Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-26
Some Things You Want to Know
The English Elections The House of Lords.

Down with the iordsip cried the lib
erals and laborltes during the parlia-
mentary campaign. Down with social
ismi' was the retort Of the conservatives
and u~nionfsts. The liberals tried to keep
the political battle centered upon this one
issue-the conservatives devoted their en-
ergies to directing the public interest to
other problems.
The House of Lords was clearly al issue
in the campaign, owever, and II Is prob
able that its fate is sealed. One OF the
peculiar features Of this campaign has boen
that each party possessed an issue which
seems certain OF ultimate success, regard
less OF the results now. The liberal cam
psign against the House Of Lords will end,
eventually, In the abolition or reform Of
that chamber; and the conservative ad-
vocacy Of tariff reform cannot fail, event.
ually. to nave its effect upon the British
fiscal system.
Down with the lordsl' became the bat
tle-cry Of the liberals when the House OF
Lords. despite the accepted theory that the
lords had no right to interfere In finan-
cial legislation, rejected the Lloyd-George
budget In November by attaching IAN
amendment calling for a dissolution of Par
lament and a general election. Although
the lords made much Of this referendum
and pleaded its popular appeal in reply to
all charges of unconstitutional action, they
and their supporting party tried to make
the election turn on other issues.
Down with the lordsi" was shouted from
every stump, was blazoned on every wall,
was preached from many pulpits, was
reiterated in every liberal newspaper. But
It is still true that an Englishman dearly
loves a lord, and the campaign did not
create one-tenth the excitement along this
line that might be expected by a republl-
can American.
The House of Lords Is an institution en-
tirely unique in the world, since 1t is the
last legislative chamber in which member
ship is held by right OF heredity. Every
other monarchy on earth has abolished this
principle, for although in several European
and Asiatic states there Is an upper house
composed exclusively of mobiles. yet the
voting members must be selected with a
view to their personal fitness for the bust
ness Of legislation.
The House of Lords has, under the British
form OF government, three distinct theo-
retical functions. The peers are, first, q
council of advice to the sovereign; second,
the supreme court of appeal in all legal
matters; and. third, a branch of the legis-
lature. Their function as a council Of ad-
vice to the crown is a mere fiction, tina
office having been usurped centuries ago
by the privy council. which in turn lost
its power by gradual stages during the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to the
cabinet or ministry, which still retains all
the power to advise and control tho
sovereign.
AS the supreme court of appeal, the 621
peers of the House of Lords lave delegated
their powers to four law lords, and, curl
ously enough, these four are not properly
peers at all. The GO lords not having the
necessary legal knowledge, industry or
patience to attend TO this business, 1t has
become customary 70 appoint great lawyers
as life peers, their titles not descending.
These law lords sit as the supreme court
of the United Kingdom and nave the same
relation to the Jurisprudence of England
that the supreme court of the United States
bears to that OF American
yet there Is not a case which comes to
this highest court in which any or all Of
the 62 peers might not sit If they were Sc
disposed. All that prevents their packing
the supreme court in this manner is pre-
cedent and a custom, but 1t is not SO old
nor is 1t considered so sacred as that other
convention and custom which was disre-
garded when the lords rejected the budget
The House of Lords consists Of three
princes of the blood royal, two archbishops
twenty-five dukes, twenty-three mar
quisses, 14 earls, forty viscounts. twenty
four bishops and 36 barons, all Of Eng.
land. In addition there are sixteen repre-
sentative Scotch peers chosen by the whole
body of Scottish peers, twenty-eight repre-
sentative Irish peers chosen In the sam
manner and the four legal life peers. This
makes a grand total OF 622. OF this mum.
Der not more than 100, at the outside. have
anything to do with the business of the
house on ordinary occasions. The majority
of the peers never visit the house at al
unless summoned for some unusual occasion
like the coronation of a new sovereign OIL
the rejection Of a bill sent up from a liberia
House Of Commons. When the conserva-
tive party is in power the lords do nothing
The bills from the house pass without ques-
ton. When the liberals come into power
the lords awake to activity, and they have
managed in one way and another to block
or mutilate a goodly portion Of all liberia
legislation proposed since the reform bill
of 1892. 0
Only three peers may constitute q