Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-27
Some Things You Want to Know
The English ElectiOns-The House of Commons.

1t is peculiarly an English anomaly that
the British Parliament should consist Of
one chamber which IL the last on earth
to recognize a hereditary right to legislate,
and another chamber which is the most
truly responsible to public opinion OF all
the legislatures In the world. The House
OF Commons is not an Ideally democratic
Institution. but It is most sensitive to the
public will and It is chosen under condi-
tIons Of political purity not approached in
any other country.
The suffrage lin England is not what an
American would consider democratic, since
a complicated system Of property qualifi-
ca tions. varying in different sections, is
imposed; and since landholders may vote
in every constituency where they own
property. The limited suffrage which shuts
out the very poor and the plural suffrage
which gives the very rich many votes, as
we'll as the fact that the constituencies are
arranged without due regard to population,
constitute the chief faults Of tho British
parliamentary electoral system.
But the corruption and indecent politics
which disgrace the elections In many other
countries, and in many parts Of the United
STATES Is hlulOHl enllfHlY hlklOWn mere.
This purity Of elections is secured by what
Is known as the corrupt practices act, an
outgrowth OF the reform bill Of 1882, which
was placed on the statute books in 1883.
and which has been made even more strin-
gent by subsequent amendments. The
machinery by which the British House Of
Commons is elected differs altogether from
the political and electoral machinery OF
the United States, but the means taken to
prevent corruption might be employed even
In America.
The 67e members OF the House of Com
mons are elected from constituencies Of
various populations-counties, ~boroughs,
cities and universities. When a Parliament
dissolves by limitation at the expiration of
seven years, or when a dissolution Is
brought about by the death of the SOW
ereign or by some extraordinary political
crisis in which an appeal to the country
forces an election, the queer mixture of
ancient usage and modern methods conn
posing the British election system is set
to work.
The king issues a proclamation on the
day the ministry orders him to to do so;
ordering writs for the election Of a new
Parliament and fixing a day for the meets
ing OF the new Legislature. All the essen
tials are attended to by the ministry, but
the proclamation declares s%oleInnly that
the king has decided he needs a new Par
Lament, that he has managed the whole
business of his own ~volition. When this
proclamation is signed, writs are imme-
diately dispatched to the sheriffs mayors
and returning officers who are to hold
the elections in the various constituencies.
Candidates have been actively engaged
In the campaign for several weeks, usually,
when the writs are issued, but they are
technically known only as prospective
candidates." A member of Parliament does
not nave to live in the constituency which
he represents, and, indeed, the majority OF
the members sit" for some district where
they do not reside. Nevertheless, there is
more and more talk about 'carpet-baggers"
in England all the time, that phrase having
been borrowed from America. The political
party organization in the United States, by
which precinct committees build up to the
al "powerful state and national committees,
is wholly unknown here. English polite
iahs have nothing but scorn for the Amer
ican system which, they say, binds the
local committee as a slave to the national
Organization. Yet in England the local
committees ask the national committee to
select a candidate for them, Imagine the
democratic congressional committee of the
Third district Of Arkansas asking a ma
tional committee for a congressional can
didate, and then tamely accepting an ante
diluvian New Hampshire democrat brought
out of the museum for that purpose. That
Is what the English politicians call local
freedom Of party action.
When the wrlts are issued each sheriff
Of a county, mayor OF a borough or re-
turning officer Of a division appoints a
day for nominations and another day for
polling. This may be any time after five
days and before twenty days from the time
OF receiving the writ. Each candidate must
be nominated by a proposer, a seconder
and eight assentors, all ten Of whom must
be registered voters in the constituency.
On the day of the nominations a meeting
is held, attended by the candidates. The
sheriff or returning officer asks for nom
nations. II only one name is presented.
and the nomination is in proper form. the
sheriff declares that nominee to be duly
elected a member Of Parliament. In this