The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1912-08-23
BRITA|N'S CABINET
II Really Has No Legal Warrant
For Its Existence.
YET IT RULES THE NATION.
This Nest Powerful and Important
Committee In the World 10 Without
q staff, = Secretary, a Seal or MIN
uts Book and Has No Fixed Homo.

q staff. = Secretary, a Seal or Min
ute Book and Has No Fixed Homo.
Sidney Low, the English writer, calls
attention to the fact that the BRUSH
cabinet has really no standing in law,
though It is actually the body which
rules England. He makes several In
teresting statements in describing the
situation.
The British cabinet has long been
one of the mysteries Of that greater
mystery, the British constitution. 70
be quite exact, indeed, it is not correct
to call It a part of the British consti-
tuition, for strictly speaking 1t Is un-
known to the constitution. The capinet
today rules the country. but 1t has
no legal status. 1t was not until about
1901 that the word cabinet" appeared
on the notice paper or other Official
document
A cabinet minister takes the same
oath that every privy councillor takes,
ito be a true and faithful servant
unto the kings majesty as one OF MS
majesty's privy council" and Ito keep
secret all matters committed and re-
yealed unto you or that shall be treated
secretly in council" The entire body
Of the privy council is supposed to ad-
wise the sovereign on affairs of state.
but to be made privy councillor TO-
day is practically an empty honor. II
ia regarded as high compliment. but
if n privy councillor Is not member
Of the cabinet he hears no secrets ana
performs no official functions.
All the executive and political func-
tions of privy councillors have passed
into the hands of those OF them VINO
form the cabinet, which Is really a
secret committee of the kings servants
who in practice collectively rule the
country SO long as they remain in or
fce.
"But," as Sidney Low writes In an
article in the London Daily Mail. mo
net of parliament ever gave them these
powers, which could not be asserted or
defended in any court Of law. Tney
are due to prescription. accident ana
custom. =,
Technically the cabinet as a capi'
net can do nothing. 1t cannot ever
write letter or issue signed order
II has not indeed the means OF doing
so. for it does not keep clerk or
typewriter: 1t has no Office, nor mas
it any money wherewith to buy shee
Of note paper. The most powerful ant
important committee in the world ]
without q staff. secretary. seal.
minute book or a fixed location
when a cabinet council sits it ha
10 agenda before it. nor has II an
record of what was done at its las
meeting No one keeps the minutes
and it is still deemed little contrar
to ptiuuette for any minister TO take
note Of the proceedings or indeed I
write anything ut the meetings at MI
In fact. the cabinet council Is sti
treated a~ u IL were nothing NOR
than Il r;i>uaI private consultation ID
tween ~ few of the privy councillor
II bears the ir;ires of its ancestry. IL
II was ir,ri over the dinner table
III originated in the reign OF Quee
Anne In those famous Suturda! dil
r,is ut which select group oi u
I,ivv council a~~rinl,lrd 10 di~''iisS u
ai!airs of iirir party without the pre-
sIi.-e Of the queen AMI ~ rdriiSu'
whose presence was not desired II
cabinet has always KEPT to the ira'
tiou n H. "a secret committee "i 20
ernn,enl and Il ~sT.rei 'onmitiee "f II
dominant part, III par'ia nirii. ~
where the nnp function higgins and II
ui,rr ends no .bnp can ever say.
An its mrIuilers are collectively :
-,.,usibip for hte acts nf one OF thei
but there are no MEANS uf KNOWN
wbat the sles.isions of the cabinet are
auy m.mrnt till they are rnibocied
action. or how many of the niIilstr
may dissent from the opinion of q
majority. Ut whether indeed II Is Z
minority or n minority that really
recfs the policy
The prumofion of Sir Rufus iSla'
the attorney general to the canin
was double novelty. Not only vi
there no precedent for an attorn'
general being member OF the cal
not. but never before had the o.nci
announcement of the conferment
cabinet rank mentioned. as II oid
the case of sir Rufus Isaacs. q
words his majesty's cabinet tn
appointment therefore marked ~
fher deyelopment 10 the acquisifi'
of a corporate existence BY the cal
net--Nsw York sun-