The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-19
ParIlamsutar, Changes IN Great Rriialn


In a learned book on a technical subject
worked out with the thorOughneEs that
II Characteristic of German scholarship
much light IL cast on the condition Of the
British Constitution o. the present day
and on the problems which arr now con-
fronting British statesmen. The changes
which have been made gradually and i'm
psroeptibly. especially In the last quarter
u a century are explained clearly and
frankly. They will surprise students
brought up on the older standard works
on English constitutional history. The
book Ia TIE PrOoedure Of the HOuas Of
Commons. in three volumes. by Prof
JOsEF REDLTcH Of the University %
Vienna. translated by A ERNEsT STEIN
THAI and provided With an introduction
and a supplementary chapter by Sir
COUETENAI p lLBERT. Clerk Of the House
% Commons archibald Constable and
Company: T. p Dutton and Company.
The first book II historical in treatment;
Il tells how the order OF business Of the
HOUSE o. Commons ErsW and the changes
In the procedure after the reform act Of
ls82; the second book describes In great
detail the actual modern procedure, the
forms. the party system. the power Of the
Speaker. the relations betWeen the Com
mons and the Lords. the Crown Ind the
Government and ~ on; the brief third
book treats of the theory Of procedure.
while Sir c. p. uberts supp,ementlry
chapter explains the changes in procadure
since 1905 but stops with the end Of 1877
We shall pass over the main body 81 the
book and tourh only on the great consti-
tItional changes which a. Prof Redlich
and Sir Courtenay Ilbert agree have
sprung from gradual alterations IN the
rules and procedure Of the House Of
Commons.
In the preface Sir c. Ilbert explains
some commonplace IN British history
The theory that the main duty Of Pariia-
ment was 70 check the King. which held
good in the seventeenth century and con-
tinusd a. tradition in the eighteenth.
has died out. Under the developed sys-
TEN Of Cabinet government the opposition
between Parli ament and the Crown has
vanished: the executive authority de-
ponds on and represents the majority of
the House Of Commons The Cabinet
system vas the solution the eighteenth
century gave TO the problem which
distracted the Seventeenth century. tho
conflict between privilege and preToga-
tive. The question Whsfhsr the King
OF Parliament should govern vas settled
by letting the Ministers govern. and in
the process Of time the King has receded
into the background. Il may BE- well 20
repeat some Of Sir c. llbert's definitions.
he himself quotes MacAulay's description
Of the Cabinet and comments on IL: The
Cabinet 10 an informal committee Of the
Privy Council. The representative Of
the Cabinet in the House Of Commons
perform for that house many Of the
functions which are performed for other
bOdi~s by an executive COMMITTEES. but
the Cabinet IL not appointed BY the House.
The Prime Minister IL appointed by the
King Appointed. but not selected. for
the Prime Srnister must b the person
whom the dominant political party agree
90 accept a. Their leader Having been
appointed the Prime Minister selects hts
colleagues and submits their names for
appointment 20 the King" The Cabinet
system presupposes a party system. and
more than that. q two party System.
The system also implies. for lts ehicient
working. an experienced and responsible
Opposition. q body Of men Who have held
once In the past and may look forward
20 holding once In tho future He has
some ideA Of the danger 20 the systsm
caused BY tho appearance q an inds-
pendent third party In tho Iriah Nation
alists. Critics oe the system have pre-
dicted thar it would not survive the
advent q democracy. but 20 far the
predictions have not come true.
Y Eft htruo that thsGysigm has und,REons