The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-16

us constitutional term. The mintstry
and tho governments coalition arc 70,
oil practical purposes unit on grant.
ing home rule In some form. The dis
sontlnE Liberals within the coalition
arc negligible element. But. rs q
the extension OF suffrage to women
bota OF the great parties In the Com
mons are divided In their respective
camps. and on close lines. More signl-
hcant and moro mcnacing stlll, tho
| cabinet is not harmonious as to the
"concess on" Lloyd George is rabidly
In favor of extension, and has an
nounccd his purpose 10 Introduce il
bill to effect It; Mr.. Asqui,n is unal-
terable In opposition. Thus we have
inc prospect of Cabinet split. a part
ing OF the waters at the government
! fountain head.
These conditions account for the
proposed referendum recourse. for the
| absence of popular antagonism to a
measure so repugnant TO precedent,
and FOR non partisan newspaper ad-
herents, thereto. But even In this adj
| herence the experiment Is recognized
| as hazardous-nay, dangerous-is con :
tcmpiated with apprehension, and
warning signals are displayed. rne
London Spectator while strongly IN
favor of votes for women. beng to-
fcrrcd TO tho electors desires to
point out that it is of the utmost i'm
portance that the country recognize
ihat there IL Il wrong way and right
way Of applying the referendum. and
That in tho present case great care
way is adopted" 1t vigorously an
taGonizes the Introduction Of mo re-
fercndum in lieu of appeal. and in an
elaborate, but closely woven discus-
sion OF the subject gives clear ana
most interesting exposition OF the
complications and difficulties and the
menace that Turk In recourse to tho
fystom.
After urging that 1t Is tho inpere-
two duty fthose who favor tho re-
ferenduIn to make it absolutely plain
that no man who advocates or con-
women is thereby committed to any
extension OF the scopc-tv maxim, it a
part of the constitutional machinery Il
the Spectator says:
What makes 1t particularly easy
for those who, as a rule, condcrlu the
referendum to assent TO 1t in ms case
IS INC fact of thc wholly eXcuytionai
circumstances surrounding the suffrage
question. Owing TO tho fact that this
question divides both parties in the
state. 1t is undoubtedly true, as has
been so often urged oy The Most
Minister Gazette that tho ordinary
party machinery is not capable OF
dealing with 1T. Thong, tas House OF
Commons may be q machine capabla Of
grinding every other kind OF meal ef-
hcicntly, IL Is not capabi. Of grinding
this. Further. II is impossible 20 point
to any other capital question which
divides parties exactly in this way.
undoubtedly, Liberal enc
mics or the referendum are entitled to
say that the uso OF tho referendum to
get over the suffrage difficulty cannot
be pleaded as a precedent in regard to
other questions. No man can fairly be
taunted with the question since you
n referendum on votes for
women, why viii you not allow it on
home rule?' II he Is SO tainted ne
can make what. from his point OF |,
view, Is the perfectly reasonable re-
ply: The two questions not on
all fours.'"
Apart from the mark OF whether
woman suffrage Is to prevail In Eng
land. the conditions evolving out or
the question and the problems in
cldentnl to the movement present. it
must he admitted. an Intensely and
almost unpreccdentedly Interesting
study in British politics. Tho po-
involved arc not only far
reaching. but iconoclastlc IN their
bearing on cherished British institu-
tions, and the conservatism that has
for centuries 80 eftcctuelly and zeal
ously safcguardcd them. The posi- |,
bnitics strike at some OF tho very
stones OF the British legis- |
lativc and political structure, the
patient and slow but sure building
OF which has been the work OF gen
1rn Of Tlrtt OH n