The Detroit times., 1910-12-09

existence OF the house OF lords In It's
present form. The Ministerialist par
~, composed of coalition OF Liberals,
Observation-Disclosures, Laborites and So
cialists, Is fighting as unit under the
radical ensign TO end the existence or
the house OF lords as a coordinate
branch OF the British Legislature. The
opposition party. technically an ait
ance of Conservatives and the Liberal
Unionists and having the support OF
a few disaffected Liberals and malcon-
tent Irishmen, Is fighting as unit
under the Tory banner to mend the
house of lords.
But whether IL be ended by the radi-
Gals. or mended by the Tories, 1t Is
certain that the house OF lords as
Legislative body baslng its powers
solely on the hereditary principle
the accident of birth--cannot longer
endure Ii Is the only purely heredi-
tary legislative assemblage now exist
ing In any first-class nation. II Is an
anachronism an dthe time has come
when IL must fall before the advance
of democracy.
Everybody in England, at leas. as
far as public utterances are concern
ed. Is in favor OF the democratizing
the house of lords Everybody is
agreed that the hereditary principle
no longer shall he the controlling f.
tor in making up the personnel OF the
second and upper chamber of the ma
Aional and imperial legislature. II one
could take the stump speeches OF all
the candidates together and cut out
the details he would find that every
body was committed to the same prin-
ciples with respect TO the chief issue
those principles being an acknowledg-
ment OF the necessity of second
chamber. a population of the heredi-
tary principle in the constitution OF
that chamber, and the necessity OF
,brineing the members OF the upper
house into more direct contact with
abe people!
The proverbial man from Mars
might find IL difficult to determine
why, when everybody is agreed IN
principle. there should be such tre-
mendous battle about the details OF
the legislation intended TO make those
principles. effective. a matter OF
fact. the details are all-important ana
the sprincfples. simply as principles
amount 10 nothing.
The house OF lords now is composed
kof something more than six hundred
hereditary peers or whom all but
about three score are Tories-Torles
in notifies, Tories In religion and Tor
les in society. When the electors OF
Great Britain are pleased TO elect
parliament having Conservative ma
jority. the Tory ministry formed I'M
der, and responsible TO. that parha-
ment has no difficulty whatever IN
making up a legislative program. Sc
cure In the certain knowledge that me
government proposals, as passed by
the house of commons, VIII De ap-
proved by the house of lords.
On the other hand. when the llberai
party has carried the country. wheh
there Is a Liberal majority In the
house OF commons and liberal mn
istry is advising the crown, then the
government never is sure that any
| one OF It's measures has even re-
mote chance OF being enactd lnlo~sa".
Tn the past fifty years the mouse OF
. lords has rejected or mul,ilateu no
less than fifty important government
measures viii had been duly passed
nv the uon1mC-is In the same period
| OF time the lords have never rejected
nor have they amended in important
majority in the lower chamber,
In other words. the British consti'
tuition now permits the people quail
fed to vote in genera. elections 10
control through their representative
matters OF legislation. provided. that
these same electors have approved
Tory legislation by electIng major
ity of Tory members to the house. But
the constitution, In Its present FORM.
does not permit the people to register
their will in statutory law If they ap-
prove of Liberal legislation by elect
ing majority OF Liberal members.
This difficulty having lately become
so patent that no man dares to deny
the existence OF the fact, the leaders
of both parties agreed that the mouse
NJ lords must be reconstructed. And
upon that question OF the reconstitu-
tion of the upper chamber depends the
future of the British constitution
a future today I'm the hands OF the
united chamber
The questions involved in this great
constitutional controversy first be-
came acute In 1906 when the Liberal
party carried the country by tre-
mendous majority in the house or
commons. The commons passed an
education bill. providing for the d.
yorce OF church and state In the man.
agement and control of the common
schools. This bill was mutiated be-
yond recognition by the irresponsible
house OF lords A licensing bill. aimed
nj restriction OF the liquor traffic.
met similar fate. A bill to restrict
plural voting on property qua ifcation
also was rejected by the peers Their
lordships made il quite plain TO the
leaders of the majority In the house of
commons that no bill Incorporating
the principles Of progressive economic
or social philosophy would be toler-
ated
Nearly three centuries ago. under
E the leadership of oliver Cromwell. the
commons asserted their exclusive right
and power TO control the purse strings
OF the nation After the restoration OF
the monarchy the house OF commons
solemnly proclaimed by series or
resolutions that the commons had the
sole right to levy taxes. to make ex-
pepdtures on the public account. and
10 have absolute control of all money
/ bills without let or hindraDce in the
house of lords. For nearly three cen
turtles this claim of the commons was
not questioned The king, In his
speech from the throne ALWAYS was