New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-20
GERMAN CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES.

GERMAN CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
The agitation in the radical press Of Germany
for the definite establishment Of ministerial
responsibility 70 the Reichstag and purely
parliamentary system Of government is not
surprising or unexpected. though il may for the
present prove futile. Il fully confirms the
statements already made in these columns con
corning the present status Of the Chancellor and
the subordinate ministers under the consttu-
ton. They are responsible 10 the Emperor per
sonslly. and 70 him alone They cannot be
made-excepJ voluntarily and informally-re-
sponsibIe 10 the Re5chstaC without changing
the constitution of the empire. And il must
be borne in mind that. unlike Great Britain.
the German Empire has a written constitution
which can he changed only in 9 specified man
ner change cannot he made by mere
resolution Of the Reichstag. II must be sane
toned by the BuudeSrarh. which Is & vastly
more powerful body than the Reichstag. More
over. IN any question Of changing the consti-
tuition the PrusSian representation in the
Bundasrath has an absolute veto power. and
the German Emperor is the King Of Prussia.
These facts do not mean that amendment OF
the constitution is impossible. They do indi-
cate the difficulty Of eectinG II. particularly in
opposition 10 the desire of the Emperor.
4 system Of ministerial responsibility 10 the
Reichstag would doubtless he gratifying tO. a
large part Of the German nation. and il would
also probably result in some Improvement Of
the government It would not. however. be
free from serious embarrassmenrs and compE-
cations which might for time couuterbalance
lis good results and which might make neces-
sarv other changes which would not be so vel
come THE lack Of anything like a majority
party in the ReicbstaG and the impr0bability Of
securing one in so congl0merate an empire would
make the ministry constantly dependent upon
coalitions and compromises. and therefore pecul-
iarlv subject 10 undesirable influences. The
anomalous constitutional organization of The
empire. with the lack of equal powers and
privileges among the component states, and
the radical difference of representation and
power between the Bundesratb and the Reichs
tag would also prove embarrassing The
Bundesrath il must he remembered does not
sustaiu 10 the ReichstaG any such relation rs
the House Of Peers does 70 the House Of Com
mons at Westminster or the Senate 10 the
House Of Representatives a. Washington The
two are not at all 10 be reckOned rs upper and
lower houses of the same parliament The
question Of ministerial responsibility is there
fore not 10 be settled by ana for the Reichstas
alone. but at least equally by and for an en-
trely separate differently constituted and
actually far more powerful body:
II seems probable that a strong effort will be
made To lay aside for the present any radical
or final disposition Of this matter, and 70 adopt
6 modHs uiUendi between the imperial govern
ment and the Beichstag, on account II the
urgency of the new Tux proposals. We have
already described these and the great burden
which they VIII if adopted, add 10 the already
heavily burdened German, and particularly
T'russian. taxpayers They comprise the levy
ing Of S25.0tp.G03 year mere on spirits nearly
S2uo0000U on tobaeco. $2JG90t0O Oh beer. 90
100000 GA wines. S25.JAUO0 on estates of de
cedeIts. $12.J0o.D00 gas and electricity and
s. 2JU0JO Oh newspaper advertisements and
since even these viii not be sufficient the ma
tricular tax Of 10 cents head on all tie popua-
ton Is 10 be increased 10 20 cents It is obvious
that TIA bulk 0f these taxes VIII be highly W.