El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-05-22
NEW VOTING
BILL CAUSE
Of STRIFE
English Parliament in Bitter
Fight Over New Fran
chise Measure.
CITIZENS RAY CAST
DOZENS OF VOTES
ny FREDERIC J. HAsEIV

+ bNDDN, Eng May 22-An issue ~,
the present political struggle in
Britain that would create an
enormous amount or interest were it
~. III oFerShadoEed by the Irish ques-
Ions Is that raised bv the fnsfere7,l.. 81
the Liberal government in Dsssi0eC fba
plural voting bill over the veto Of the
mouse Of lords
The women who are most clar1orous
lor suffrage I'm England are nor NJ vvaT.
with any feature Of the vo+iDet s,-st.-,,
except the sex They are uarfectIy-
wiling 70 take the franchise an the
same conditions that men have h. 81
though this would not enfrar.nfsa
nearly so large a percentage ~ women
- II uoes men, since so many of them
are not independent ''occupiersr' of
property.
But AZ present the only measure that
Las advanced TO a practical political
status is the bill 10 abolish D1ural yot-
ING II this plural voting system were
-H vogue IN the United States il mieht
not have so great an influence on D0ii-
tics, because il would be ir1DossiI115. To-
lne many powered voter to cover The
great distances between his various
PAGES OF voting on election day.
Vote Many Times
IN Great Britain. however. the dis
tailces are snort Moreover the cleo
ions are not held on one day. but are
scattered over two weeks. The rail-
roads run special trains through the
metropolitan districts for the sDeciaI
accommodation of voters who are able
20 vote all around q circuit
IhaI The vast majority Of these plu-
TAI voters are all members of one par
" Is freely admitted by both parties
Inc Liberals say that the plural voters
are All Tories, and that with their a1o-
ituon the Tory apparent strength n
lHe electorate viii be greatly dimiu-
lshcL On the other hand the Corsar-
natives say that the bill is not a pro-
l-St OF any desire 70 reform the fran
enlse- put merely a political trick OF
the radlcals 70 Clstrauchise C0nserva-
i've voters that the government NAV
have better chance OF being returned
70 power To is to be noted that there
IS no essential difference between these
Two views, except in the angle Of de-
cuctiOu-
Lords Oppose Bill.
The bill Is one that is being passed
under the parliament act That is IL
having been defeated In the house Of
lords after II was first passed in 1913
lne government now proposes 10 pass il
twice again through the commons.
whereupcu If viii become law without
the assent Of the lords. II has passed
the second reading Of the second PASS
age II cannot become a law before
May !, 1918. even under the most favor
able circumstances. as the house Of
lords on no account VIII consent TO if
men the bill was passed the last
time, the Conservative opposition de-
manded that il be amended 10 include
VA A-a- pa 4AsA ---4A--a-
ry constituencies.
The Labor party view was voiced by
member VINO said be would support
the bill, although 10 had some grave
faults He objected 20 many features.
saying he thought the man ought TO
be made 10 vote in the constituency
where he lived
Partisan Trick, Charge.
The CE-er arguments against the bill
We're based on the theory that the plu-
raj voters based their claims for a
greater voice in affairs on their great
or stake in the community 1t was said
that the bill was a measure designed
To take away the power Of government
from those who furnished the money
and brains TO run the government, and
that 10 was q partisan trick
Just 10 show q proper respect for the
British Institution Of compromise. the I
government has left in the bill a pro-
vision that permits plural voters TO cast I
their ballots in bye-elections. although I
nor in general elections.
The passage Of this bill viii have a I
powerful effect. rs no less than 500. 900 &
Of the 100000 votes pOlled in the coun- {
try are cast by men who have already I
voted once in the same election As I
practically every one of these 500. 600 4
votes viii be taken from the Conserva- I
tive strength, it viii greatly demOralize :
that party