The Irish standard., 1911-08-19

The Lords have drunk the hemlock.
Democracy has triumphcd in the Eng
lish monarchy and henceforth to be a
British Peer is to have but an empty
title. For the Veto bill which has SO
long held the center of the stage in
British politics is now incorporated in
the law of the land and the House OF
Commons is virtually the supreme law
making body of the Empire. The only
paltry remnant OF power left to the
once proud and powerful aristocracy
of England is the right to delay legis-
lation for two years By the terms Of
the Veto bill this is conceded to them.
Their only right to a title HOW is that
they may act as dead weight to leg
islation for the short period of two
years. What a contrast with the pow
er which was vested in the naughty
members of that exclusive group in
times that arc past But the trend is
toward democracy. Hereditary power
The passage of the Veto bill last
week was an event that will rank
among the first in modern English
history. 1t is epoch making. rcvolu
tionary. 1t passes beyond the bounds
set by the almost sacred traditions of
the past. 1t rs asstep which but few
decades ago would be laughed to scorn.
The suggestion of such change
would pass as all original jest. And
yet the acceptance of the bill by the
House of Lords was given less space
in American papers than was given a
few days since to Il description of the
display Of roWdyism in the House OF
Commons. 1t all seems paradoxical
but the reason undoubtedly is because
the end of the Veto fight was foreseen
so long ago that the final vote caused
no surprise.
While the ultimate fate Of the bill
has not been uncertain for many weeks
the outcome of the voting was uncer-
tain even to the best informed up to
the last minute. AT the time when
Premier Asquth announced definitely
that he had guarantees from the King
| to have the necessary puppet peers
created the back Of the resistance was
| broken. Lansdowne was ready to give
up the fight and invited his followers
not to participate in the voting In
out compelling the King to create tn"
new peers. Then it was that group
of extremists rallied around Halsbury
as their leader in q vain hope of de-
rcating the bill. But the majority of
the Lords were anxious not to sec the
prestige Of their select circle Destroy
cd When the ballots were counted it
was found that the measure was
adopted by a vote Of ia to 131.
The Veto fight began about two
years ago when the Parliamentary
election resulted in a majority Of 124
for the coalition consisting Of the Lib
cral Labor and Irish parties. AS was
to be expected the Tories, shorn OF
power for the first time in many years
refused to adopt any measure witt
liberal tendencies. Last fall, IN tho
hope of adjusting the differences, q
conference of party leaders was helG
fyti
followed the dissolution Of Parliament
and another election resulting in 8
slightly increased majority for the
Government. Parliament was con
vcned again in February and tht
House of Commons proceeded with 1t!
program. The Veto bill was promptly
passed and sent up to the House o
Lords towards the end of May. Al
the coronation was then but Il few
weeks away the Lords passed the bil
without division on it's first and sec.
ond reading.
After the coronation. however, they
proceeded with their dirty work
Amendment after amendment wa!
tackled on to the bill with the aVoWet
purpose of defeating the end for Whicf
It was drafted. 1t was finally passed
and returned to the House of Com
mons. At this stage of the fight AS
auth announced that he had the roy
al assent to go on with his program