared they will never rest
until some form OF elective upper
house OF parliament is substituted
for the present hereditary one. For
three years the Liberals have been
in Office with an overwhelming ma
jority in the house OF commons. AL
lowing for all possible combinations
against them. they have approx
mately one hundred on any party
issue. But. despite their numerical.
superiority, they have been practical
ly impotent. The peers have thwart-
ed them at every turn. The two
houses are far from bearing toward
one another the relation that exists
between the two. branches OF the
tr.tc5 st-tos congress. onl, The
commons are representative of the
people. The lords represent nothing
beyond the narrow interests of the
British aristocracy and monied
classes.
LiDerais view.
The Libe-2.s' view is that a body
so constituted should yield to th..
plainly expressed wishes of the
masses even though they may some
times be called upon to lay aside
their own political, personal and
financial pnejudices. The nobility
hold nearly one-tenth of the land
area Of rural England. II is estlmat.
ed that these holdings. thrown open
to cultivation, would support Eng
lands hundreds of thousands of un
employed. Legislation along this
line has been suggested. The lords
only laughed at the idea. They keep
the lands strictly preserved for hunt
ing purposes. II is absolutely nom
productive. The licensing bill pass
ed the elective commons by nearly
500 majority. Without even thu
formality of debate the lords rejected
the measure in caucus. BY what the
Liberals say is more than a coinci-
dence 1870 of the coo odd peers own
stocks in breweries. They were not
enough of them TO constitute a ma
jority. hut their Influences was sun.
cient to control one.
In America either of the great
parties may hope to control both
branches of congress. In England
only the Conservatives can control
the law-making body. The commons
may be Conservative or Liberal. The
lords are always Conservative. When
the Conservatives control the admin
istration the peers pass all their bills
without discussion. When a Liberal
government is in they automatically
reject every Liberal measure sub
mittej to them. When the Liberal
party came into power 1t did so un-
der a mandate from the people to