Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-08-06
A COMPARISON OF REPUBLICS.

A COMPARISON OF REPUBLICS.
When 1t comes 10 a question of fact and
not of theory. the only genuine republic
on the face of the globe is the United
States. This is the conclusion of NieIs
Gron in an article in the July Arena. Mr..
Gron will be remembered as the man who
had charge OF the Scandinavian depart
ment of literature in the last Republican
campaign, and who made considerable
reputation for himself during a stumping
tour among the Swedes of Minnesota. He
is now a resident of Paris, where he is
studying the French social and political
systems.
There are many so-called republics among
the nations of the earth. the three most
prominent being the United States. France
and Mexico. In the latter country the
president is practically a monarch. Though
the right Of suffrage rests with the great
body OF the Mexican people. there are
many monarchies where the people come
nearer controlling the government than in
Mexico. The French republic was modelled
in a great measure after the United States,
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sential. Its constitution is weak and in
consistent. whereas the constitution of the
United States is strong and rational. The
Frenchmen attempted to apply royalist
rules and presidents to republican prin-
ciples. and the result is a hodge-podge that
gives neither stability to the government
nor freedom to the people. The ministerial
rrgcaa urhfch aH-arv x-aar or IN agcau the
French government and bring down ridi-
Guile upon It must be attributed to a con-
stitutIonal effectiveness where ours is
strong.
Article VI. of the French constitution"
says Mr.. Gron, reveals the real cause of
ministerial crises in France. 1t is as fol-
lows: The ministers are in a body re-
sponsible to the chambers for the general
policy Of the government. and individually
for their personal acts This article OBJ
viously leaves the respective powers Of
both houses very underlined. Which cham
Der is the superior? To which Of them are
the ministers in fact responsible? The
ministers may have a majority in the
chamber of deputies. and may be in the
minority III the sendles linen INeTe Is a
crisis. The senate blocks the way and
will not allow the government to go on,
for 1t claims TO be the superior body. This
leads 10 conflict: conflict is but a step from
instability. and instability is a crisis which
threatens revolution. The remedy for
these oft-recurring crises is to be found in
the American constitution"
IL - IL
two republics it is Only necessary to re-
member that in the United States the SEN
ate and house are coordinate bodies, while
in France each OF the bodies claims super
iority over the other. In the United States
all legislation originates with the people.
or at least with their representatives in the
house and senate. while in France Il must
originate with the cabinet. In the United
States congress is the lawmaking power.
while in France # is little more than the
supervisory or veto power. In the United
States the president and his cabinet are re-
sponsible to the people only for the execu-
ton Of laws passed by congress. while in
France the president and his cabinet orig
mate the public policies and stand or fall
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Zee. them. In the United States the cabi-
net serves a whole term with the president
without assailment. while in France It may
60 to pieces in a month. In the United
States a president may be attacked chiefly
by reason OF his failure to execute the laws
Of congress. while in France the president
may be, and frequently is. forced to resign
because his or~iginative policy does not
meet with popular approval. In the United
States the Whole privilege. duty and re-
sponsibility of making laws is retained TO
the people. while in France it is largely ac-
corded 10 the administrative officers.
1t would not be correct to say that no
attempts have been made 10 bring about a
ministerial crisis in the United States bv
encroachment upon the rights OF the exec
utive." says Mr.. Gron. Only once. how
ever. when Andrew johnson was president |
has the action of the executive been seri-
ously hampered. Professor Bryce's remark
may be applied TO all other attempts. He
writes: Congress has constantly tried 10
encroach both on the executive and the
states-sometimes like a wild bull driven
into a corral. dashing itself against the i'm
prisoning walls of the constitution There
is the secret. The 'imprisoning walls of the
American constitution keep contending
powers in their proper places. The consti-