Mr. Asquith addressed a second meeting of his constituents at
Newburgh on Wednesday, and ran over the various items of the Newcastle programme. The most important passage was that in which he dealt with the Franchise Reform, which the Government say they intend to introduce next Session. "It is incompatible," said Mr. Asquith, "with the principles which lie at the root of our new Constitution that from the accident of residence in this place or that, from the accident of ownership of property in this place or in that, one man should be entitled to exercise more political weight and power in the choice of representatives in Parliament than another." Mr. Asquith did not fail to see that this statement .commits him to "One vote, one value" quite as much as to "One man, one vote." "I for my part," he declared, "have no objection whatever to the principle, 'One vote, one value.' " This is a most significant admission, and if the Unionists are wise they will steadily hold Mr. Asquith to his words. It is idle for him, however, to say that "One vote, one value" has no necessary or logical connection with the Franchise Reform he proposes. It is in principle inextricably bound up with it. Mr. Asquith proposes to do away with privilege in voting, and must therefore abolish the double or treble voting in Newry and Kilkenny as much as he abolishes the double and treble voting in the home counties.
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