Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-14
LONDON July 4, 1910.

LONDON, July 4, 1910.
The political war In Great Britain is
war between feudalism and democracy
and its issue will be determined by
great battle between peers and people.
The question Of what to do with the house
Of lords Is the most important political
problem in Britain today. since 1t In
cludes and comprises all other political
problems whatsoever. The house OF
lords represents that tripartite alliance OF
the landlords, the liquor interests and the
church which is the tory party II
tolerates, for reasons Of political expedi-
ency, that element of whilom liberals
which opposes the radical program on
account Of a conviction that England
needs protective tariff. 1t Is the cham
pion of the privileged as against the IN
Privileged. and it will fight to the oltter
death In defense or the remnants OIL
feudalism which still remain to bless the
few and curse the many in old England
The house Of lords is composed of more
than coo peers, who are legislators IN the
upper chamber of the Imperial br .,as,i
legislature by reason Of the fact that they
were born eldest sons of other peers. or
because they have been elevated above
the plane of the common people oy "df-
rant of the crown, emitting mem anu
their sons forever to this position OF
honor and legislative power. While the
hereditary principle In legislation Is IN
defensfbIe and is practically underended'
even by the peers themselves, there Is an
even greater objection to the British
house of lords. And that Is that 500
of its members an overwhelming MAORI
ty, are consistent and reliable supporters
Of the policies Of the conservative party
and there is no opportunity snort OF revo-
luton to change this condition.
This means simply that when political
issue has been referred to the country for
the verdict of public opinion and the con-
sentative party has been returned to
power with majority OF members or tne
house of commons, the conservative gov
eminent formed as the result of that
political victory is able to place upon the
statute books any legislation 1T may de-
sire, secure always in the blissful con-
sciOusnetss of the entire sympathy or the
house of lords. But if the liberal party
is successful at the polls and Is intrusted
with the business of conducting the ar
fairs Of the government. it never can be
certain of it's power to pass any law or
to make effective any legislative or ad-
ministratve policy. since it may legislate
only by the grace of the huge opposition
majority in the upper house
Those of the people of England who
can vote gave an electoral verdict in
favor of the proposition
The Liberals CT home rule for Ireland.
Home rule was defeated
AoAPAoSS. by the lords. And every
Englishman and every Irishman knows.
or ought to know, that the cause
Of home rule is forever hopeless
as long as the house of lords re-
tains it's unimpaired power as CO.
ordinate branch of the legislature. The
liberal party, being in control of the
syov virtue Of OVprwhe1n-
ing majority of the popular vote. has
sought during the past five years to
enact legislation freeing the schools of
the country from the entire domination
Of the established church. 1t has framed
legislation looking toward the ameliora-
ton of the evils of the practically unre-
strained liquor traffic and it has passed
through the commons these and many
other progressive measures favored by
the masses of the people. But in every
instance the lords defeated the progress
sive Legislation because 1t was initiated
by the radical party and because it in
terfered with the privileges of the liquor
trade and the church, two factors of the
tory dreibund.
Defeated at every turn by the implaca-
BILE peers. the liberal government attack
ed the inequitable privileges of the land
lords, the third partner in the triple al
lance, by imposing a tax on land This
was a much more serious business, be-
cause it was a revenue measure and
was incorporated in a finance bill, over
which the house of commons, according
to all precedent and authority, exercised
sole and exclusive power.
=.
The right of the commons absolutely
to control taxation was the cause of the
revolution u n e r
Control of the Oliver Cromwell and
Purse Strings. death sentence upon
King Charles l. After the restoration
this exclusive right Of the commons was
affirmed repeatedly, and it found its way
even into the Constitution of the United
States in the provision that 'all bills for
raising revenue shall originate in the
House of Representatives.
In 1871 the house Of commons made
affirmation of it's right to hold the purse
strings in this language: THAT in all
aids given to the king by the commons
the rate of tax ought not to be altered
by the lords" Seven years later the
resolution o. 1873 asserted: That all aids