The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-02

The final act in the drama of legisla-
 tion in the United States .s the approval
 of the President, the English counterpart
 of this being the royal assent. While
 the two are nominally analogous, there
 exist some interesting points of diver gence which serve to show how conserv-
 ative is our republican form of govern
 ment as contrasted with the monarchical
 system of Great Britain. After bill has
 passed both houses of congress 1t goes to
 the President and if he doesn't affx his
 signature within given number of days
 it becomes law, as was the case. with the Wilson tariff act-to cite particular in
 stance. Should he extend his veto power the only hope for the measure is in it's
 being again approved by ooth houses by
 such a majority as is not easily obtain able, so that the President possesses a
 tremendous power of blocking legisla-
 ton that may be obnoxious to him or his party.
 Now, while King Edward possesses | constitutional right to veto any bill pass ed by parliament, that power has never
 been exercised by him, nor was it during
 the long reign of Queen Victoria. So
 
 it is frequently asserted that any attempt
 to the veto power would be the be- ginning of the end of the English mon
 archy. The result of this is the exist
 once of a latent possibility of legislation being enacted in Great Britain by bare
 majority of one in each house without any veto power beyond though up to the
 present time the intense conservatism of the house of lords has proved an effee- fiVe harripr to fll-pOnSidprpd measures It
 may be stated, en passant, that were the king to refuse his assent to any bill it
 could not be passed over his veto, or again introduced during tho same session of parliament.
 The methods of giving the royal assent
 and the Presidential approval are very different. The latter is given by merely l affixing a signature, but the former is not accomplished without great deal Of | quaint medieval ceremonial. The late l queen was not inside the house of lords | subsequent to the administration of Dis
 raeli and after the death of the prince l consort never gave her assent in person. | In such cases there is appointed a royal
 commission, consisting of the lord chan | cellor and two other members of the | upper house. at intervals during the ses-
 sion, whenever a batch of bills aSaits 1 formal approval. The commissioners are attired in the crimson and ermine robes ! of their rank, the chancellor wearing his l full bottomed wig (such as will be famil- | far to those who saw the opera of To- | lanthe) which is surmounted by peer three-eornered hat the latter being also worn by the other two noblemen. The three take their seats on a bench placed
 immediately in front of the throne their presence being symbolic of royalty; and an official messenger of the house of
 lords, holding the sinecure office of gen tleman usher of the black rod, is directed to visit the lower house and command the faithful commons" to come and hear the royal assent given.
 This official is generally an old army officer, as well a court favorlte. He Is attired in court costume. which i'm cludes knee brooches of black silk, silver
 buckled slippers and a sword dangling from his waist. Carrying in his hand the
 wand of pffice-the black rod-he wends his way through the lobbies to the house of commons. where curious scene oc- | CUTS. In the middle ages the commons
 maintained their right to debate with
 closed doors, the result of which was that when Black Rod paid them a visit with any communication from the lords
 he had to make known his presence by
 knocking at the outside doo-. This prec-
 edent is still tenaciously adhered to in
 quaint fashion, partly as the result of little innocent collision between the of ficias of the two houses.
 The sergeant at arms of the lower house is always advised when a visit of Black Rod is imminent and as soon as the latter is within a few feet of the portal the door Is closed in his face and locked. | Three knocks, signfying the three es- tates of the ream-king. lords and com
 mons-are promptly given on the door
 by Black Rod It is here that the droll 1 part of the performance ccmes in. The | door contains a small wicNet resembling
 that of lodge room and this is opened | by the sergeant at arms, who innocently
 asks who is there. The inevitable an- swer being tersely given, the sergeant
 opens the door and calls out in stentorian
 voice. Black Rod upon which nouncement the member addressing tils house must stop abruptly ard resume his | seat
 | The emissary of the upper house slowly | advances in a dignihed manner to the | table in ront of the speaker, making | the three symbolical bows at equal in- | tervals as he marches mp the floor He , then announces that a royal commission IS l in the other chamber awaiting the pres | ence of the lower branch or the legisla- l ture. Thereupon he retires to the har l of the house, walking backwards and
 taking care not to get his sword tangled
 between his feeble limbs. As hes retires
 he again makes three bows. which are | duly acknowledged by the speaker who l then leaves ihe chair Preceded by the | sergeant at arms. carrying the golden mace and accompanied by as many members as wish to take the trouble. he | walks through the intervening Hobbies | to the house of lords. Here the speaker takes his stand at the bar. where he is l greeted by the three commissioners, who