The Washington herald., 1910-12-04
BY Ex-ATTACHE.

Copyright, 1910 By the Brentwood Company
An English general election is at all
times an event in the life OF the world.
From the Himalayas to the Western slopes
OF the Pacific. from the area OF the polar
star 40 the zone Of the Southern Cross.
from the land of the golden fleece to that
of the midnight sun. II viii touch some
chord of curiosity. concern, and interest
never more so than during the coming
! fortnight when the people Of the United
Kingdom will be called upon 10 deter
mine at the polls whether or not the
House Of Lords-that is TO say, the more
ancient Of the two chambers of this the
Oldest parliament in the worlds TO be
shorn OF its constitutional power OF de-
feating and virtually vetoing legislation
enacted by the Commons
Until now the House of Lords has en-
joyed much the same prerogatiyes as the
United States Senate, and has served in
the same fashion as a restraint upon
/ hasty and sometimes reckless legislation
OF the part OF the lower chamber. II diff
feFs from the United States Senate in
that It's membership IS appolntive and
| hereditary instead of elective. The Lords
| themselves and the Unionists are pre-
pared TO abandon the hereditary fea-
lures Of the upper house and to render it
largely elective But the Asquith gov
eminent is not content with this.
COnsuItive Body.
II is determined TO deprive the Lords
OF all further power of vetolng measures
enacted by the Commons. OF reducing it
10 the role OF a mere consultive body, 20
register without demur the edlcts of the
lower house. Once this is accomplished
the Liberals-that is 10 say, the present
government-are pledged 10 accord home
rule to Ireland. although two-f1fths Of
the people OF Ireland. constituting the
most prosperous and economically impOr-
tant moiety or the population OF Erin.
are bitterly opposed thereto. even threat
ening TO resort 10 arms rather than 10
recognize the authority OF any home
rule parliament at Dublin.
So the issues TO be decided nj the polls
this week and next week-fbr the polls
close on Saturday December I7-that Is
10 say. less than a fortnight hence-are
the question of the deprival OF the House
Of Lords Of those prerogatives which il
has enjoyed by virtue of the constitution
for many hundreds OF years and the in
hEEui ALUM OF hume RUE III AltiaiQ anu
OF a number OF socialistic measures TO
which the Liberal government stands
committed
Polls Open Tuesday.
The polls open on Tuesday-that is 10
say, the day after to-morrow-and by
week from Saturday next the vast Brit
ish empire win know its fate Fer It is
not merely the future OF TIA United
Kingdom and of Ireland that = irvolved
but that of all the dominiOrs OF King
George beyond the sea, sin, tie Lib
erals are distinctly anti-imperislistic
a week before Christmas the entire
general election viii be over, for so per-
( feet Is the system by which an appeal OF
this nature 10 the people is managed in
Great Britain that within three hours
after the issue of the proclamation by
the King on Monday last dissolving Par
lament and directing the election Of an
other in its place. 10 meet on January 81
orders bearing his sign manual were in
the hands OF the lord high chancellor Of
Great Britain and the lord chancellor Of
Ireland commanding them to issue Writs
for the calling of new Parliament, TO
meet lat the city of Westminster while
the very same evening the writs held In