Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-11-20
CUSTOM GIVES HIM POWER.
The UnbOunded Authority of the Eng
Iish Premier Has No Basis in the
Nations Law.

The prime minister of England,
strange as it may seem, has no lega;
status; neither has any of the mem
bers Of his cabinet. Both derive their
functions and authority from long
custom only, which has never yet been
ratified by act Of parliament. The
premier is first minister, but not ex-
actly the head of the government.
Although exercising the powers at
taching to the office makes him prac-
tically such. The real head of the
government is, of course, the king,
who is represented in the executive
administration by the cabinet. The
premier is the first member Of that
administration, the leader of his par
ty, the mouthpiece of parliament and
the first channel of communication be-
tween the king and the commons and
lords.
There is no secretary to the cabinet,
for the reason that no notes are ever
taken at its meetings, the premier re-
porting verbally 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 il,
like the other government ministerial
positions. The premier must be some
thing else as well; hence, all past hold
ers Of the Office, right away from the
time of Charles, have held one other
Office at least besides, sometimes 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's triple government quail
fications, 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 treas
ury, and the first is usually prime
minister, while the other three are
known by the well-known parliament
tary term Of 'junior lords, Mr..
Gladstone's several premierships were
held on the lines Of the first lord
only, and previous premiers, including
DisraeH, Melbourne and Lord John
Russell, 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, has the right to
nominate candidates for royal recog-
milton, and the sovereign ratiies all
that is done by the premier. The
prerogatives of the monarch are al
most in effect those Of the prime min
lister, 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 ambassadors and consuls accredit-
ed to the various countries of the
world. although the foreign secretary
has the first word in these latter nom
nations, 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 high dignitary |
Of the church dies it IS the prime min
ister who looks about for a successor,
to whom he offers the vacant see, or
other ecclesiastical post, and on the
latter's acceptance the gentleman's /
name is recommended to the king, who
formally ratifies the appointment by
virtue Of his office as head Of the
church.
The premier, too, appoints the vice
ROY Of India and fills the various gov
srnor generalships Of the colonies.
The premier is the principal stage
manager Of parliament. lie virtually
closes and open st. Stephens and rati-
fes the making up of the programme
II each succeeding session. In short,
the premier of Great Britain is an I'M
king Of power.
CHEWING DECLINES,