MR. ASQUITH ON ELECTORAL REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 722, 22 January 1910, Page 5

MR. ASQUITH ON ELECTORAL REFORM.

COULD "HA2DLT RESIS'r" WOMAN'S :.':;. y.v .:■-., ■ SUFFRAGE.; ,;-:■:,:.. ;,V ■ ' Mr.' Asqnith is ■ reported in .to-day's ; cablegrams to. have stated, that -he has always been an opponent •' of : woman's suffrage,; and as far' as' ho • personally is • concerned -this' is no .doubt, true. 'But, 1 'notwithstanding this,/it may safely bo assumed that "tho /Liberal party is frpe to support any measure" of woman's suffrage (to adopt Mr. Asquith's oirn languago on Homo Rule), if he. thinks fit. 'i'his. assumption is 'based ,on Mr. Asquith's roply,- in May, 1008, .to a..deputation of sixij''■-. Ijiberal -members of tho i Uouso of Commons ; who waited ou.him. "To submit a really effective scnemo : for the' reform of .our electoral system .: liefovo this Parliament camo' to an end : was," ho. said, "a binding obligation on i the Government. The present etato of tho law, with its .artificialities, its unreasonablo in 'obtaining tho qualification for tho -franchise,:its indefensible 1 classification- of the'.'categories' ! of voters, < »ml, abovo all, the power: of-doublo'vot- ,t ing, which was at present conferred upon i the class.which needed it least—nil this ' urgently demanded reform. No Liberal t Government, and no Liberal Houso Of J ■

Commons, would .be performing its duty if it;, did not make every effort to got- '■ ' rid' of. a' system such.- as ■■ ho had". . described." ;,-,.'• :-..j?'■ - . ' '.: : '; Government Would Not jijpposo. : / ; . Tho deputation had coiiie '"to press- for " : womans suifrago, and. oil this Mr. As-'-qmth said:'. •,■.;■" :;.'-.■• j(<- ; . :.:■■- .-. ■■"; ': ' . "It. would'clearly, be.OTthin'-the c'bmi \ petence of-those, present to seek to-intro.:'-dace by amendments, or by extensions,--' the. object, they .desired. :: -The - Govern- - : -. ' uient could-, hardly..resist ■ Buck'-"' amend-- ' meat, for tho. simple and- sufficient reason . ' tlmt probab)y ;: some-two-thirds of his col-- ; leagues m the.Ministry wore' in favour;. ?. f «•■ H. it, were;approved by the House, 'iit could not be any;part of the -duty", of .. tlio Government- to:: oppose ■•■ such an , - r amemlmont,'.aiid therrioro, . the. matter ' must the.:decisfon of the House.;: lle : must .-.'ffiye , them one wora- of warn- ■'" mg, howoyDr;;it must.be a "distinct con-": k, dition that such.- proposed, chango-::"-must. be a cliauge upon-democratio Unes."..-. -•'■. bnbject to-'that condition: he .could-not', oppose such an .amendment,- even'if he ' peered to _do ■; so,-haVing- regard to thestate of; opinion ;in the Liberal party on '. ■■ tjus question.' He pointed out that a" measure of woman's,suffrage sank as he , "' - had ..touched; on, io be accepted "must ■■ :nave behmd.;it thb, overwhelming -siip- '-■' : port: of-.- the women of the; coiilry,. no i\ ' less.than the: support, of men."'-. : ',' ' • iraaic Interruption foreseen.' ~■■"',' '■' .'■■'.' ■-::■. _ Sir. .Asquith on,the ;sam'e day;:' ; Eaid:-;■■: ■ xon cannot achieve social reform wbrthv'-": 1 of _ the■■ name.. so- : long.-.as ,yotfr. political^■■'machinery, is obsolete-., in form, and V.' stamped-", with- Hie . marks--of inemiaUtv : -■ ana injusHce,;; and does not £$£&(*■■ reathiy ami persistently to "the- real will" '■' ,and pnuine, wishes ,ft. th e ;,pe^ii™-..".-m i strongly of opinion; that- before-the ; .'V tl & : P"f, M' ament - 'if--Its-, career is v. i/t tragically;.interrupted by some un-.-tjlrcscenvand unforeseeable .I'■''■■ ■ *ope and beUeTe;that"we-shaUnot, m.-:" : - deed, complete, bnt,we'shaU take another: ; ' lon K step.in.-advanco.-on the: roadToi '-- political reform in -removing from our: .:■: eectoraV.system--those and abuses which render, itnow so inade- ' - quate and luntrustwortliy .an'sexpdnont'V: V ?"■*

. Even so strong-a Minister as "the-See.'' retarj- .for-'Foreign Affairs, Sir' Edward ttrey, ,who. is. respected, by : all 'parties,'■ comes,.back-with 'a majority.reduced• hVv 507 ...votes, '■• as,' compared '■ 'with; 1900.-'- Sir ' Mward:. is:. a' man' of talented" ??. S o .' ynose future -his' L.party entertain'; the^ highest hopes.: :He (has ■: jmtten' .on -. 'Tly i /Fishing") ■ and ..'tennis, "■ ot. which/hd; is" , a.-past .champion,- better.'•tnan_ipolitita.:.'"'.'l have never rememberedv so' signal- a' capacity.'for. Parliamentary'■'.' life and,so'.,small-a,:disposition to. ? it,".Gladstone -said of -.him'. '.-■ -"".High.- charac- "■ ter,. reflectiveness;: a sound-intellect. con-V tributo.to-his Parliamentary power.".-' Hβ was' born in : 1862.- "■;■-■■.-.».' - ■''■y...;<'.' : ''!;-\;

• Mr. t Arthur'; 1 Henderson,Cwhqihas: been ::. Chairman- of the: Labour: pirty, ; was born \ in : Glasgow, in 18C3.-.;He:served:on, local,; bodies, and; in ; 189G 'was secretary of the North-Eastern.' : Conciliation ; 'Board; <' -..'A.'-. Unionist critio writes of, him:. "He , :is : -'a'> representative ■of ••, Labour;iri' all- that; is >'■ best;'m ; the-'-right'and, -responsible sense loftho term, and it; ; isto be hoped that:: his'-.'wise : counsels 'may have Va /proper- ! effect: on : his party.",'-.'": : ' <'■■' ,*/ ::." \ : .; 1 h Sir' Randies;: the reflected ', Union- ;: ist.;;M.P. :fbr; Cockermbuth l division : : of.- , ! Cumborland,- has'.'at''least one:?point' in.common ■' with:; his. late -Liberal ; opponent ■' Sir ' Wilfrid Ijawson-ryiz.: he isoa'jtee-;.' totaller;':.:; Sir ; '-Jphn.'.isValso;.ar Wesleyaav aiid :a* .Camberlantl Eironmaster>.'. ■ Sir \Vii- : ; ' ; frid 'Lawson■'represented■'. Cockerinouth r in : 1892 ;ahd 1893,'.5ir; John (then Mr.) Rah-" taes, .ousted hitn ia"..1900 : (majority.. 209),-..' and:-. Sir ;■'■ Wilfrid ■iturned i '-tho : 'tables .'in ;iaD6;:'with ! ' a':::niajbHt3; i: of 563 V -^In ; itho '•:■, same; year Sir-'WilfridvLawson'.died,, and L ': Sir. John,) in r the ■ by r election, "beai.the;" Liberal candidate.; (Mr. -Guest)'rand:-.the h Labour candidate (Mr. : Sinillie),;his. rani'jo'rity ithia- three-corned' contest; being ;■ 660.'; :Reference:';.to, : .;jto-day*s' c .cablegrams; shows a similar triangular ifight. '• :.Young Sir-Wilfrid. Lawson -fails Ijt, 941 votes. ■[■'■ :■ -..-.The .defeat of^Mr'.^ioif.".o. SJ.dnesj (L.)r in',.tho 'Appleby: division of Westmorland '■'■■ was foreseen. :It is'-saidVthat he has been - prevented! by in; Parliament;; irpm,giving. .imuch' attention, toihis.';,e6n-". : ■, -preached ..tarili-ireform again'and again in ,-nearly,.every. if;hot.,in nearly:.. Qvery'cottage' Bagot was. thofinember for.;the] Kendal-division ' for''manyVyearSr:/;::'; : iiiS.■;■•■;■ -': v "• ■:'■.'■■

' • Sfr.vOwen;'Seaman,;; Eatiristr-writes;; ia 'Tiinch"'. oh -the topic.;of : ike: moment: ''The,Lords,and ;the;Bndge^;:-- ; ;;;;'.:;.;:.

; of Englandl'Shallit te ! 'That- you, a .self-respecting:: nation,.-..-'.■ ;.\ '; Propose to. crook a.:servile knee ■; ; ,:...,". : And grovel .at. .■ . If so.ybii .bannot be :aware -)..■.'. ;: ',.V yon.! are;, asked; to .bear]; ,/:' ■ Then',you -shall, hear, thei horrid trutlu -,■:;■ '■■' ... made/a BiU,'. a perfect toasurejs. ' Wo 7 sentlit'.up,~;andthoy,'forsooth,--' ■;:'..;■ '■■ '■'■ Said that' onveuch^a v doubtful. measnw (Hers'.comes :th6' ; insult) /they .'preferred: .That you.should have the:final wotdl S iThat, Budget, simple, bright; and-terse, '■]:-: -. They.'did' not fling it back-or fltmtiy ; But, just-to make you: wince: : \ Chose'.to invite your;yiowa '.about ! it!■:: Has, Liberty been ever, dealt : 7;\ ■■'?£'> ■:-.'- A nastier,knock'beneath 7 the belt?; = " ; ■;:'.-.

.'■" ■•'..■■.■■■ ;.■■.*. , .-'.':-... : .*'"...'V '*'i ".'.*■ :'■■'■■/■ 's %■■. Ay![this -is ..Armageddon's eye! v.": ; - ■•■■■:'" ].\"■'■■ ;:.'rd-morrow's 'fight■Ehall.-mend'pr; end ■' : ; ..'.'•.•.■''em—'-V,'": '"■■'.'v ; "i' ; .fv'-' - : Stern.chastisement, with. no'repneTe; ■,' ; : l'or.that'outrageous; re%endum;. •:::,'; .'I. Honcefortli uoPeer will'lightly choose ',- To - dare" consult the People's ■views!;: /;