The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-03-31


advocacy of their policy have not by
any me ms forced them into the arms
of the Liberals. In spite Of their aver
sion to the House of Lords, they alb
stained from voting at the division
which dissolved Parliament recently
But on the Irish benches are to be found
most of tie eloquence and nearly all
the wit in the House When Tim Hea-
| ly rises, the House fills as if for an I'M
portant division.
| A most important factor in British
politics at present is the Labor Party.
At the last election some forty Labor
ties were elected, where previously there
had teen at most half-doZen. Cir
cumstances have forced them into al
lance with the Liberals. whose mea-
sures have been il entire sympathy
with their aims. Even the Socialists
among them must rejoice at scheme
of finance, which is founded on the
basic principle of Henry George, taxa
ton of unearned increment. But the
alliance is temporary, and may at any
moment be swept away.
The Conservative party, which was re-
sponsible for the Beer war, whose mis-
management and inef1iciency brought
it to utter defeat at the last election,
has since been consolidated. At the
time of the Home Rule bill, large
body seeded from the Liberal ranks
on that issue, and its members have
since been described as Liberal Union
lists. They have become so merged with
the Conservatives, however, that the
distinction has been almost forgotten.
There is another split in the Conserva-
: tive party OH the question of free trade,
but the enormous expenditure ofrecent
years has made protectiofl the only al
: tentative TO land taxation.
1t will thus be seen that there are at
; present four parties in British politics.
| but the Irish Nationalist and the La.
3 Dor Party have at present to he content
: with subordinate position, which in
. one case is necessarily permanent. In
/ fact, the power of the Irish party is
e destined to decline, if an act regulating
: the distribution of election districts il
t passed. The mechanical regularity OF
J.. the American system of distribution in
j. proportion to population is lacking ir
e England. The theory is admitted, ant
b there are no longer boroughs Of half-a
y dtzen inhabitants which return two
e members to Parliament But the stead!
e drain of country to city, and of lrelant
a to America, produces strange anoma
n lies, so that all electorate OF one thou
n sand in a rural district has equal pow
!, ers with an uftan electorate OF 1 went
IT or thirty thousand A reapportionmen
10 of seats would reduce Ireland's repre-
= sentation as much as thirty per cent.
J. The prest nee of the English cabine
n ministers in Parliament is anothe
a. striking difference in thesystems. Yer
ID little of the administrative work of tn
a. departments receives the personal a,
H. tention of the man in nominal charg'
n whose business it is rather to act as
c. link between legislation and admins
ps tration. An exception must be mad
of of the Foreign Secretary, who in Emf
SO land may at any moment become III
of most important man in the countr
C. The foreign affairs ofthe United State
On arc almost invariably tranquil; when
a disturbance appears, it is usually ma
ter of classifying South American r
ic- public or recognizing dependence
H. This security is lacking in Englan
he surrounded by menacing foes and nor
NJ inally ruling quarter Of the earth
ew population.
CHI A word should he devoted to Kin
,st Prime Minister and President. II
th King of England is in the main an @
is namental adjunct. His influence in q
lii fairs of state is almost entirely conf
rn. ed to the maintenance of friendly rel
it'll tions with the heads of foreign nation
he at which the present king is somethll
raj of an artist. He has yeto-power
The theory; but he could not exert it wit
gin out bringing storm about his ca
to The Prime Minister, on the contrary,
much more of an autocrat than {
liza. President of the United States with
INST his own party. No party measure G
tly be introduced unless it has his acti
to support; he is the fountain head Of pr
les ilege, from which spring all titles q