New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-08
LLOYD GEORGE POPULAR,
BIG STRAW VOTE SHOWS
Proportional Representation So
Ciety Conducts Model Election
with Surprising Result.
SIR E. GREY ALSO A HERO
British Cabinet Ploughs On with
It's Heavy Load of Irish,
Welsh and Franchise
Legislation.
fBy Cable to The Tribune

fBy Cable To The Tribune
London. Dec. THE Proportional
Representation Society this week con-
Quoted a model election, and, while the
result is not regarded seriously, con-
siderable surprise was occasioned by
the fact that Mr.. Lloyd George polled
nearly twice as many votes as Mr..
Bonar Law, leader Of the Opposition,
at a moment when the government was
supposed to be in great disfavor as
result of recent legislation.
With a view to enrolling voters a
ballot paper was inserted in ten Lon
don and twenty three provincial news
papers, and upon these the names of
twelve leading politicians in various
parties were given. The readers OF
these thirty-three newspapers were In
vited to cooperate in securing prac-
teal illustration of the working or the
system of proportional representation.
As a result of the vote, which, IL
must be noted, was purely voluntary
on the part of the newspaper readers,
Mr. Lloyd George headed the poll with
no. IT'S votes. MIR. Bonar Law being sec-
ond with 1857 and Sir Edward Grey,
Foreign Secretary. third the govern
ment thus securing two of the first
three places
The situation might. however, be
likened to that obtaining in the United
States last spring. when the people in
droves voted for Colonel Roosevelt in
the primaries and II looked as If he was
TO be the popular hero in the fall cleo
tions. Here Mr.. Lloyd George looks
like the hero, and yet in the United
States when II came to a vote the
Lloyd George Of America was showed
under. II may be that the parallel Will
be continued here.
The Cabinets Programme.
Notwithstanding the delay caused by
it's temporary effect on the financial
provisions Of the Home Rule bill. the
government is still determined 10 per-
sist in it's programme and 10 pass
through the House OF Commons at this
session the three big bills providing
Home Rule for Ireland. the disestab-
iishment Of the church in Wales and
the reform Of the franchise, the prin-
cipal clause Of which aims al putting
an end 10 plural voting.
The bill TO deal with those unfortu-
mates suffering from mental deficiency
and other measures of "A purely depart
mental character will be dropped.
Seldom has government undertaken
such task ~ that involved in the
passage during one session Of three
such controversial bills, and the present
government has less than half year
in which TO accomplish it. Parliament
must rise before March 80 the end
OF the governmental financial year.
Before the temporary defeat which
caused a delay Of over week the gov
eminent schedule provided for getting
rid of the Home Rule bill, so far as
the House OF Commons is concerned.
before Christmas. Now it will be after
Christmas before the bill reaches the
House Of Lords. They are not likely
10 waste much time over IT, and when
they have thrown II out, as they GER
tainly will. Parliament could be pro-
rogued were il not for Welsh disestab-
lishment and the franchise bill.
WeIshmen Getting Restless.
The government. however, has pledged
itself TO the Welsh Liberals. who
have been getting rather restless under
the long delay 10 pass the church Dill
al this session. and as for the franchise
bill. the members Of the government
as well as every Liberal in the coun-
try. are anxious 10 see it become a law,
believing that the repeal OF plural vot-
ing and an extension Of the franchise
will be all to their benefit when II
comes to a general election. To get all
these things before their term expires
the bills must be passed this session.
Welsh disestablishmen and franchise
reform will, like Home Rule, be thrown
out by the Lords. and. under the Par
lament act which the Liberals passed
last year they must be passed again
twice. in new sessions, before they be-
come law, despite the veto OF the
House OF Lords. AS there must be an
election in 1915. the government has
lust time enough to accomplish this,
always on the understanding that 1t
can hold it's majority together that