The sun., 1900-05-08

LAUBIER and his colleagues chose TO take
part In the experiment proposed by Mr..
CHAMBERLAIN they would not be acting a.
Ministers Of the Grown at all and they
could not be held responsible to Parliament
for appointments over which they did not
possess the final control To make up lists
OF names, any one or all OF which could be
rejected by the Governor General, might he
an occupation acceptable to gentlemen Of
leisure, but would hardly be suitable for re-
sponsible Ministers having serious duties 70
perform. The Globe concludes that either
the Ministers ought not TO be consulted mt all
as to ths award OF the commissions or they
ought TO bs consulted in accordance with
the Constitution Of the Dominion
AS we have said the spokesmen Of the
Conservative party take different view OF
the affair Thus. the Mad and Empire OF
Toronto. in an article on "The Army Com
missions Scandal asserts that, In the cor
respondence above outlined. Sir WlLPKD
LAUNKR was prompted solely by desire to
gain control OF the commissions allotted To
Canadians. so as TO distribute them among
his political supporters. The British Gov
ernment, on the other hand, desired to pre-
vent the distribution of commissions on
political grounds; it wanted military rec
concentrations; and, TO that end. sug-
gested the designation Of a board Of
officers which should make selections
on the merit principle. According to
the Mail aud Empire. the proposal not
only commends itself to common sense,
but Is oonstitutionaly sound IL the I'm
perial Government had been proposing to
make appointments to any Canadian SER
vice. Sir WrI.rRID LArRIBR would have
been right in insisting that the Ottawa Gov
ernment should name the appontees. As a
matter Of fact. however. the Imperial Gov
ernment was making appointments to its
own service. and. responsible as II is for its
own business IT. was justified in adopting
Its own means for the choice Of its own
officers. What would We say" asks
the Mail and Empire. III the Imperial
Government were to declare that every
English-born citizen entering the Canadian
Mounted Police, for which we pay. should
be selected. not as we think proper but by
Downing Street?" Tho demand of Ottawa
for the right to name the Canadians who
are TO hold commissions In the British Army
was not based upon any principle of respon-
sible government. Ottawa does not control
the British Army. The Ottawa Government
is no more responsible for the differing Of
the British Army than it Is for the employ
ment Of Canadians for any service outside
Of the public service OF Canada. According
to the Mai and Empire. finally. the demand
that the commissions offered to Canadians
should be distributed by the Ministers
of the Dominion was a straight grab for
patronage" and the fact that the Imperial
authorities resisted It il accepted as a
proof OF good will on the part Of British
Ministers toward Canadians. irrespective
Of party.
1t is very pretty quarrel as it stands, but
the Canadian Premier seems to have the
whip-hand in the matter. for. II Mr.. CHAM
BERIAIN refuses TO accept his views of the
Constitutional question alleged by Sir VIII
FRID to be involved. the latter may object
TO the entrance of Canadians into the I'm
perial service.