Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-15

as finished piece Of legislation by the
proper minister of the cabinet, and it
as debate is concerned. Talk merely
gives a safety valve fon the feelings of
the members: 1t seldom makes any
change in the form of the legislation.
The cabinet meets every day at
o'clock. From 2sto 3 the ministers-some
fourteen OF them in addition to the prime
minister-discuss legislation and execu-
tive business. The affairs of the White
House and the Capitol. as viewed from a
Washington standpoint. would be indis-
criminately mixed up in the business of
the Canadian cabinet
At o'clock the prime minister and his
associates adjourn to the house chamber.
where the session for the day is just
opening. Parliament sits from to 6
o'clock in the afternoon and from s
o'clock to midnight. Often the sessions
run well into the morning hours. The
government party, now the liberals. sits
on the right-hand side of an open space
that extends clear across the house cham
tives sits on the left. The speaker. whose
duties are only those of a moderator over
the assembly. sits at the head of this open
space; the sergeant-at-arms, in his black
robes. occupies a big chair at the other
end. and the clerks table fills the center,
with the mace reposing on one end.
j 4
The space that intervenes between the
leaders of the two parties is not so great
that inkstands and books may not be
hurled IL the occasion demands, but of
late years fiery words are the only weap-
ons that have been used across the well
In the tits between the two parties
The prime minister occupies a seat
in the first rank of the liberal side,
with Mr. Fielding, the minister of
finance. at his right, and the other min
listers grouped about him in the first
and second rows. Opposite Sir Wilfrid
Laurier sits the conservative or opposi-
ton leader. r. l.. Borden. who cor
responds to Champ Clark in the Amer
lean House Of Representatives. The
change Of political fortunes cannot
bring to Champ Clark, however. the
Of the Laurier ministry would bring to
Mr. Borden.
The cabinet does little more than ex-
plain it's legislation upon the floor of
the house. 1t has done all the work
previously, without the aid Of the
house The council possesses a power
that Is almost supreme. In the case of
a tariff. it can and does actually make
the law before the house ever knows
what is in it. The minister of finance.
Mr.. Fielding, who has been in WASH
ington conducting the reciprocity nego-
tiations. brings into the house finished
tariff law, and at the moment when he
announces 1t upon the floor Of the house
it becomes the law Of the land.
For this reason the making of tariff
changes and their announcement in par
lament is closely guarded. There are
no advance copies issued. In the case
of the last general tariff revision. the
government took absolute control of the
telegraph wires leading out of Ottawa
at the time Mr.. Fielding began the read
ing of the bill to the house, and permit
IN he sent nf fhQ
city until the bill had been completely
read.
The cabinet thus has a legislative power
which the President Of the United States
does not possess, and which the Ameri-
can Congress cannot delegate to any OF
its own subcommittee, or to any of the
numerous commissions that are organized
to help dispose of public business in this
The "governor-in-councir' has
power to take much legislative action
without even submitting IT to parliament
for approval.
There is, however a powerful influence
for good legislation and good government
in the presence of the cabinet on the
floor Of the house, and the power that is
given under the parliamentary system
for the questioning of these members on
the floor concerning all possible questions
of executive procedure.
On certain days of the week the OPEN
ing hours of the session are set aside for
he questioning of members of parliament
Members prepare questions in writing be-
forehand and these are printed in the
laiIy calendar The member who submits
the question specifies the day upon which
ne will PROFOUND 1t in the house, and on
hat day the cabinet minister in whose
domain 1t properly falls Is supposed to
answer it fully and frankly.
These questions cover the widest range
and apply to all matters of government
hat may be under question. II a member
wants to know what has been done about
some certain matter by some department
ne asks the question and demands an
Ia naf necessary tn fako