The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-06-16
TIE PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM.

terial. measure, the Ministers resign
and an election is held for members OF
Parliament. If the view of the Min
istry prevails, that Ministry is recon.
stituted with a majority at its back in
the House. In this country, on the con
trary, our members Of Congress are
elected for stated terms, and the Presi-
dents Cabinet is appointed to hold of
fee, not during the pleasure of the
House OF representatives, but during
the pleasure Of the President. with the
right of resigning at will, but with no
important consequences attending any
such resignation.
The latest adherent of the British
Parliamentary system in this is the
| Hon. Henry l.. Stimson, late Secretary
of War. He believes that the mem
bers of Congress are generally we'll
meaning. honest men, but that their ef
forts are made ineffective through our
bad system. He would have this coun-
| try adopt what he calls responsible
Cabiuet' and have that Cabinet hold
Office on the samo terms that the Min
istry holds in Great Britain. Under
that system he notes that the executive
would prepare the budget, propose leg
islation, and automatically retire from
office when it failed to command ma
iority in the House of Representatives.
The use Of the word executive" here
seems to be misleading. The executive
(the king) holds Office under the Brit
ish Cor the President under the French)
system permanently or for stated
term, just as our President would hold
precisely as now, but our Cabinet would
be responsible to the House of Repre-
sentatives, The adoption Of the Brit
ish Parliamentary system would oper-
ate here as it does in Great Britain and
in France, to the subiection of the Pres
ident practically to the Premier, and it
would dwarf the Senate. The President
would not be disturbed in his term of
Office by any adverse vote against his
Cabinet, but the Cabinet would retire
when it lost control of the House of
Representatives. and there would be a
new election. The election under such
system would not be at stated times
as now, but whenever the Ministry was
discredited by vote Of the House, and
be ensuing election would come on inn
mediately. Right after that election
the new members would assemble, and
the new Ministry Cor Cabinet) would |
be formed.
1t is evident that a good many ad- |
vantages would accrue from this sys-
tenn of Cabinet responsibility to the |
House Of Representatives But on the |
other hand there would be lack of |
fxity OF administration or political pur-
pose. 1t would, however, give the peo.
pie more direct control of the Execu-
tive functions of the Government, and |
would bring to bear at once upon the |
the popular will as ex-
pressed in the election of Representa-
tives. 1t is evident that no great |
change in the general system Of popu-
lar government which we have adopted |
would be necessary in order to bring
about the change suggested by Mr..
and that has also been sup-
gested from time to time by other prom
lnent men, But since the term of Office
Of Representatives is but two years, and
the life of the Cabinet is never beyond
four years, and since the people can
make complete change every four
years il they wish, and in the House of
Representatives every two years, it is
not likely that the change suggested
by former Secretary Stimson will be
made very soon in this country, despite
its advantages, and despite the quick.
ness and completeness with which the
people would have their will respected
and enforced under the British Par
iamentary system.
So far as the latter point is con-
,erned, the getting OF changes quickly
when the people desire them, The Trib-
nne has advocated heretofore the pro-
priety of change whereby the new
House Of Representatives would take of
bee with the new year after their cleo
ton, and the President would take Of
6ce with the new year succeeding his
election, There would be but little of
lpturnlng IN making the changes that
would be necessary to effect this speedy
result. 1t is undeniablc that the pco-
pie have right TO the speedy change
which they vote for in November. The
idea of electine Congress in Novem.
Der which under ordinary circumstances
Will not meet until year after the sue
ceeding December, is absurd in this day
,t speedy communication and transpor.
'ation. The new Congress should come
IN with the new year. The newly elect.
ed President should also come in at the
same time. The date for the assembling
Of the Presidential electors could easily
De advanced, and all the official routine
gone through with properly, prior to the
January succeeding the November cleo
hon. This is change that we expect
10 see made before loLg in this country.