The Detroit times., 1910-12-10

Clal commission 10 ucNiuc Wy
the constitution OF the greatest no
lion on earn had no standing III law
but with the spirit of confidence II,
public servants SO characteristic VI
the British people. practicaiiy ali uls
cussion of this great question was
stopped. Ii was Truce oil COD WIN
charming simplicity the BRUSH en-
pire delegated it's future TO eight me-"
and called them The Conference. SOME
times someone would say Cohs'itu-
tional Conference" but usually the one
word with its capital &c was sum
cient.
The Conference met twenty-five
times. Not a word leaked out OF the
council chamber. The whole nation
waited breathlessly for the decision
but il also waited patiently ana WIN
confidence. The British people were
divided into two camps and each camp
was represented In the parley by four
men AS matter OF fact there was
NOT the slightest chance for an agree
! mont The question under considera-
tion was fundamental. II one OF the
four Radicals had wavered. the de-
mocracy OF the nation would nave TORN
/ him limb from limb. II one OF the
Tories had capitulated in the silsh'-
ast material matter, the aristocracy OF
Britain would have drunk his oloou'
Inallv the end came. The Prime
Minister announced through the press
! In four lines Of type the fact that the
! Conference had come 10 no agreement
The truce was ended and matters
were back where they stood wheh
death claimed Edward VII. and eie-
vated George V. To the throne. Inc
I iheraI Government was unwilling 10
nroceed 10 It's business of legislation
unless u was assured that IL had a
chance of passing its measures INTO
,ow with the House of Lords con-
trolled by an overwhelming majority
OF Tories there was no such crance
under the existing Constitution. Inc
Commons had won before the peo2ie
in their contention that they might
control the money bills. But the gov
eminent was not content to go on
unless its powers were ehialseu 81
thar II might consider other matters
OF legislation with some reasonaoie
hone of success The Parliament re-
assembled and the veto bil was
brought out. =,
|
rectness impossible in an American
statesman who is slave TO the caien,
dar. said the Conference had laiieu
and that there was no use IN keepins
nm the farce any longer. Elther uie
peoples chosen representatives nau
the right and power TO leglsiate VI
they did not have the right ana power
The bill giving them that power SUP
lect 10 the dilatory, but not cohciusiNe
veto OF the upper chamber. was sem
In the Lords. The Lords ignored 'he
hill and countered by proposing
scheme for the reform or the upper
chamber. voluntarily abandoning the
hereditary principle In part anu mar
ing sweeping concessions with respec'
To the form of their house. But theli
concessions were not SUCH as 10 con
vince the Liberals that they would
result i'm the control OF the house oy
any other than the aristocratlc ana
plutocratic elements now domlnai.'
there The Radicals desired to end
not mend. the second chamber In Us
present character,
Go the Lords passed their reform
resolutions and the Commons passed
their Veto" bill, each house ignored
the action OF the other and the king
by advice OF his ministers, dissolved
the parliament and the campaign for
a general election was on.
I'm the Conference the Liberals
were represented by three common
ers and peer. the Conservatives by
two peers and two commoners. The
Radical members were Mr.. Asquith
Mr.. Lloyd-George, Lord Crewe and
Mr.. Birrell. The Tory conferees were
Mr.. Balfour, Lord Lansdowne. Lord
Cawdor and Mr.. Austen Chamberlain
But whether mobiles or commoners
the eight men divided. as Englishmen
will. with reference TO the substance
and not the form of things. Lord
Crewe. judged by his record as the
leader OF the government in the House
OF Lords. is well-nigh as radical a
Democrat as is Mr.. Lloyd-George him
self Mr.. Balfour. although a com.
moner. Is OF the Cecil blood and an
aristocrat who sincerely and honestly