Washington sentinel., 1898-07-16
ENGLAND.
AHE SOVEREIGNTY" IN AMERICA.
FRANCE AND ENGLAND.
London SDeckak0Y.

war to notice carefully how much better
their OWL constitutional system works
than either the French or American.
Our own has plenty of defects, the prin-
cipal one, perhaps, being that it often
makes it the interest Of a party TO pro-
tect an abuse or condone failure; but
1t has at least this merit, that by confid-
ing legislative power and the selection
of an executive to the same hands Il
enables the nation in anv time of emer.
gency to act with its whole Force. When
everything went wrong in 1855, and It
really seemed for some weeks as il the
greatness OF England would perish OF
muddle, the country called for Lord
Palmerston, the most vigorous man it
had; Parliament placed him at the head
of affairs; and as the Premier while
supported by his majority was absolute,
could appoint whom he pleased dismiss
whomsoever he distrusted, and spend
whatever was necessary, everything
went right. The American people have
no power of doing this. The trainers
OF the Constitution were possessed with
two tears, that the Executive might be-
come too strong, and they therefore
deprived 1t Of any place in Congress;
and that it might become too veal, and
they therefore made its chief irremov
able except by impeachment, vesting
him at the same time with absolute
power to appoint and dismiss his advs-
ers, and with the initiative in the nom
ination and removal OF all officers, an
initiative which during the recess Of
Congress becomes a right of appoint
ment. The result of this arrangement
is that in an emergency like great war,
an inefficient President means incurable
ineticiency in all the departments,
There is no power OF removing him,
there is no power of compelling him to
trust tile right men, there is no power OF
coercing him into a greater display of
energy. He moves on his own track
more uncontrolled than an Emperor of
Russia, for the army has in Russia an
influence in emergencies which IS never
disregarded. This war with Spain. for
example, drags, money being spent in
masses while little is accomplished. It
is quite possible that it ought to drag,
and is intended to drag, the departments
feeling that they must have time to
create both an army and a navy, and
fearing that unless they await cool
weather, the losses from fever in the
American army of invasion might be as
terrible as they have been in the Spanish
army of defense, The littorsl OF Cuba
is, by all accounts, wha. the delta Of
Burmah was when we first entered it,
place which may be made perfectly
healthy, but which until it has been so
made has the power of Ourying whole
brigades, all stricken with local fever.
Why, ifthat is the case, the American
Government has not said so openly in a
proclamation to the people, it is difficult
to understand; but still the delay may
be perfectly right, and in accordance
with the best advice OF military experts.
We rather think it is so, ard that Presi.
dent Mckinley will be recognized at the
end of the campaign as a solid mau of
business, who didithe best he could with
the means at hand, and feared nothing
except a military failure. But suppose
for a moment that it is otherwise, and
that President Mckinley, being, as he is,
the sole source OF executive energy in
the republic, is unequal to his position,
does not feel clear what he ought to do,
does not pick precisely the right men,
exaggerates, the chances of defeat, or
the commonest OF eTrors-falls to per-
ceive that in war connection" is as
important as it is in the management Of
railway traffic, where is the remedy?
There is simply none. The United
States may possess the greatest organ
izer alive; the American people might
be boiling over with irritation; the army
and navy might be almost mutinous in
their despair at inaction; and still there
would be nothing TO be done. The
President cannot be removed he is no
more bound to obey opin ion than
judge is; and as to the officers, what can
they do except wait sullenly on till final
orders are received? That instinct OF
democracy" which has so often saved
States is not allowed free play in the
American Constitution, which was drawn
up by men who intended to make
democracy supreme but who distrusted
the supremacy of democracy
The difficulty in France is Of differ
ent kind, though it springs from the
same origin, the reluctance Of the con-
stitution makers to deposit ultimate
power in any hand which can use il.
There it seems clear that the Assembly.
i, e. the Chamber and the Assembly
acting together, can compel an iuefFci.
ent President to resign. This was not
intended by the trainers Of the iunda-
mental law, who were. as they thought.
preparing the way for the Restoration
bat the power has deve loped itself in
working, The Deputies and Senators
cannot dismiss" the President, but thew
can, by continuously rejecting the min
isters whom he appoints, compel him to
resign. They resorted to this device in
M. Crews case, and it is we'll UNDER
stood that on sufficient provocation they
may resort to it again. They are there.
fore secure while no coup a skzfis struck
against a corrupt, or imbecile, or fac
tious President, and are as against MIN
sovereign. But as against the Cham
Ders the people have no reme,ly. They
may be as inefficient, or corrupt, OF
factlous as they please, and until the
term of their mandate has expired there
is nothing to be done. Neither the
| President nor the ministry can dissolve