We are marching fast to the goal which we have
always said democracy would reach, viz., Cabinet Government. On Thursday Sir W. Harcourt asked for the whole time of the House, Wednes- day and Friday evenings excepted, till Easter, and although all Unionists resisted, he carried his point by a vote of 236 to 221,—a majority of 15. This means, in practice, that nobody but the Government can initiate anything except through the cumbrous form of moving the adjournment, and private Members cease to influence the course of legislation. As everybody knows that the Government has no hope of carry- ing any of its important Bills, the House is sullen ; but it is difficult to see where a remedy is to be found. The groups insist on the Ministry producing a sheaf of Bills, and if they are to be discussed, there is no time left for anything else. There would be, if Members would leave debate to the Front Benches; but they are all too " earnest " for that, and too well aware that their constituents expect them to be visible.
• The radical cure would be to make a population of one _hundred thousand the electoral unit, thus halving the House, and squeezing out the faddists ; but the majority will always resist that proposition.
