The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-23
LORDS VOTE TO SURRENDER
HEREDITARY RIGHT To LEGTS-
LATE RENOWNED.
Upper House, asa 90 NJ. Agrees 60 THIRD
Rosebery Resolution. That Peerage
Alone Does Net Give = seat-Less
ThAn One-thlrd % the Peers yaIed.
Special Cisis Dsspafcs 70 THE sun

Spectral CIbls Dsspcfca 70 The SUS
LONDON. March Ply a vUts 81 rs
to II tho House % Lords tonight re-
nounced the hereditary right to legis -
late. which has heen a cardinal element
" the British upper house for centuries.
The occasion u the fateful division was
Lord Rnsebery's third resolution dealing
with the reform of tho House.
The Ho's- agreed yesterday mem con
that reform and reconStitutiop were
necessary. The complementary --so-
hutton which was PASSED tonight was:
That a necessary preliminary To- such
reform and reconstruction H. acceptance
Cf the principle that possession ~ "A T..~r
age should no longer % itself give the
right 60 lit and vote in the House II
Lords
IL IL significant that fewer than POI al
the 0l6 members Of the HOUSE, shared IN
the fateful division. Many of the aIS-en.
tees were reluctant to sanction the eX-
tinction 81 the hereditary principle
Nevertheless they 81 far recognized its
expediency as not tn oppose IL.
Not a few indeed % the majority who
supported the resolution would fain have
retained their hereditary right. but rec
ognition 81 that expediency guided their
votes. The resolution indeed mi ght have
been carried unanimously but for the
resolute pugnacity % two tenacious old
fighters. the Earl ~ Halsbury and thu
Earl % Wemyas. the latter Of whom has
been actively identified for many years
with volunteer soldering and with
the National Rife Association. and who
IL still virile despite his sc years, while
the Earl 81 Halsbury - 80 young and
strenuous az ~ that he lately volun-
tarily returned 60 the judicial bench Co
reh eve a sick Judge.
These two champions led the old guard.
Some Of the speakers who supported the
resolution could not find in u any mega
ton Of the hereditary principle. Among
these was the Marcus Of Iansdowne.
who pointed out To the House that IL was
possible 10 vote for the resolution with
the full intention Of proposing afterward
that the House should consist entirely
81 hereditary peers.
The resolution. ne said. was the necea-
sary gate 20 three main principles. namely
the removal % the black sheep. a reduc-
ton 81 numbers and a remedy for the
disparity in party strength.
Earl Bathurst. one Of the old guard.
gave the House . laugh. solemnly warn
ing the members that II they threw away
their hereditary righ; their descendants
TO the third and fourth generations tight
turn and rend them.
Members ~ the Government among
the peers refused Ia give more than pass
ing approval TO the resolution. % which
the Lord Chancellor said they ought
not Ia attach fictitious importance. Newer
theIe~s he. the Earl Of Crewe. Viscount
Morley and other Liberal peers voted
with the majorty.
Lord Ro-eb~ry announced that II vas
his intention to propose after Faster
further resolutions laying down broad.
general principles on which the reform
Of the House 81 Lords shonld proceed.
but no would not frame a biil or a definite
plan. That ought Ia emAnats from the
Government II the day.