New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-16


Among In, many questions which the English
Government will presently be called upon 10
face is the charge brought against Lord SailS-
bury of rcvolutionlzing the Constitution ny
abandoning the custom Of government by Can
met The Liberal press is loud in It's de-
nunciations II the Premier In connection with
The matter. while even the Tory journals. IN
spite Of considerations OF party discipline give
expression 70 uttcranccs OF regret and even oi
protest AT what they Arb pleased To describe aS
the radical change which he Inns Effected IN The
Constitution of Great Britain Newspapers ~
every denomination unite In calling attention 10
the fact that during the recess Of Parlimrni'
from the beginning Of September To The begin
ming Of February. only two short meeting, 81
the Cabinet held this. too. In spite
Of the fact that questions Of the most vital
political and executive importance have arisen
during hat time questions. particularly inter
national ones. Of NOR" grave ana >crl"u,
character than any which the English Govern
mont has been required TO encounter since the
Congress of Berlin, nearly twenty years ago
Yet these difficulties with the United States with
France, Germany. China and Turkey. IN West
Africa as well In the Iransvaai. have
been dealt with by Lord Salisbury and Mr.
Chamberlain acting either Independently "f
one another, or AZ the best az sort of inner
ring and executive committee composed II the
two but without any regard for or consultation
with their eighteen colleagues in the Cabinet
The latter. ii is true, Is composed for the great
part OF nonentllies; just the sort Of men. in fact
who are calculated TO strengthen the notorious
contempt of Lord Salisbury and Of Mr. Chamber
lain for government by consultation. But still
the average Brilon, with the caution and pru-
dence which are among his chief characteristics
experiences doubts as TO the wisdom Of placing
1t within the power Of any one or two men to
involve the Empire In war
Now, while we have only to look back upon
what has taken place at Washington since the
present Democratic Administration came into
office in order to appreciate the disadvantage
Of one-man governmental system 80 thoroughly
at variance with the principles and spirit Of re-
publicanism-yet 1t may be Of interest TO point
out in advance what erudte n student OF his
tory as Lord Salisbury will doubtless himself
explain later on, that, far from having been
guilty OF an infraction Of the Constitution in adj
ministering the Government Of the Empire indie
pendently OF the Cabinet, he has acted entirely
in accordance with the provisions Of the law Of
lister that is unconstitutional, but the existence
Of the Cabinet itself which Is devoid Of any con
stitutonal basis or raison DEERE The Cabinet
as a corporate or regular organized body is un-
known in British law, being strictly speaking.
nothing more than n mere committee of the
Privy Council. The latter, which may be broad
ly described the sovcreigns council las distin-
guishcd from the national council known rs
representing the personal authority Of the mon
arch.
Originally there was but Secretary Of
State. to whom the King intrustc1 the direction
Of the Government; and few other members Of
the Council were selected either by himself or
else by the sovereign to assist him in his labors
Often they did not belong to the same political
following as the head Of this executive commit
tee, and ii was not until the close Of the last
century that for the sake OF administrative con-
venlcnce. the practice was almost mperccptibly
originated OF composing the entire Cabinet Of
members Of the same political party as the Prime
Minister 1t may be added that the office of the
latter Is as much Of a constitutional anomaly as
that of the Cabinet itself. Unless the Premier
follows the example Of Lord Salisbury and adds
to the duties Of his commanding position those
Of subordinate Otce-such as, for instance,
those Of the Foreign Offlce-he Is not only COM
PEELED to work without remuneration or official
residence, but without even legal recognition or
official precedence To such an extent is this the
case that when Mr.. Gladstone was Prime Min
lister and contented himself with the office OF
First Lord Of the Treasury, he was compelled
in all State and Court functions to yield the
pas and walk behind the five Secretaries Of
State as we'll as three or four Cabinet officials
whom he himself had appointed
Lord Salisbury-that Prime Minister who Is
not, legally speaking, a Prime Minister-has,
therefore. a ready answer to charges Of uncon-