The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-06-23
SENArES OF THE NATIONS.
How They Are Compared and tn
Manner of Election OF Members.


Letter In the New YORK Sun.
Now that the reconstruction OF the
British House Of Lords will actually take
place and the method OF eleeting our
United States Senators is a moot ques-
ton, il Is interesting TO compare these
upper chambers of legislation with those
OF other nations.
The French Senate is composed Of 800
members, elected for nine years. mem
bers to be forty years old. one-third re-
firing every third year. The election Of
senators is indirect. and is made By an
electoral body composed of delegates
chosen by the municipal council of each
commune in proportion 10 population
The princes Of deposed dynasues are pre-
cluded from sitting in either the upper
OF lower chamber. The senators are paid
1900 francs a year,
The senator's Of Brazil sixty in number.
are chosen by direct vote and hold Office
for three years.
The senate OF Chile is composed Of
members popularity elected by provinces
for term OF six years in the proportion
of one senator for every three deputies.
The standerath. or State Council. OF
Switzerland. consists OF forty-four mem
bers. elected by the eantons Of the Con-
federation.
The Herrenhaus, of Austria, consists OF
100 members. including fifteen princes Of
the blood royal, sixty-six mobiles in whose
families the dignity is hereditary, nine
archhishops, eight bishops, and life mem
bers nominated by the Emperor for ser
vices rendered TO the State. The Forendi-
haz OF Hungary, has 254 hereditary
princes, counts and barons, forty-two
archbishops and bishops OF the Roman
Catholic and Greek churches; thirteen
representatives of the Protestant church
es, fifty life peers appointed by the
crown. and nineteen eX Offlcio State
dignitaries.
The italian Senate is composed OF the
princes Of the blood royal and an unlim-
tied number Of members nominated by
the King for life services rendered the
State. They number about $50.
The House OF Peers OF Japan consists
of the princes of the blood royal, IS mar
quesses, 80 counts. 362 viscounts. and 2sO
barons, certain persons who have rem
dered important service to the State
nominated by the Emperor. and individ-
uals elected by provinces to serve in the
upper chamber.
The First Chamber Of the Netherlands
Is composed Of 50 members elected by the
people.
The Senate of Belgium consists Of 10
members elected by the people for eight
years and all the adult members OF the
royal family.
TT.
of senator's: Hereditary mobiles, 100 life
members nominated by the King, $50 sen
ators elected by the corporations of
and other officers Of distinction.
The Camara dos Pares, or House OF
Peers, OF Portugal consists of the royal
princes. II bishops. and 80 life peers NOM
| mated by the King
The Landsthing of Denmark is made Up
OF 66 members. u of whom are nominated
| by the King and 81 elected by the people
The First Chamber OF Sweden has l5C
members, who are elected by the direct
vote of the people tor a term of nine
years.
Norway has only one assembly Of legis-
| latiOh, the Storthing, which consists OF
| 123 members elected by the people every
third year. But when the Storthing as
sembles IL divides itself into two cham
/ bers, the Lagthing and the Odelsthlng.
| All new laws must be first laid before
the Odeisthing, from which they pass
| to the Lagthing
In Greece the legislative power is vest
| ed in only one chamber. which is ca2ed
| the Bule It consists Of 235 members
| elected by the people.
| The British House of Lords at the
| present time consists of princes OF
royal blood, archbishops, % dukess q
marquises. a earls 40 viscounts, 2.
bishops, 344 barons, Is Scottish peers. and
% Irish peers. They are all hereditary
except the archbishops and the bishops
and four lords of appeal who are life
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