The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-29

4 aAAd tAC wy ~
perial Parliament Of the United Kingdom.
The deduction which Mr.. Bryce draws
from this, comparison Ia that the Austria
lian scheme OF Federal Government stands
intermediate between that OF the United
States and that of Canada. In the united
States the Federal Government mas less
power as against the States than IN AUS
tralia. In Canada the Federal Govern
ment has more power. or, at least, u "ioer
range of action. In other words, the Aus
t-alian system approaches nearer IN point
Of form TO a unitary government 'hah
does the United States, but not 80 near as
does Canada. Mr.. Bryce recognizes now
ever. that II does not follow that the
spirit In which institutions are worked
will precisely correspond to their form.
Our authors final word upon the sub
ject Is that the Australian instrument Is
the true child Of it's era. the latest birth
of time. Compared with II the American
Constitution seems ole -fashioned. and parts
Of the Swiss Constitution positively archaic.
Cabinct government. the fully-developed
form OF which is scarcely a century Old.
is taken for it's basis. Ideas and enter
prises. problems and proposals. 30 new
that they are only just beginning 70 be
seriously discussed figure In II. For in
stance. the struggle between white labor
and free colored labor makes Its appear
/ ance in the Australian Then,
too, the Australian Constitution represents
the high-water mark Of popular govern
ment. IL Is penetrated by the spirit OF
democracy. The actual every day work
ing of government in the Australian col
opies is more democratic than in the United
States, because there both the States inc
the Union arc fettered by many constitu-
tional restrictions, and because wealth has
there been able to exert a control none the
less potent because half-concealed. The
Constitution of the Australian Common
wealth however. is more democratic even
than are the Constitutions of the several
Australian colonies, in some OF which prop
erty qualifications and nominated second
chambers have survived until now. In
fact. all the checks and balances OF the
English and American Constitutions. by
which the censors OF democracy used to
set such store, have, in the Australian
Commonwealth. dwindled down to one
only, viz: The existence OF two cham
! bers. Moreover, these two chambers are
elected on the same franchise. and COM
posed of similar men. though the tendency
TO dissension natural to rival bodies may
sometimes interpose delays. The POWER
to dissolve both houses. however, in the
event OF a deadlock, may enable a Prime
Minister to control the Senate "a well az
the House. II may he thought that, as
respects the distribution of political power
and the structure Of the Federal govern
ment. the Australian Commonwealth IL
already so democratic that IL cannot go
much further. Mr.. Bryce expects. how
ever, that proposals will be made 20 extend
to women in all the States that right Of
voting at Commonwealth elections which
they already enjoy in South Australia
and West Australia under the local law;
or to apply more widely the institution
Of the direct popular vote; or to amend
the Constitution in some point which will
rails q an issue between the more radical
and tho more conservative sections OF
opinion. That questions OF Constitutional
amendment have played so small a part
in American politics is attributable to tho
extreme difficulty Of securing't the majorities
required for altering the Constitution. In
Australia the process will be far easier,
Mr.. Brvce's essay on the Australian
Constitution was written just before the new
Federal Government went into operation.
Since then two Of his predictions have been
fulfilled. Attention Is here directed TO
tnt 1hCl lnhl III rtNtTdl VI VIZ hurAid idil
colonial parliaments a Labor party has
arisen which. keeping itself independent
Of the two older parties, has been able
to throw it's weight on one or the other
side. and thus endanger the stability Of
cabinets. The author foresees that, should
this phenomenon resppear in the Parlia-
ment Of the Commonwealth. II will COM
pliCate still further a position which the
coordinate powers Of Senate and House
already make sufficiently complicated.
As a matter 81 fact the phenomenon has
reuppcared. for at the first Commonwealth
elections Of the senate and House held In
the spring 81 1901. the Labor Party OBJ
tanned more than one-ffth q the seats In
each chamber Mr.. Bryce also expresses
tie belief that questions 81 the economic
order will he likely more than any other
90 occupy the minds ~ Australian
s'atasmen. Tho hAs proved 10 he tie case.
The hr-t question that divided parties
in the Commonwealth House 81 Repre-
scntaiivcs Was IA. tarir
Il 10 common to classify Constitutions 40
written OF un~ntt.n. MI Bryce thinks
u mote scientific to describe uhrm a. fl'h-
ltls 80 Rigid that De- the classification
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torsiliuf4u. e the older typrs. oirmIhf"d
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