The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-04-05
PLURAL VOTING
WILL Be ouTLAWED
Measure to Abolish 1t Will Be In
troduced in Parliament
by Liberals.
The Reform Expected to Give 40
or so Seats to Liberals at
Next Election.
Lloyd-George and Rufus Isaacs Cross
Examined in Regard to
Marconi Case.
Lloyd-Georee and Rufus Isaacs Cross

Examined in Regard to
Marconi Case.
! Irish parties will be to introduce in
parliament q bill TO make an end of
| the bane of plural voting. Under the
present system in England men who
own land in different parts OF the
country are allowed to vote for the
candidates for parliament from the
constituencies where they hold such
property. The purpose of the meas
ure to be introduced is to do away
with this condition. The enactment
Of ii is expected to increase the
strength Of the liberal party at the
| next election by forty or fifty seats.
That will ,loubly pave the way for
I the success OF Home Rule which Will
come up for final consideration soon
thereafter. Commenting OH the pro-
posed measure. II. r. O'Connor, in a
special cable to the Chicago Tribune
Of March ~, says:
i In a couple OF weeks the ministry
will enter ON the real business Of the
session and it will begin by the intro
duction of a measure TO abolish the
plural voting. This reform ought to
give forty or fifty additional seats to
tile liberal party at the next election.
The Home Rule hill will follow soon
after. The. tories, in the meantime,
have revealed to the whole world the
continuance Of their fierce internecine
conflict over the tariff. for when Col
onel Weston, tho new member for
Kendall, who, though tory, is an
ayowed free trader, entered the House
Of Commons for the first time, he was
received BY tory silence and loud lib
eral and Irish cheers.
Leaders Quizzed.
The accusation that Lloyd George
and Postmaster General Rufus lsaacs
were guilty OF corrupt methods in
purchasing stock in the Marconi COM
pany led TO searching investigation
were put in trying position. Seated
like criminals in the dock they were
subject to an exhaustive crOss-cXam-
nation and to the curious gaze OF n
hacked chamber. The result, how
ever according to T.. p OConnor, has
been to vndicate the honor of the
men and to relieve the liberal and
Irish parties of the cloud Of unccr-
tainty the case threw over the polit
cal situation.
;. Mr.. Isaacs and Mr.. Lloyd George,
5 saws r. r. OConnor. went through
the terrible ordeal with marvellous
!, coolness. courage and success. AL
drawn he answered every question
with transparent honesty and even o
superfluous abundance OF detail. The
, men who did the cross examination
did not even dare to suggest any i'm
putation OF corruption and confined
themselves mainly to the suggestion
. ing secretary Of the Mnrconi company.
!, had the advantage over the general
| public in bidding for shares.
, Isaacs kept his temper in wonder
j, full control through the prolonged
cross examination, except once or
suggested some timi1 defense Of the
, attack on the officials Tsaacs then
] let himself go, and, with flashing
I eyes. loud voice and blows on the
! table. made an eloquent and fierce pro-
test against the continuance Of mere
: insin,ation and demanded to know
whether corruption was imputed or
o not. The tories Immediately began to
, retreat.
+ Corruption Charges Abandoned.
+ In the meantime there was a strik.
v ing Indication, even in the committee
room, OF that inevitable reaction OF
opinion which always comes in Eng.
land when the generous and racial in
stinct Of the Enslishman for fair pla!
v feels itself offended. 1t was signif-
t cant of this feeling that the audience
r in the room violated all of the rules
= of order by bursting into enthusiastic
applause when Mr.. Isaacs uttered hi
words OF vehement self defense.