43 6 And the House of Commons f 



hitherto been an essential item in their preparation. If the 

 question touched a real wrong suffered by the people, it 

 might tempt them to give serious heed to their own affairs, 

 and this is the last result which is desired. 



When the burning question concerns only the people of 

 a foreign country, remote from the British shores, this danger 

 is negligible, and the device usually succeeds. The devisers 

 get the people's votes, and the people have been diverted 

 from considering their own affairs. 



This geographical limitation has now disappeared. The 

 question which is to be set alight to illuminate the apparently 

 imminent general election is the abolition of the House of 

 Lords, or its mutilation to such an extent that it will cease 

 to be of use to the people as an independent Chamber. 



The need to the nation of a Chamber such as the House 

 of Lords increases every year, as the confidence of the people 

 in the wisdom of the House of Commons diminishes. The 

 House of Commons no longer fulfils its purpose in the British 

 Constitution. It does not represent the third estate of the 

 realm. 



Leaving out of sight for the moment the question of 

 female suffrage, the male population is divided into two 

 classes namely, those who possess the franchise and those 

 who do not. The line which separates these classes has never 

 been drawn with reference to any natural principle. On each 

 occasion it has been drawn to meet the electioneering needs 

 of the party in power at the moment. 



The unfranchised males in a constituency have, owing to 

 their necessity, a nearer knowledge of the needs of the people, 

 and especially of the poor, than those who enjoy the franchise. 

 Yet at an election we do not observe that they receive the 

 attention which they deserve at the hands of either Parlia- 

 mentary candidate; in fact, they are completely neglected 

 by both. The candidate successful at the polls becomes 

 member for the constituency that is, for all its inhabitants, 

 no matter whether enfranchised or not, or whether they have 

 voted for or against him. Unfortunately, in practice the 

 member acts usually as if he represented only those who 



