The House of Lords

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 10, 1911

The House of Lords

THE House of Lords, which the present government of England is trying to reform, consists of about 600 members, about 100 of whom attend to their duties. Many of them do not know the way to their seats.

Among them are what are called the Lords spiritual, consisting of two archbishops and twenty-four bishops of the Church of England, and who receive salaries ranging from $15,000 to $75,000.

Many of the ancient peerages have died out or are dying out. None of the Marquises antedate the American Revolution, and less than one third of the Earls. Between 1800 and 1907, 376 peerages were created; and between 1857 and 1907 — fifty years — 123 Tory Peers and 92 Liberal Peers were created, half of whom, it is said, became Tories.

Some of them won their positions through the great ale, stout, and whisky interests. The Rothschilds and other financial houses have many. There are some truly able and eminent men among them; but on the whole the conglomeration of church, whisky interests, sports, entailed land, and immense business interests are not greatly respected, and many in England hold it anomalous and intolerable. Will it be mended or ended?