New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-04

Ministry finally imposed most embarrassing
duty upon the President. He found that the
Premiership had lost its attractions for rising
men in tho Chambers. 1t was looked upon
merely as head-clerkship controlled by tho
Deputies. He has accordingly been forced to fill
the minor seats in the Ministry before selecting
the nominal head. A Business Cabinet is what
it is called, and when it is virtually completed
under the Presidents direction, q second or
third-rate Premier is to be patched in at the top
as a cheap and llimsy ornament. This marks a
serious decline in political authority. When
NJ. de Freycinet was asked to form his first
Ministry he refused to take Office unless certain
statesmen should be excluded from the Coun-
Gil and when he became M. Gambetta's sue
cessor he was accorded full liberty OF action in
choosing his colleagues. The new Premier
will have his associates thrust upon him and
not be allowed to select them and assign them
to departments. His authority over them
will be nominal. How long would Mr.. Glad
stone remain Prime Minister if he were not al
lowed to exercise his own discretion in filling
the vacancies in his Cablnet7
The explanation will be made that the So
called Business Cabinet is only meant to fill
the gap which has been created by division
of opinion respecting Egypt, and that when
foreign affairs are in n more settled state NJ.
de Freycinet and his most conspicuous assO-
ciates will return to Office. Meanwhile Il Cabi-
net destitute of political influence will serve the
purpose of conducting the routine business of
the departments. But it is poor sort of Gov
eminent which is only good for dull times.
The admission that only routine work is re-
IN, in I'm fiair
that Ministry which has no political func-
tons is the only one that is available until the
stormy period shall have passed, lays bare the
inherent weakness of Cabinet Government in
France. When President Mcmahon, unwilling
to surrender even after the constituencies had
declared against him in 1877, appointed
Business Cabinet which should be conservative
without being reactionary, he explained that
routine work was all that was requisite during
transition period in politics But the Depu-
Ties would hold no intercourse with the Cabinet
and the Budget Committee declined to present
report until a Ministry capable of exercising
genuine political influence in the Chambers
should be appointed. If Business Cabinet is
not only possible but necessary in the present
crisis it is because The authority of the Premier
and his Ministry has rapidly dwindled and
shrunk under the pressure of legislative
supremacy. This decrease of authority has
been accompanied by a marked, albeit not
corresponding, increase in the Presidents
power. While Premers and Ministers have
come and gone, exhausting their resources and
wasting their regulations, his influence has
steadily increased. Elected for fixed term
and relieved from the contingencies of votes of
confidence, he has no fear of political cOmbina-
tons or Ministerial intrigues. This feeling of
security and independence strength ens his posi-
ton in the State, while the encroachments
which the Chambers are making upon all de-
partments of the Administration and the rapid
decadence of the Premiership have added to
his responsibilities. Sc long as President
Grevy is IN Office a marked or sudden approach
to the American system OF Presidential Govern
ment is not to be expected, but the tendency is
in that direction. The English system of Cab
net Government is gradually disappearing in
France.