The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-24
King TAXES A HAND
IN CABINET MAKING
Edward Is Having More to Do
in the Matter Than Is Pre-
mier BaIfour.

LONDON, Sept %. = The political
crisis has taken on a phase which tends
10 make the present situation in his
torlcal and constitutional importance
OF almost unprecedented interest. The
king has used influence 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 it is
due to the kings determination not to
assent to the formation of a new cab
met until thoroughly satisfied that its
personnel and combination are such as
to insure the efficient carrying on of
the affairs of the empire pending the
resumption of parliament.
For years cabinets were formed or
ministerial vacancies filled with the
mere formal presentation of the SOW
ereign of the names of the new minis
tiers. King Edward has done away
with this tradition. He has spent the
last few days in constant discussion
with MI. Balfour as to the ACCESSIBILITY
from the point of view of the national
welfare of Balfour'S suggested ap-
pointments. Ministers now holding Of
flee have been summoned to Balmoral
to join in these conferences and all
have been subjected to a degree of in
terrogation such as has surprised even
mately as the Prince of Wales.
To such an extent is King Edward
holding his power of veto in reserve
that now he is almost regarded by the
inner circle as more the cabinetmaker
than Mr.. Balfour himself. Though,
with his usual tact, the king has re-
Trained from expressing any political
views or infringing the initiative be-
longing to the ministers, this has not
prevented him from expressing his
genuine desire, amounting almost to a
command, that Steps be taken to rem
edy the scandalssiH the army admins
tration revealed by the report of the
South African ware commission and
insisting that the new cabinet shall be
one adapted to deal with that ques-
tion. Fl
After the long Conversations he has
had during the last few days at Bal
moral with Lansdowne. Mr.. Broderick,
Lord Esther, Whofwas president OF the
South African war commission and
Gen. Sir T. Kelly-Kenny and other
military authorities, the king is said to
have expressed the opinion that Lord
Lansdownes record as war secretary
was due more to. the badness of the
system then in vogue than to any de-
feet in Lord Lansdowne'S own judg-
ment King Edward has not shared
the keen public indignation against
Lord Lansdowne aroused by the report
of the South African war commission.
and after minute examination of the
circumstances he is understood to have
consented to his lordship continuing as
foreign minister. This decision has not
prevented his majesty. from frankly
telling the ministers that he wanted
something done to improve the mill
tary muddle and that che hoped some
man would be appointed who, with the
commissioners reportas a basis, would
be capable of changing the system
which rendered ineficiencya unavoid-
able.
The question of having some general,
notably Lord Kitchener, as head of the
war office has been keen1y discussed by
the king and the ministers, but the
consensus was thatasuch an appoint
ment would be interpreted as a modi-
fed form of military dictatorship which
the public would never sanction.