The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1917-11-30

IS Vesteo IN prime minister ana ca0l.
net or council. These men are appoint
ed apparently by the "king" but really
by the prevailing political party. Thus
70 certain extent the "premier" repre-
sents the president in this country. But
over the sea and in Canada the premier
holds office only as long as he can have
majority Of votes in the parliament,
meaning thereby the lower house, as the
body corresponding to our senate has
not much more than nominal power.
On the contrary our president has far
more power than any king or premier in
Europe, except of course the autocratic
sovereigns like the kaiser or the sultan,
and also has a certainty Of a definite
term of office, the latter net depending
on sudden waves Of public opinion on
matters that may not at all be vital. 1t
may be all right to have the government
OF country Immediately responsive to
public sentiment in peace times, but
not too much so IN war times. Mr.. Lin
coin once remarked that it is poor
time to swap horses when crossing a
stream.
The great deep common sense of the
people is like the depths of the ocean
rarely disturbed, but every passing wind
may disturb the surface. The fact that
the president has so great executive
power and has a. certain term of Office
has always and will always do much to
keep public opinion conservative, with
the thought that all questions are prac-
tically up to him and we must give him
chance to work out the answers as
best he may, no matter what IS our per-
sonal belief. In such questions as have
arisen during the last year, in declaring
and preparing for war. practically the
whole American people have stood be-
hind the president, without regard to
previous politics or personal beliefs.
We do not believe Mr.. Wilson infalli-
BILE, perhaps we believe some other
might have done better, but we all now
agree that he is the president, that he is
our president, and that the only way to
win this war is to stand by him SO long
as he does as we'll as he is doing. On the
other hand If Mr.. Wilson proved incap-
able, or dishonest, there would be uni.
versal howl that would soon set him
right, whether he would do it willingly
or not.
Under such circumstances Mr.. Wilson
or any other president becomes respon-
sible to not only his political party but
to the whole people. All his vast res.
possibility is placed on him by the
whole people and to them he is respon-
sible as to how he carries the awful load.
The fact that during Mr.. Wilson's pre-
sidency, he has several times lacked
supporting majority in congress and has
not caused his resignation; in such cases
he has changed his course accordingly
and gone on with his work. During
that same period every democratic
country in Europe has changed govern
ments many times and sometimes at in
tervals of a few weeks. The results on
the war policies of the entente countries
have been in several cases most disas-
trous.
While we give the president free
rein yet after all the people have hold of
the reins. That is the difference be-
tween Mr.. Wilson and the kaiser. The
president guides but the kaiser rules.
In America the people trust the guide,
iu Germany the people obey their ruler.
In Britain and France the people through
parties and factions attempt to govern
as body and drive their premiers with
a tight rein, with the result that the
wheels of government make zig-zag
tracks.
Yes, we are an autocratic government
just now and it is best that way in war
time, but there is great democr racy be-
hind this autocracy. Because we are
an intelligent people we know that the
only way to act together, the only way
to win the war, is to give our govern
ment ahtocratic powers-for the time.