The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-29
WHAT THE PREMIER HAS TO DO.

Dublin Telegraph.

Dublin Telegraph.
The appointment of the Right Hon. A. ].
Balfour as the successor of Lord Salisbury
in the premiership, recalls to mind, says a
contemporary, what the position of the
premier is, and what are the powers at
taching to the office.
The prime minister simply means first
minister, and he is not exactly the head Of
the government, but the principal member
of it. The head of the government is, Of
course the King. and his Majesty is rep
resented in the executive administration by
the Cabinet. The premier is the first men,
Der of that administration. the leader of his
party, the mouthpiece of Parliament, and
the first channel of communication between
the King and the Commons and Lords.
But would you believe it?-neither the
premier nor his Cabinet have any legal
status. Both derive their functions from
long custom only, and has never yet been
ratified by act of Parliament.
There is no secretary to the Cabinet, for
the reason that no notes are ever taken
at its meeting, the premier reporting YER
bally to the sovereign the principal events
which have taken place, and the questions
discussed.
The premiership is not an office by itself
and it carries no salary with it, like the
other government ministerial positions The
premier must be something else as well;
hence all past holders of the office, right
away from the time of Chares, have held
one other office at least besides, some times
two.
Mr.. Pitt, for example who was prime
minister during the last quarter Of the
eighteenth century, appropriated the posts
Of first lord OF the treasury and chancellor
of the exchequer. so that Mr.. Balfour' 5
triple government qualification, now that
he is premier, is based upon precedent.
Besides the latter, he is also lord privy
seal and first lord of the treasury
There are four lords of the treasury, and
the first is usually prime minister. whilst
the other three are known by the we'll
known parliamentary term Of Junior
lords"
Mr. GIadstone's several premierships were
held on the liens of the first lord only; and
previous premiers, including Disraeli Mel
bourne and Lord John Russell. also held
the premiership as first lords of the treas
ury.
All the honors that people receive from
the hands Of the King are recommended in
the first instance by the premier, who, in
his capacity as the executive of the Con-
stitutiOn, has the right 10 nominate can
didates for royal recognition. and the Sow
ereign ratifies all that is done by the pre-
mer.
most in effect those Of the prime minister
who has, as we have just shown, the max
ing of dukes and lords, and men and women
with minor titles the making OF the minis
try, and of all the amba ssadors and consuls
accredited TO the various countries Of the
world-although the foreign secretary has
the first word i'm these latter nominations
and he has the nomination and appointment
OF all the principal and minor ministers
of the state and the political officers OF
the household
The King is the head OF the church in
theory, the premier In practice. When a
bishop or other big dignitary Of the church
dies. IL is the prime minister who looks
about for a successor, TO whom he offers
n II n her nrn Lost n-ff vol
and the latter's acceptance the gentle
mans name Is recommended 70 the King
who formally ratifies the appointment by
virtue of his Office head OF the church
The premier too, appoints the vicgroy 81
India. and fills the various governor gen.
eralshinS of the colonies