The morning call., 1892-07-24

EHe ministry OF the Qav. Inc ht0R or
Queen Is regulated so much that everything
is done under advice and the advice is not
departed from. The Ministry gives the ad-
vice. A Parliamentary majority is neces-
ssry TO keep the Ministry in place. for a
hostile vote turns il out at once. And a
Parliamentary majority is only obtained by
the votes or Hodge IN the country and
Smith in the factory. and al almost every
man has a vote the reciprocity o. the nerv-
Gus system by which power is obtained is
EOlsrably well ramifed.
In Germany the monarchy is so strong
and SO despotc that 1t matters very little,
al Ieast Temporarily, whether the people
consent to given course or not. From the
moment that William the First and Bis
marck had power in Prussia the ultimate
reliance Of the Government was on
the army. A hostile majority of Parlia-
meDtaTy representatives was only disagree
aOle and not IN fact embarrassing. The
King of Prussia could govern and remain
master without Parliament A hostile
vote did not mean the deposition or tenn
poraTy banishment Of Bismarck. From the
moment he WAS chosen Chancellor ne re-
mained indisputably Chancellor until VIII
liam the First died aud also Frederick and
until William the Second got comfortably
upon the throne. His deposition was not
due 10 popular vote by Germany or PTus-
sia, but to the imperlal will. Germany has
universal suffrage, but 1t Is really governed
by regal will. The ruling power is so
strong 10 Germany that it can defy popular
wishes In spite Of universal suffrage and
so the people have very little to do with the
crucial efforts of government either in
home or foreign affairs and foreign affairs
especially.
But in England the balancing of execu-
tive power has great elasticity. The Queen
or King is q fgurehead. bound by the
Ministry IN every matter of real Importance
down TO the choice of a bishop, and the
Ministry is bound by Parliament. or, strictly
speaking, the House of Commons. Now a.
DAYS no Ministry can live without the
House OF Commons at its back. The House
of Commons to-day cannot be bought as in
those ancient times of Walpole, Lord North
and Pitt. During our War Of Independence
the King carried the House OF Commons in
his coat-tail pockets by virtue OF downright,
open and confessed bribery. Bribery lasted
well and was much practiced until 20 years
ago. 1t is now practically extinguished
by reform in the methods of voting
and the regulation of elections. The
ballot is really secret process.
bTl6er has no security that he gets the ser
vice he desires. Candidates are only al
lowed to expend on their election expenses
the bare minimum OF what is necessary.
The expenses are advertised, and any ex-
cess would lead to petition against ths re-
turn, and probably end in the unseating of
the returned member. All election inquiries
are conducted by the judges OF the land.
The Judges are appointed for life at salaries
Oh never less than $4,000 year, and they
could not be removed except for cause.
They are therefore unlikely to besmirch
their reputation by any conniyanee at fraud
or crime, and as matter of fact, ever since
Judges were appointed to do this work there
mas never been an instance where their de-
clslons have been challenged. Candidates
who pursue crooked methods are sure to be
found out and dishOnored
IDe elasticity OF the English system of
electiOns, and, through elections, of Gov
eTnment is seen in the readiness with
which Ministry which has not the conf
dence OF the nation is turned out of office
The matter cannot be better illustrated than
by what has now happened in England.
For years proposal has been at is
sue whether Ireland should have
home rule. or, In other words,
elrcumscrlbed autonomous government.
Tory Government has been in power
constantly and monOtonously saying mo"
10 the proposal. Occasional elections have
shown that the country is opposed to re-
lentless obduracy in granting concessions,
Tor common-sense shows the folly Of going
70 London for justice or legislation about
Quarrels on private farming estates, or
the shannon navigation, or sewerage
IN belfast These are local matters
which should be dealt with locally
and to toss them on the litter heap of par
hamentary business is absurdiy unpracti-
cal: Ii has taken years to educate England
and Scotland 10 the common-sepse Of de-
rolntlon OF Parliamentary business, but at
last there is recognition OF this common
sense. The elections have taken place and
Lord Salisbury has been dscomfiied at the
polls. lie has lost his majority in the
house oil Commons and his party must re-
TIRE into the cool shade Of opposition. II
does not follow that Gladstone will
Immediately achieve all his wishes.
He only begins to lay the rails OF the new
track, but his engineering is tolerably well
10 hand, and even if be does not finish the
driving Of the lsst spike, others animated
Dy the same sentiment of justice will see TO
It Perhaps 1t is good for a country to have
this struggle. 1t braces the muscles and
clears the brain Of cobwebs.
Constituencies in the United Kingdom
are of several kinds. There are the conn
ties Tor instance. IL is the aim of every
man OF position to represent a county. or a
portion OF county. rather than a borough
a borough Is simply "A town-any town
with population enough 10 entitte il to the
dignity OF returning a member There Is
no fixed limit TO borough's right to return
o member. Many popu0us places have no
privilege Of owning a member Until the
reform bill OF 1892 passed, Manchester and
Leeds had no Parliamentary representa-
tives. They were popnlous towns merged
In the county re presentation. There were
numbers of similar cases. Ia America
every town Is a city. Ia England only
cath edral towns are cities Manchester only
became a city recently. Birmingham has 70
bishop and Is only town. Bristol is a
city. although IL has only half the popula-
tion of Birmingham. Plymouth is quite as
Important place commercially as Bristol.
but Plymouth, equally ancient, is only a
town As bishops are not essential every
where. the fact Is easily demonstrated that
there are great many towns IN England
and very few cities, and, as Ahthony Iroi-