The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1913-01-31

This McE roWS'Iu' a"a ii's'o' ss''i
Committee In the World 10 WlLnoa
o staff, Secretary, Seal or Min
uto Book and Has No Fixed Home.
sidney Low, the English writer, cali
attention to the fact that the Britisl
cabinet has really no standing IN law
though il is actually the body whiel
rtles England. He makes several in
tprasEgg statements in describing tht
stuation
The British cabinet has long beer
ono uf the mysteries Of that gfeatel
mystery, the British constitution. ~
be quite exact, indeed. it is not correct
to call it a part Of the British consti
tuti0n for strictly speaking 1t Is IN
known to the constitution. The cabinet
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 otllcial
document.
A cabinet minister takes the same
oath that every priyy councillor takes
ITO be true and faithful servant
unto the kings majesty as one of his
maiesty's priYy council" and Ito keep
secret all matters committed and re
yeled unto You or that shall be treated
secretly in council" The entire body
of the priyy council ia supposed to ad
X wise the sovereign on affairs Of state
but to be made priyy councillor to
day is practically an empty honor II
is regarded as Il high compliment, bat
If pfiyy councillor is not a member
Of tile cabinet he hears no secrets and
performs no official functions.
All the executive and political fune.
tions of priyy councillors have passed
Into the hands of those OF them who
form the cabinet which Is really
secret committee Of the kings servants
who in practice collectively rule the
country so long as they fremaih in of
Zee.
But" as Sidney Low writes In an
article in the London Daily Mail, the
act Of parliament ever gave them these
powers. which could not be asserted o.
defended in any court of law They
are due to prescription, accident and
custom
Technically the cabinet as a cabj
net can do nothing. 1t cannot ever
write letter or issue a signed order
Il has not ipdeed the means Of doih-
so for il does not Keep 4 clerk or q
Typewriter; 1t has no office, nor has
it any money wherewith to buy sheet
of note paper The most powerful and
important committee in the wcrld is
without STAFF, a secretary, a seal q
minute hool, or fixed location.
WHEN cabinet council sit; 10 hak
no agenaa before Il, nor has Il ans
record of what was done at ITS las |
meeting No one Keeps the minutes
aud il is Sill deemed little contrary i
TO etiquette for any minister to take
note Of the proceedings or indeed to
write anything at the meetings at all
IN fact, the cabinet council is still
treated as if it were nothing more
than casual private consultation be
tween few Of the priYy councillors
1t bears the traces of it's ancestry, for
II was born over the dinner table.
FL originated In the reign of Queen
Anne In those famous Saturday din
neTs at which a select group Of the
piiyy council assembled to discuss the
or their party without the pres
ehFe Of the queen and Of colleagues
whosa presence was not desired. Tho
ca1inet has always kept to the ;radi
lion. II ts seoyat committee Of gov
efnment and a secret committee of the
dominant patty in parliament. and
where the one function begins and the
Other ends no one can eyer say.
IAN It's members are collectively re
sponslbls for Ate acts of one Of them
Dill there are no means Of knowing
what tie decisions of the cabines are ri
any moment till they are embodied II
aetion. or how many of the ministers
may dissent from the opinion of the
hgjority. or whether Indeed it Is the
MINORITY or a minority that really di
rects the policy"
The promotion of Sir Rufus Isancs
|
was double novelty. Not only was
mere no precedent for an attorney
general being member of the cabi
lei hut never before had the official
of the coafermert OF
'awaet rank mentioned. Us it did IN
he case Of Sir Rufus Isaaes. the
words his msiesty's cabinet" ThB
li"intment therefore marked fur
hsf development IN the acquisition
u corporate existence by the cabi
Iet,-New York Sun.
Economizing.
= think | ssw yous little boy chew
n tobacco as came In the gate" +
lies: that was johnny
Mercy! Do you permit him to =
hrws"
Wen. YOU see. that was an almost
le~ plug OF tobacco his father LETT
When ne died. an it seemed sin to
Vale it"-uouston Post. 4,