Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-09-24
In ormation OF New Cabinet.
Has National Welfare
at Heart.
NEW PHASE IN POLITICAL CRISIS
Scandals in Army Administration
Must Be Remedied--Daily Confer
ences Held at 5almoral-Ed~ard to
Play Part Of Ruler Not Fisurehead.

London. Sept. 24.-The political
crisis has taken on a phase which
lends to the present situation an his
torical and constitutional Importance
of almost unprecedented interest. The
king has interfered, not unconstitu-
tionally or beyond the powers vested
In the crown, but in the exercise OF
his prerogatives, to an extent never
dreamed of in the Victorian era.
Premier Balfour's continued pres
ence at Balmoral has given rise to
much surmise and comment, but the
Associated Press is able to state def
nitely that it is due to the kings de-
termination not to assent to the form
alton of new cabinet until thor
oughly satisfied that its personnel
and combination is such as to ensure
the efficient carrying on of the affairs
of the empire pending the resumption
of parliament For years previous
cabinets were formed or ministerial
vacancies filed with the mere formal
presentation to the sovereign of the
names Of the new ministers.
King Edward has done away with
this tradition He has spent the last
few days in constant discussion with
Mr.. Balfour as to the advisabilfty
from the point of view of the national
welfare of the latter's suggested ap-
pointments Ministers now holding
Office and those nominated for Office
have been summoned to Balmoral to
join in these conferences, and all have
been subjected to a degree Of interro-
cation such as has surprised even
those who knew King Edward init
mately as prince of Wales.
King as Cabinet Maker.
To such an extent is King Edward
holding his power of veto that now he
! is almost regarded by the inner cir
| cles as more the cabinet maker than
Mr. Balfour himself Though, with
his usual tact, the king has refrained
from expressing any political views
or infringing the initiative belonging
/ to the ministers, this has not prevent
ed him from expressing his genuine
desire, amounting almost to a COM
mand, that steps be taken to remedy
| the scandals in the army administra-
! ton revealed by the report Of the
South African war commission, and
/ insisting that the new cabinet shall be
one adapted to deal with that question
After the long conversations he has
| had during the last few days at Bal
moral with Lord Lansdowne, Mr.
Brodriek. Lord Esher, who was presi.
| dent of the South African war com.
mission; Lieutenant General Sir T.
Kelly Kenny and other military au.
thorities. the king is said to have ex-
pressed the opinion that Lord Lans-
downe's record as war secretary was
due more to the badness OF the system
then in vogue than to any defect In
Lord Lansdowne's own judgment.
King Edward has shared the keen
| public Indignation against Lord Lans.
downe aroused by the report of the
South African war commission and
after minute examination of the cir
cumstances. he is understood to have
! consented to his lordship continuing
as foreign minister
Military Middle Must Be improved.
This decision has not prevented his
majesty from frankly telling the min
listers that he wanted something done
to improve the military muddle, and
that he hoped some man would be
appointed who with the commissfons
report as basis, would be. capable
OF changing the system which rem
dered inefficiency unavoidable.
The question OF having some gen
eral. notably Lord Kitchener, as head
of the war office has been keenly dis.
cussed at Balmoral between the king
and the ministers, but the Associated
Press understands that the consensus
OF opinion was that such an appoint.
ment would be interpreted as a modi-
fed form of military dictatorship
which the public would never stand
Dealing with the surmise upon soma
of the foregoing points, the Morning
Advertiser says: THE king has in
this national emergency resolved to
play the part of a ruler instead of be.
content with that Of figurehead.
Meantime every detail of the nego-
tiations for filling up the vacancies
in the cabinet are submitted to the
ling. who for the time being has
transformed Balmoral into the politi.
cal center of the empire from which.
owing to the colossal influences at
work, several surprises may emanate.
Whatever the results may be they
can safely be attributed to the kings
interest in the crisis.