y be considered by the first house. If
they are agreed to, the measure is sent up for the royal approval. If
they are rejected and an agreement between the two houses cannot be
reached, the measure falls.[197]

[Footnote 196: See p. 138.]

[Footnote 197: The legislative process is summed up
aptly by Lowell as follows: "Leaving out of account
the first reading, which rarely involves a real
debate, the ordinary course of a public bill
through the House of Commons gives, therefore, an
opportunity for two debates upon its general
merits, and between them two discussions of its
details, or one debate upon the details if that one
results in no changes, or if the bill has been
referred to a standing committee. When the House
desires to collect evidence it does so after
approving of the general principle, and before
taking up the details. Stated in this way the whole
matter is plain and rational enough. It is, in
fact, one of the many striking examples of
adaptation in the English political system. A
collection of rules that appear cumbrous and
antiquated, and that even now are well-nigh
incomprehensible when described in all their
involved technicality, have been pruned away until
they furnish a procedure almost as simple, direct,
and appropriate as any one could devise."
Government of England, I., 277-278. The procedure
of the House of Commons on public bills is
described in Lowell, Government of England, I.,
Chaps. 13, 17, 19; Anson, Law and Custom of the
Constitution, I., 240-267; Low, Governance of
England, Chap. 4; Moran, English Government, Chap.
14; Marriott, English Political Institutions, Chap.
113; Todd, Parliamentary Government, II., 138-163;
Ilbert, Parliament, Chap. 3; Redlich, Procedure of
the House of Commons, III., 85-112; and May,
Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings