Page:Whether the minority of electors should be represented by a majority in the House of Commons?.djvu/13

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Member of Parliament without opposition? Is this surprising when all independent politicians are virtually banished? Yet the constituencies which are most subject to the paralyzing effect of our system of land tenure are those which are over represented.

We find that

14,000 Electors in rural Buckingham,	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	return8 Memb^rs. of Parl^t.
while
53,000 Electors in Birmingham	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	return but 3 —— do. ——

and there is the same contrast between rural Berkshire and Manchester. Now Mr. Disraeli, whose position is mainly owing to the art with which he creates theoretical difficulties to impede progress, when this subject was last discussed in the House of Commons, threw up as usual a cloud of dust to conceal the real issue. He declared that the boroughs were over represented; so they are if we confuse, as he confused, small boroughs with large boroughs, but something like 150 of these boroughs are not entitled to separate representation. We suffer from over representation of small boroughs, and under representation of large boroughs.

Added to the anomalies of our representative system are the difficulties placed in the way of registration—the tax upon poor candidates for official expenses—the correspondence of the hours of polling with the hours of work—^the inequality of the suffrage in town and county—and the sham lodger franchise which keeps the lodger without a vote^[1] It will not be necessary to dilate upon these grievances—the important question is, how are they to be remedied?

A Democratic Blunder,

There are already symptoms, I regret to say, that certain well-meaning, but old-fashioned, one idea'd Democratic speakers, among whom are some of my friends, are about to lead some of their followers off upon the wrong scent by starting, and giving prominence to the old cry for suffrage extension. And I must take this opportunity of entering my strongest protest against the policy which has been recently pursued by a certain portion of the London Democracy, acting under bad advice. Now the leaders of this section, I am aware, mean well, but they are gradually bringing the London Democracy into thorough disrepute, and weaken its power for good. The conduct I complain of is this:—Certain persons who are unable themselves

↑ See Appendix, p. 42.

[1] See Appendix, p. 42.

[1]