The Detroit times., 1910-12-12

FORM more nearly with the needs Oh
the times. This action, taken early
in 1908. followed the great Liberal
electoral triumph OF 1906
The Liberal party which came into
power nearly five years ago was dir
ferent party, a much more democratic
party. than the Liberal party which
had last controlled the British govern
ment under the premiership of Lord
Roseberry. The House of Lords per
ceived that the new radical govern
nent was determined TO destroy some.
il not many. OF the special privileges
enjoyed by the aristocratic and pluto
cratic classes represented In the
House of Lords Peers, who called
themselves Liberals and who indeed,
were influenced by Whiggish tradi-
tions were inclined 10 staye of de-
struction by making concessions. Thus
it was Lord Roseberry. the successor
of Gladstone as the titular head OF the
Liberal party, who first took up the
| guage of battle laid down by the
militant democracy OF the Commons,
| The Committee formed under his reso-
! luton met Lord Roseberry was its
c. 'irman. ii made long report and
! that report speedily found it's way
( into Il. piseonhole. never again TO see
! the light OF day The Tory Lords
were not yet sufficiently frightened 10
! take counsel CT their Whiggish breth-
! rem.
! Then came the dispute between the
! Commons and The Lords with refer
encc OF the land values taxation pro.
posed In the I.loyd-George budget The
peers rejected the finance bill and
/ forced dissolution of parliament and
general election in which they were
| defeated and the Commons were sus-
taincd Immediately the Prime Min
/ lister in his official capacity as the
head OF the government decided TO
force the lighting by a declaration
that Fills Majesty's government would
not again proceed with the business
Of general legislation until after ii had
obtained assurance that il had some
reasonable prospect OF enacung its
| will into statutory law.
The peers personally. and the Con
: ervative-Unionist party collectively,
had discovered in the election cam.
paign OF January. 1910, that 1t would
he utterly impossible to defend be-
! fore the electors of the kingdom the
hereditary principle as basis for the
continuation OF the upper chamber or
| parliament Then the Tory peers
turned eagerly toward Lord Roseber'
ry and in everything but name chose
him to lead their faction. Lord Rose
berry. whilom Liberal premier, refused
10 unite himself to the Tory party
and described himself rs standing
aloof from all party politics Never
theless the Roseberry scheme was
adopted as the basis OF the Tory plan
of reform OF the House OF Lords. ana
late in the present campaign Lord
Roseberry openly joined the Tory
ranks.
No one knows in detail what was
proposed on either side In the con
stitutional conference, but II Is ac-
cepted on all sides that the opposition
TO the government made a series on
proposals which were reflected In
principle in the resolutions passed BY
The House of Lords just before the
final dissolution of parliament.
The first set of three resolutions
adopted were fathered by Lord Rose
berry The first declared the neces'
sity for a continuation of the two
chamber form of parliament. the
second declared that the second. or
i upper. chamber should be provided
for by reforming and reconstitutins
the present House OF Lords.
The third resolution, although ex-
tremelv vague. advanced the general
plan of the proposed reform. 1t be-
gan with a declaration that in future
no man might sit as a legislator in
the upper chamber OF parliament sole
Is because Of his hereditary right. IL
was then proposed that In the future
the upper chamber should be called
The Lord of Parliament 10 be made
M of three classes OF MEMBERS Ia
Peers chosen by the whole body of
hereditary peers from among them
selves and peers nominated from the
whole body OF hereditary peers by the
Crown: (b) Lord of Parliament sit
Ting by virtue of office and qualihca-
ton held by them (c) Lord OF Parlia-