Unfortunately, however, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman will not be able to
ride off on this plea, for we are glad to see that at the great and representative gathering of Conservative Associations which has been sitting at Wolverhampton during the week a unanimous resolution was passed by the delegates asking for legislation solely on the ground of electoral justice, and in no sort of way basing the demand for the re- duction of Irish representation on the behaviour of the Irish Members. The resolution was moved by Major Rasch, and his speech and those of the delegates who supported him showed not only a thorough appreciation of the wrong done to England, but an absolute determination to set it right. The terms of the resolution, which, we have said, was unani- mously adopted, were as follows : "That this conference desires to call the attention of his Majesty's Government to the present inequalities in the Parliamentary representation of the people of the United Kingdom, and respectfully urges upon the Government the necessity of introducing into Par- liament a measure having for its object the abolition of the injustice occasioned thereby." Three years ago, Major Rasch pointed out, they carried at Bristol a resolution by eight hundred to thirty in favour of the abolition of the scandal of Irish over-representation, and calling for redistribution in England. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman will find it diffi- cult to discover any demand for penal action in that resolu- tion, upon the passage of which the National Union of Con- servative Associations is to be heartily congratulated. It has put this vital problem oat of the reach of further controversy among Unionists, and renders it imperative that the Govern- ment shall introduce the necessary legislation before the next Dissolution.
Previous page
