The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-01-07
THE HOUSE OF LORDS

~~"6A"nN oAO SOuSiucEdUl0 luC0r0SC IN
this country in the current elections
which almost threaten the existence Of
the "House of Lords" as the issues of
the British elections are almost exactly
opposed between the Commons and the
hereditary branch of Parliament.
This calls to mind the fact that we
have sometimes had somewhat similar
conflicts in this country, and there has
at times developed certain impatience
with the Senate as it is usually the
more conservative body and responds
less readily to popular sentiment than
does the House of Representatives,
often the Senate has been derlsvely
called the "House of Lords"
But while at times there have been
some possible resemblances from the
fact that many millionaires have been
senators and the further fact that Many
OF the eastern senators in particular
have seemed to have life positions, yet
the senate of the United States has but
very little in common with the upper
house of the British Parliament.
The one principle that statute must
pass both houses before it becomes law
is about the only real similarity. This
principle was about the only form bor-
rowed from the British Parliament by
our constitution makers, excepting, of
course, the general theory of representa-
tion in proportion to population in the
lower house.
The membership of the English
House of Lords is entirely composed of
the possessors of titles which are heredi-
tary, some bishops of the church of En-
gland, and about dozen s'lords,' elect
ed from Scotland, and about the same
number from Ireland. 1t is very large
body when all are present, which sell
dom occurs, being about half as large
again as our national Houseof Represen-
tatives.
The English House of Lords does not,
and we think may not, originate legisla-
.tion. About all they do is to agree to
the laws proposed and passed by the
House of Commons. Very seldom in
history have they refused to agree as
they did last month with the raising of
the revenue as proposed by the Com
mons, and even in this case they lodged
the abrupt issue by saying that Parlia-
ment should first "appeal to the count
ry," which means to have new election
of the members of the House of Com
mons, before they could agree to the
proposed Budget"
The circumstances which governed
the constitution makers in this country
were peculiar. There were at that time
thirteen separate colonies, each inde-
pendent of the others, each an autono-
my, each in itself a nation. Some were
larger and some were smaller, and the
problem before the constitutional con-
vention was to give each of these small
nations equality as nations, and also to
give representation according to popula-
tion. The small colonies like Rhode
Island and Delaware were afraid of the
power of the more populous colonies
like Pennsylvania and New York.
The solution of this matter more than
coping from England made the forma-
tion of two branches of Congress. In
one branch, therefore, each of the au-
tonomies were given equal power; each
having two senators, while the House of
Representatives is composed of repre-
sentatives elected in proportion to popu-
lation.
Thus in making laws, each state first
has through its representatives its pro-
portionate vote according to population,
while in the Senate each state has equal
power because it is state.
Whether this solution was good one
or not, may be question, but since that
time we think every state Of the Union
has adopted the same method. Though
the state senatorial districts are usually
fairly equal in size, yet the senators Of .
state legislature are fewer in number and
are moro especially representatives Of
locality than the members Of the lower
house. Theoretically, it il two senators
from each county and representatives ia
number according to population. But
this has been superseded in practice BY
forming s.leRielstive districts" Of more