Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-17

Every member has likewise to be ruled by
the majority, and, if outvoted, 60 support
the policy of the cabinet Loyalty as if he
believed in it. OF majorities minorities
in the cabinet one never hears. Lord Mel
bourne is reported to have said once: 1T
doesn't matter what we say, but we must
all say the. same thing" If Il member dis
agrees absolutely with the policy of his col
leagues, he resigns, and, having asked the
queen for permission to speak, addresses
parliament in explanation. In this way
Gladstone withdrew from Peel's cabinet
and Mr.. Chamberlain withdrew from Glad
stones One of the notable points about
the Salisbury body is that in spite of its
size and long term of office, no change has
taken place in 1t, except Mr.. Goschen's re-
tirement, few weeks ago-and that was
simply because the first lord of the adj
miralty old and tired and wanted to
spend his declining days doing in the house
of lords
1t is true that sometimes cabinet secrets
have leaked. The Times anticipated most
important cabinet announcement in Peefs
time, when a young member OF the gov
eminent confessed that his secret had been
cajoled from him by beautiful woman,
who had sold the story to the newspaper.
He offered to resign, but was forgiven.
The doings Of the cabinet of 1SSO-1SS5 were
chronicled with an accuracy that evidently
was much more than guess work. Two
members of that ministry frequently got
themselves raped over the knuckles for
their habit of giving up" when tactfully
trast to recall that a certain Birmingham
newspaper was particularly well posted.
They Have Long Hours.
In the course of an interview awhile ago
a member of the present cabinet said, when
asked about his business day: Il come
down here to my office at 10 in the morning
and remain until II at night. The eight
hour law does not apply here. l have been
a Woodworking business man all my life,
but in the last ten years of my political
life I've done more than | ever did before
The day of the average member of the
cabinet usually begins two hours later than
that of the president of the local govern
ment board, who was just quoted, but 1t
more than occasionally lasts until even
later.
The first thing he does is to read his
correspondence. which is heavy and not
without all sorts of literary gems in the
way of crank and begging letters-alike
from mothers who want the V. c. for their
soldier sons and from curates who desire
to be bishops. Lord Salisbury writes al
most everything with his own hand: Mr..
Ralfour usually dictates to a Stenographer.
Letters over with, there comes the minis
ter's bugbear, the answer to the questions
asked by members of parliament on all
, sorts of topics, from the cause of the de-
struction of an Irish shanty to the price
of shrimp in New South Wales 1t is often
necessary to have answers ready by
O clock to questions which have appeared
Having finished this work, the minister
as likely as not holds a conference with
the most important officials Of his depart
ment upon some bill in which the depart
ment is Interested Frequently he has to
fly from that gathering to receive depu-
tation, usually consisting of bald-beaded
men and sharp-nosed women in glasses. but
which has to be treated with consideration
by the unfortunate minister, who usually
knows nothing whatever of the subject of
all the talk, and who is bored intensely
Hard Work In Parliament.
Usually the minister lunches at his club,
but the harder worked of them frequently
put up with the Office fare upon which their
underlngs are RECALLED. At $3.50 he must be
in parliament. for that Is question time If
member of the house of commons. he en-
ters the Palace of Westminster by a pri-
vate door, of which only he and his col
leagues have the key. at the back of the
speakers char. Once in his place, he fights
his battle with the opposition. who annoy
and poster him to the top of their bent, and
then dives into a little sentry box of
place down in the basement of the building.
which he calls his Office and which he Is
forced hastily to quit whenever division
Is taken upstairs.
but oftener he is too busy. He eats dinner
at Westminster. usually at the ministerial
table, as 1t is called. On Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday and Friday he Is in his room or
in parliament until midnight or after, usu-
ally working. sometimes reading or Sleep
ing, but forced to be there. On Wednesday
he is in the house only until @, and Satur-
day Is supposedly a holiday, when he mere
ly looks in at his office.
The evenings Of these slack days" the
hard-worked minister often spends at some
large and formal dinner party. Once ses-
sion he dimes in full dress with the speaker
and once he gives. or attends. great din
ner In honor of her majesty's birthday. On
the eve of parliament he dimes with the
leader Of the house to hear the rehearsal Of
the gracious speech from the throne" and
besides these functions his attendance Is
expected ct every drawing room or levee