The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-13

this house Of commons: for this is
the only elective body in parliament,
the house of lords being an heredi-
tary one.
This is rather slow job in this
country, for instead of setting aside
a certain day for a national-wide cleo
ton, the voting extends over a period
of ten days, being carried on in diff
ferent sections at different times.
In the present instance, parliament
was prorogued during the first week
in December, following the disagree
ment on the budget. The writ for an
election was then issued by the Lord
Chancellor uuon the order of the king
and privy council. and was directed
to the various sheriffs of the king
dom, who have charge of the election.
Then followed the dissolution of par
Lament January 10; the voting will
begin in Dorset on January Is and
will end on the Gath.
The polls are open from a. m. to
p. m. and when the last ballot is
dropped in the box, the presiding Off
Ger, seals it up and takes it home with
him.
The mad haste with which the bal
lots are counted in the United States,
and the results made known within a
few hours. does not exist here. After
the ballot box has rested peacefully
all night, the district presiding Off
GERS meet the sheriff next morning
at an appointed place, and leisurely
begins the count. The sheriff then
announces the result from some pub
lie place. This method is followed
in every district throughout the coun-
try until the election is completed.
Another marked difference in the
English and American elections is the
! method of registration. In America
all voters must register within a GER
tain specified time before each cleo
ton, while in England, registration is
separate and distinct institution
and has no connection with the cleo
ton. A registration is conducted
once every year, while an English
general election may be held at any
time that parliament desires to go be-
fore the people; the last one having
been held in 1906.
| Registration comes under the super
vision of the parish overseer. and af-
| ter its completion the list of those
entitled to vote is tackled up on the
church door, where it is subject to
public inspection.
In England, as in the United States,
every man has right to vote. pro-
viding, of course that he has resided
in certain district specified time
In striking contrast to the American
plan, where everyman is legally en-
titled to one vote, the electors in Eng
land are divided into three classes
house-owners, occupants and dodgers
The first of these-the HORSEPOWER
is the rarest and most powerful;
the rarest because there are very few
men in England who own land, out
side the nobility-and they are no,
allowed to vote. and the most power
full. because he is entitled to vote MOI
only in the district where he lives
but also in every district where he
owns property, thus being sort of :
legalized repeater.
AS the general election extends ov
er period of ten days, this class O.
elector becomes a very valuable per
sonage. as he can cast his vote in ont
district one day, and then by taking
train or an auto can journey to an
other town where he owns property
and cast another vote. when the cleo
ton is held in that section.
The two remaining classes-the &C
cupant and the lodger-comprise o
the large proportion of the voters; the
former including any man who rents 9
home, and the latter including any
man who pays at least $25 a year fol
his lodgings.
Another popularity of the English
election is the method in which the
candidates for office are selected