We have learned that the old revolutionary cry has quite died away and is almost forgotten. This also is partly the result of the increased comfort. At the same time the advance of democratic ideas has been most marked. Slowly but surely, the whole power in the country has passed into the hands of the Commons. The dominant idea at the present moment of our people is that the country must be governed for them and by them. This would have seemed a most terrible thing sixty years ago. That we should be governed by working-men! Incredible! It is, however, the fact; we are governed by the people. Only, what the prophets did not understand, the governing power is delegated by the people to representatives, who are not, as a rule, working-men; one or two working-men are in the House and doing well. The people, however, are very chary of electing one of themselves; they prefer to send to the House as their representatives such men as John Morley and James Bryce, scholars and students, responsible persons, whom they know and can trust; they will not send demagogues and wind-bags and political adventurers. You have seen how they treat the House of Lords; so long as it gives no trouble it may remain, but only on condition that it is recruited from new families. If it were to obstruct any really popular movement--which the House will not do--we should see what would happen. Meantime, the people look abroad and judge for themselves. They observe that the great colonies are all Republics, and are doing well under republican institutions. If we were not doing well under our institutions, it is quite certain that the revolutionary cry would be heard again. [Illustration: THE JUBILEE PROCESSION (1887) APPROACHING TRAFALGAR SQUARE] [Illustration: THE JUBILEE PROCESSION (1887) IN REGENT STREET] [Illustration: _Copyright Foster & Dickinson_ THE GOVERNMENT SIDE OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS ON THE NIGHT OF THE DIVISION ON THE HOME RULE BILL, 8TH SEPTEMBER 1893 THE LORD CHANCELLOR ABOUT TO ‘PUT THE QUESTION’] As regards work and wages, the people are firmly persuaded that they are entitled to be the dictators. They think that they have a right to exact what wages they think are fair, and to work for such hours as they think right. There have been desperate struggles, in which the employers have lost huge sums of money, while the men have suffered terrible privations. It is not for me to discuss in this place the right or the wrong of Trades Unions; it is enough to state that the working-men hold this belief, and are ready, whenever it is possible, to act upon it. [Illustration: _Copyright Foster & Dickinson_ THE CONSERVATIVE BENCHES OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS ON THE NIGHT OF THE DIVISION ON THE HOME RULE BILL, 8TH SEPTEMBER 1893 THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURY SPEAKING]