The sun., 1903-09-27
King Edward and the Cabinet Crisis
In Great Britain.


It is an extraordinary fact that 80 pro-
longed delay should have been expert
enced in filing the vacancies in the Bal
four Ministry caused by four resigna-
tions. Two Of the offices vacated, those
of Chancellor of the Exchequer and OF
Secretary for India, are of capital impor-
tance: and even the other two, to wit,
the posts of Secretary for Scotland and
of Financial Secretary to the Treasury,
would normally be filed with prompti-
tude Under the circumstances, 1t Is
not surprising that cause Tor the delay
should be sought, and we are disposed to
credit the report which finds it in the
position taken by King EDWARD VII,
who is unwilling, it is said, to sanction
any appointments which in his opinion
are not calculated to promote the ma
tional welfare. 1t is especially the War
Office, we are told which. in the inevlta-
BILE readjustment of the Cabinet he IN
sists shall be given to a man qualified to
devise and carry out drastic reform
of the British military system.
II it be true that this position has been
taken by King EDWARD VIE it is not
open to objection on the score OF con-
stitutionality. It is true that the time
has gone by in England when n states
man, clearly acceptable to majority
of the House Of Commons could be kept
out of power through soverclgn's per-
hot hn n
was done, by GEoRGE ILL.,; and, as lately
as the winter Of 1851 81 Queen VICTORIA
practically caused the dismissal OF Lord
PALMERsToN from the Foreign Office,
because his precipitate recognition Of
Louis NAPOLEON after the coup dftdt
OF Dec. ?, 1851. wis extremely dlstasteful
To Prince ALBERT and herself 1t is well
known, also. that Queen VICTORIA in
1880, when Lord BEACONSFIELD resigned
the Premiership. sent for Lord HAITI Nc
TON, instead Of Mr. GLADSTONE, and was
disappointed when informed that only
the last named statesman could form "A
Government That a Premier known to
be backed by a working majority OF the
House of Commons must be permitted
to choose his colleagues is a principle
that has been invariably recognized since,
in 1883, Lord ABERDEEN informed Queen
VICTORIA that he could not undertake
to form q Government without Lord
PALMERsTON'S assistance. We have no
doubt that the principle would be ac-
cepted by King EDWARD VII. if case
were now presented for its application.
As matter Of fact, King EDWARD does
not know and Mr. BALFoUR has no right
to assert that at the existing juncture
he POSSESSES the confidence OF the House
of Commons. The Cabinet crisis has
occurred during a recess of Parliament
and it remains TO be seen whether, in view
of the detection of the Unionist Free
Traders, he can muster ma jority, even
with the support Of Irish Nationalist
votes. Unqlestionably, the compact,
homogeneous majority which he had at
his back few months ago has been ir-
reparably lost. 1t is, therefore, obvious
that he is in an anomalous situation and
can no longer speak with the authority
which was his before the Unonist party
was rent into three factions by Mr.. CHAM
BERLAINs apple of discord. There is,
indeed, no doubt that under the Iecli-
liar conditions in which Mr.. BALFOUR
finds himself King EDWARD VII would
not exceed a British soyereign's pre-
rogative should he invite the Premier to
resign and call upon the Duke of DEVON.
SHIRE to form q Cabinet untainted by