we are in favour of paid delegates and
annual conventions, because by this means alone can the people control
their representatives; we stand up for the direct references of all
grave issues to the country at large and for the punishment as felony
of every species of corruption, because thus only can tyranny be
checked and bribery be uprooted; we call for the abolition of all
hereditary authority, because such authority is necessarily
independent of the mass of the people. But all these reforms, when
secured, mean only that the men and women of these islands will at
length be masters in their own house. Mere political machinery is
worthless unless used to produce good social conditions."[584]

A widely read Socialist writer formulates the Socialistic demands
regarding Parliamentary reform as follows: "(1) The suffrage should
not be given to a man's house or his lodgings, but to the man
himself. I believe in adult suffrage, male and female. (2)
Constituencies should be numerically equal, each having three members,
one retiring annually by rotation. (3) Cabinets should be chosen
annually by the members of the House of Commons, to whom alone they
should be responsible. (4) Payment of members and election expenses.
Members should receive reasonable 'wages' according to the ancient
practice of the Constitution, while all election expenses (not
strictly personal to the candidate) should be defrayed out of the
rates. (5) The Monarchy. If we are to have more kings or queens, their
cost ought not to exceed that of the President of the United States,
viz. _10,000l._ a year. 'The office of a king in this nation is
useless, burdensome, and dangerous, and ought to be abolished'
(Resolution of the Long Parliament, 1649). (6) The House of Lords. 'A
House of Peers in Parliament is useless and dangerous and ought to be
abolished.'"[585]

The Fabian Society proclaims: "To complete the foundation of the
democratic State, we need manhood suffrage, abolition of all poverty
disqualifications, abolition of the House of Lords, public payment of
candidature expenses, public payment of representatives, and annual
elections."[586]

"The problem how the Lords are to be abolished is of easy solution.
They cannot present themselves at the Gilded Chamber without writs,
and these a democratic Ministry could and would peremptorily stop.
Should they come without writs, Inspector Denning could be instructed
to take charge of them. Or the House of Co