The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-24
What the Premier Has to Do.

From the London Answers.
 The appointment of Rt. Hon. A. J. Bal four as the successor of his uncle. Lord Salisbury, in the premiership of Great Britain, recalls to mind what the position of the premier is, and what are the pow CTS attaching 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 govern ment is, of course, the king, and his ma jesty Is represented in the executive ad- ministration by the cabinet. The premier is the first member of that admnistra- tion, the leader of his party, the mouth piece of parliament, and the first chan nel of communication between the king and the commons and the lords
 But-would you believe it?-neither the premier nor his cabinet have any legal status. Both derive their functions from long custom only, which 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 meetings the premier reporting verbally to the sovereign the principal events which have taken place, and the questions discussed
 The premiership Is not an office by it. self, and it carries no salary with it. like the other government ministerial posi- tions The premier must be something else as well; hence, all our past holders of the office, right away from the time of Charles, have held one other office at least besides. sometimes two.
 Mir. Pitt for example who was prime minister during the last quarter of the eighteenth century, appropriated the as1fC of Arcf nr6 Of fhD 5 chancellor of the exchequer, so that MT. Balfour's triple government qualifications, 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 well-kno~n parliamentary term of jun for lords"
 MT. Gladstone's several premierships were held on the lines of the first lord only; and previous premiers, including Disraeli, Melbourne and Lord John Rus sell, also held the premiership as first lords of the treasury.
 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 constitution, mas the right to nOminat te candidates for royal recognition, and the sovereign ratifies' all that is done by the premier.
 The prerogatives of the monarch are almost in effect those of the prime min ister, who has, as we have just shown the making of dukes and lords, and men and women with minor titles; the making of the ministry, and of all the ambassa- dors and consuls accredited to the various countries of the world-although the for eign secretary has the first word in these latter nominations; and he has the nomi- nation and appointment of all the prin- cipal and minor ministers of the state and the political officers of the house. hold.
 The king is the head of the church in theory; the premier in practice. When a bishop or other high dignitary of the church dies, it is the prime minister who looks about for successor, to whom he offers the vacant seat, or other eccIesias- tical post, and on the latters acceptance the gentleman's name is recommended