The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-12-17


Az Eass Aoes.aafs sss~ ssorst.sseat sT:ss
!, Havia< stormy 1Isae lie TIE usase-
Tie 5srareso parisafnessf or dics, ~
Il 6aeras to II ofiesaliy casicsl. has sat
: for nearly Eve rnos.tIs, afal the chic.
ciaare@teEisties Of the proceedings If the
lover house % far are marked hos
tEli.y u tbs govezsnnsat and 4 rnarvei-
COS facility Tor raising delicate prints
81 constisutioaas law and Practice, the
disc,.ssioas On which are usGsssy car
/ rietl en wiih great heat TO u resolution
Of tie lsause. which tie government
either rsfuses wholly 20 accept or ae-
+ cepts only after some difficulty. But
when tbc last mall left matters had n:
! length reached what appeared 10 10 a
deadlock in regard to two important
topics.
b. the constitution delegates Of the
| government can appear at any time in
! either house and explain government
measures. They are also liable to be
questioned By the members Thispr
tice las LED to frequent squabblcs, dele
gates refusing to answer particular
questions, the house calling for new
delegates and the government support
ing their delegates The first serious
difference between the hoase and the
government took place on this cues
ton, and now it has been raised again
ia another shape. A prolonged debate
On Ahe budget having been concluded
by the closure, just as the division on the
main question was about 10 be taken,
the delegate from the foreign Office
claimed the right to speak, as delegates
could speak at any time.
There We're violent objections to
delegate speaking when he could not
be answered, and the house voted
against hearing him. The following
day the prime minister himself ap-
pearet in the tribune, and declared
that the refusal to hear the delegate
was unconstitutional, and that Il the
house objected to the rights giveI1 TO
government delegates the proper course
was to make representation on the
subject, and, if necessary, have that
provision of the constitution amended.
The house appeared disinclined to take
this view, but the delegate withdrew,
observing that, as the prime minister
had said all he wanted to say, he need
not stay.
The second topic is much more seri-
Gus. The committee on the budget
had cut down the estiIra tes in the most
extraordinary way; offices are abolished
Gncluding legations abroad, the staff
OF departments are reduced to a mere
fraction of their number, sub-depart-
ments and bureaus are swept away al
together, and the salaries of the officials
remaining, beginning with the prime
minister himself, are reduced some
times to third Of the present amounts.
The sixty seventh article Of the consti-
tuition provides that a large portion of
the expenditure, classed as "fxed ex-
penGl1ures," shall not be reduced by |
the diet without the concurrence of the |
government, and an ordinance was
passed defining these fixed expenditures.
The lower house, however, has re- |
solved that this ordinance is ultra wires. |
and has interpreted this clause of the
constitution for itself in a sel.se wholly |
opposed to that OF the government.
and in such a way as largely to reduce
the items Of expenditure, with which it |
has no power to deal without the con
cuTeDce Of the latter. Both the prime
and the minister OF finance de
ivered vigorous addresses to the house
on the unconstitutional nature Of it's
proceedings, and the minister of finance
declared that the government would, if
the house persisted in its course, an
nounce its dissent and take other meas
ures provided by the constitution.
The situation is regarded by the ma
tive press as one of great gravity, but
there appeared at the time the mail
left to be 10 prospect of the house al
tering its position. The house of peers
had not yet come to the consideration
of the matter.-London Times.