New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-05
BRITISH ELECTIONS
Constitutional lssues-PoIitical
Foq-Demand for Action.
London. November %

London. November %
The constitutional issues. which eight
experienced and conscientious statesmen
could not settle at the round table, ara
now obscured in the fog OF a genera,
election. Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain. dis
abied as he is in an invalid's room. seeks
TO reduce them to the simplest terms in
his address to the West Birmingham
electors. He asks Cnionists to vote for
a second chamber. which allows time for
reflection and necessary elaboration in
regard to new legislation, and does not
leave the determination of national in
terests to a motley majority OF Irish
Home Rulers, Socialists and Radicals
This second chamber, n accordance with
the Rosebery resolutions adopted by the
House OF Lords and also with Mr. Bal
tours pledges. Is 10 be reduced in num-
bers and reformed on drastic lines. Tho
T-nionfst platforms that the Radicals ara
determined TO have single chamber gov
eminent Lord Rosebery has flung
across the upper house the taunt. You
are attempting to do away with one
estate of the realm without putting any
thing in it's place
The Prime Minister speaks with
authority respecting Liberal eonstitu-
tionaI policy, and he denies ernphatica1iy
that the government is proposing TO SEE
I'D a single chamber system. He COM
rnits the Liberal party to such a change
in the relations of the houses as will
confine the upper one 10 functions OF re-
vision and give the representatives OK
the people a controlling voice in legisla-
ton. whichever party may be in power.
The text of the veto bill shows how the
will of the country as expressed by a
majority OF the House of'COmmons is 70
be made effective within the hfetime OF a
single Parliament A money bill. de-
fined as such by the Speaker, cannot Ia
amended after it has passed the COM
mons, and il will become law auto
maticalIy with royal assent thirty days
after it has been sent to the upper house
General bills passed by the lower house
in three successive sessions will have
statutory effect after the third rejection.
The duration Of Parliament. however. il
reduced to five years. and legislation in
troduced in the later years cannot be en-
acted without the consent OF the Lords
until there has been a general election
and a return Of the party responsible
for IT.
The veto bill provides redress for the
main Liberal grievance. that the Con.
servatives through the House OF Lords
govern the country when in opposition as
well as when in power. Tt does not rep
resent the minimum which Mr. Asquith
and his three colleagues were willing 20
accept in the conference. The conces-
sions which they were prepared 70 make
have not vet been revealed The Union
list ornpronise has come out in the
resolutions proposed by Lord Lansdowns
in the upper house as a substitute for
the veto bill. These provide primarily
for the reconstruction of the upper
chamber on the basis OF the Roseberv
resolutions, and secondariIy for the reg
uIation OF the relations Of the two
houses. Money bills are not TO be either
amended or rejected, provided effectuaI
safeguards are established against
lacking and the character OF a fnan--
cial measure is determined by a joint
committee. in which the Speaker has thu
casting vote. Whenever differences
erise between the houses on general leg
islation for two successive sessions Il
viii be settled in a joint session. pro-
vided it is not a matter OF great gravity
and has not been adequately submitted
for the Judgment Of the people" In
these exceptional circumstances the issue
will be submitted TO the general eIector-
ate by referendum.
While the nature and extent of the
Liberal concessions can only be conject-
ured. it is evident that the Unionists in
conference were not willing 70 SUPPLY the
mechanism for releasing their opponents
from the grip Of a hostile upper cham
Der, reformed or unreformed Lord
Lansdownes resolutions do not disclose
the system and proportions IN which the
two houses are 10 be represented az the
joint session. On this important detail
hang the chances OF success or failurs
in securing the final enactment of Lib
eral measures Moreover. the exclusion
of questions "of great gravity" from or
binary processes OF settlement. and tbs
proposal OF the referendum for extTaoT-
binary bills fully explain the failure OF
the conference There could have been
no real compromise when these essential
points were left unsettled. The Laps-.
d0wne resolutions as they stand. with
the proportions of representation in joint
session undecided and with a special
referendum 10 the electorate at high
cost whenever there is a deadlock over
a highly controversial question. do not
provide a moduS yivendi for houses and
parties. These proposals with the Rose
berry scheme for the reform of the Lords
imply a close approach TO a written con-
stitution. The Liberal veto bill has ths
merit OF superior simplicity and effsc-
tiveness in operation. IL arms the rep
resentatiye chamber with full resources
for carrying into effect under propsr
safeguards the deliberate will of the gen.
eraI electorate.
The Lords in reality are marching
into this canvass after furling their
colors and spiking their guns. They
have virtually renowned the hereditary
principle In legislation and admitted ths
immediate necessity for reconstitutins
an obsolete stronghold OF privilege They