El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-07-15


shall be done with the house OF
81 lords? VIII it be abolished, or
reformed, or Will there he cOmprO-
mise? Premier AsQuith and the ma
jority of the house of commons say that
the power of the lords to veto legisla-
tive action by the commons must be
abolished. In other words, they Would
leave the house Of lords in its present
form, but would strip it of legislative
power Lord Roseberry and the ma
jority of the peers, seconded by Mr. Bal
four and the minority of the commons,
say that the house of lords must be re
formed. They would alter the form Of
the house of lords, undermining IFS con-
stitution, but would give it even greater
power in legislation than it now pos
sesses or than it has possessed since the
time of Charles I. King George says
there must be a compromise.
The situation forcibly illustrates the
faculty of the British mind for indi-
rection. for seeming to do one thing
while really doing another The Lib
erals, enemies Of the house of lords,
seek to maintain its present form. he
reditary principle and ALL while the
friends Of that institution. the Conserv-
atives. are clamoring for a reform which
will wipe out its absurd anachronisns.
The practical result Is a considerable
degree of confusion in the public mind
and the presentation of a host of feas-
fble opportunities for a compromise
English Throne Unstable.
England is the land of compromise
King George sits on a throne whose
very foundation is a series of comprO-
misses. The principle Of give and take,
IN connection with the doctrine of in
volatility of contract, is the cardinal
principle Of British political practice.
A question arises, the people take sides.
there IS g great fight, each side sWears
never to surrender, and for months or
perhaps for years, the battle wages fur
iously. Then, one day. the captains Of
the opposing hosts meet each other and
formulate compromise. Instantly both
parties accept 1t, and ii becomes a part
Of the British constitution.
That, in epitome. is the political his
tory of England. In the ordinary course
Of events, history would repeat itself
and Mr.. Asquith and Mr. Balfour would
obey the command of their new king
and rig up a compromise which would
settle instantly the mOoted question OF
what 70 do with the house of lords.
But if England is the land of compro-
mise, then surely Ireland is not. and in
this particular problem Ireland holds
the whip hand and Ireland Will not
compromise until after it has been
beaten to death. The compromising
English have been endeavoring for up
ward of 700 years to effect a compro-
mise with the Irish. or. failing in that,
TO beat them to death. As yet they have
done neither.
Ireland In Control.
And now Ireland. a part and parcel
of the United Kingdom against its will. !
represented in the British parliament
against its viii, always demanding a d.
vorce, is for the time at least in con-
troll of the situation Mr. Asquith holds |
office as prime minister by virtue OF
majority in the house OF commons made :
up OF Irish Nationalists. At any mo- /
ment John Redmond may lead his Irish /,
followers across the aisle and end the !
days of the Asquith government.
The Irish are vitality in earnest in /
their support OF the proposition to /
abolish the veto of the lords. Once get !
the house of lords out Of the way and !
Ireland can have its long prayer-for /
home rule For this reason Mr.. Asquith /.
is not at liberty to pursue the ancient /;
British course and consent to a COM !
promise in which he gives as much as ,
he receiveA-
King George Interested.
King George is dire-tIv and person. 1
ally interested in secur ~ a compromise /
If the Fexing qu2-ret ~ - pom ( lords !
and the commons, because if these eff /
forts fail the king himself must settle !
the question. And II is entirely possible !
that the permanerce of the throne it
self may be involved
If king George should promise Mr.. :
Asquith to appoint a sufficient number
of peers to make the will OF the com
mons effective in the upper house in
the event of another Liberal victory a
the polls, then the throne would stand
alone in England as the last survivor
Of the ancient hereditary institutions.
II would mean that in the future the
masses would be at liberty TO govern
England without respect TO the privi
leges or prejudices of the classes.
On the other hand. II king George
should refuse TO give consent to the ap-