The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-06

We now som, to the Executive. personihed in
the Emperor. The title seems to denote a
hereditary sovereign OF the empire, but from a
strictly legal point of view. this is not the En-
peror's positin. lie is simply the KING OF
Prussia. and lie enjoys his imperial prerogative
by virtue of his royal Office. There Is, In fnct,
no imperial crown. and the rirht TO have her
King bear the title and exercise the functions
OF Emperor Is simply one of the special priv
ileGes guaranteed to Prussia oy the German
Constitution The succession is determined
solely by thelaw Of the Prusshn royal house,
and, in caseo of incapacity, theltegent OF Prus-
sin would. iDSO fdcto, exercise oe functions of
Emperor. 1t has been said that. MS Commander
in-Chief OF the Army ana Nay. the Emperor
has, in theory. the personal direction of military
matters, but that. in all others lie acts as the
delegate Of the federated Government, under
the direction Of the Bundesrah. This state.
ment is not strictly accurate, although 1t gives
n fair idea of his preroEatives. Ie mas charge
of foreign affairs. makes treatIessubject to the
limitations above mentioned. ad represents
the empire in its relations to foreign countries,
to It's constituent States. or to Ind viduals. He
declares war with the consent o, the Bundles
rath, and carries out n federal execution
against a constituent but recilcitrant State.
when it has been ordered ~ that body.
He ummons and adjourns The Chambers
and closes their sessions. and with the con-
sent of the Bundesrath he Gu dissolve the
Reichstag. He promulgates thelaws and exc
cutes them, SO far as their administration is In
tho hands of the empire. subjec to the Impor-
tant qualification that most oithe admins
trative regulations are made b the Bundles
rath. Finally, he appoints . Chancellor
md all other officers. excot in cases
where the right of appointment or con-
frmation has been given to the Bundes-
rath. But 1t must be REMEMBERED that
the laws are manly administered by the State
governments under Federal SUPERVISION, and
hence there are comparatively few Federal
officials to appoint. In short. he executive
power OF the central goyernniat Is very lin
tied. The Emperor. ms emperor has no initia-
tive In legislation; indeed, he is Mt represented
In the Reichstag at all. for to Chancellor.
strictly speaking, appears there My as a mem
Der OF the Bundesrath. AS Kig OF Prussia,
however. the Emperor has n omplete ini.ia-
tive. by means OF the Prussian ~elegates to the
Bundesrath. whom he appoint As Emperor
he has no veto. but as King OF russia he has a
very extensive veto. for IL l to be noted
that the negative vote { Prussia in
the Bundesrath Is suficIot 10 defeat
| any amendment to the Constitution, or any pro.
posal TO change the laws relatig to the army.
the navy. or tho taxes HIS unctions as En-
peror and as King are, lnded. 30 interviewer
that 1t is very diIcult toiistirFuish them. We
will only add that here is no imperial
Cabinet, the only fe'erai Minister being
tho Chancellor who mp auIordlnates, called
secretaries, but no clieaGIes. The Cham
cellor Is responsiple pt ID the Reichstag
or the Bundesrath' but 70 the Emperor alone.
1t is. therefore. obviouathat the German en-
| pire doSs not enjoy parliamentary government,