Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-02-09
ly declared they will stand for no in

ly declared tney Will SldHu 1Ol no IN
crease.
In taking up regular measures II IS
understood that the Welsh Disestab-
lishment Bill will be given precedence
over Home Rule, which will be left
until the last in hope that some com
promise Will be forthcoming. Between
these two big measures will be intro
duced the bill to abolish plural vot-
ing, which has already passed once
under the Parliament Act, and which
Liberal election agents are deeply anx-
ious TO see made law before another
election, as they believe most of the
plural voters are UnionistS.
What new legislation the Govern
ment plans has not yet been disclosed
but the Liberal platform and the prom
Uses of ministers afford lots of materi-
al First of all there IS the reconsti
tuition of the House of Lords. While
the Upper Chambers powers have teen
curtalled so that it can no longer veto
a bill passed by the House of Com
mons but can only delay it, the eonsti-
tuition of that body remains as it was
and that satisfies nobody. The cut
and out Radicals would abolish the
chamber altogether but that is hardly
to be seriously considered. The plan
most favored is a mixed plan of cleo
ton by CONSTITUENCIES and nomination
by the House of Commons on plan
of proportional representation.
There are temperance and education
reform, both of which have been prom
Used by the Government. Both are
highly controversial and lot of time
would be required for them. If they
come up at all it would likely not be
until an autumn session, especially
since the educational problem brings
up the whole question of denomination
al education and the old fight between
the Church of England and the Nom
.conformists.
The House of Lords Reform Bill and
the Education Bill will be introduced
rather with a view of fulfilling the
Prime Minister'S promises than in the
hope that they will pass without re-
course TO the Parliament Act. There
will be no land legislation, Lloyd
Georges scheme not yet being ready
to be embodied in a bill Some Liberal
members. however, will at the insti
cation of the leaders introduce a num-
Der or measures employing the Gov
ernment's policy and these will go to
a second reading with view to test
ing the feeling of the House, and draw
ing the opposition views on the land
scheme.
There is still much interest as to
how the House of Lords will receive
the Home Rule and Welsh Disestab-
lishment bills. The Liberals contend
that under the Parliament Act no mat
ter what the Lords do the bills will
become law on receiving the signature
of the King. There are some Unionists,
however, who believe that as the act
distinctly says they shall become law
on the Lords rejecting them for the
third time, if the Upper Chamber SIM
ply refuses to consider them they can
not be rejected and therefore cannot
become law. The House of Lords,
however, would require lot of urging
to take that view, remembering as they
would that the people have already ell
dorsed the Parliament Act and any
attempt to evade II might have seri-
Gus consequences for the Unionist
Party. The Government therefore is
looking with confidence to smooth
passage for it's two chief measures.