The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-01-04
EDITORIAL COMMENT

We have maintained since the
beginning Of the European war
that one Of the greatest benefits to
be hoped for as a result Of the war
was modification of some of the
forms of government that prevail
in Europe. The age of absolute
monarchies in civilized countries
has passed, and to the failure to
recognize this simple truth sooner
may be attributed the present war.
The evidences of the coming change
are becoming apparent, AMI i. is q
matter of pride to loyal Americans
that in outlining the proposed
changes our government is taken
as q model. the German govern
ment, which is nominally consti
tutional monarchy, is in reality a
one.m man government. lis coustl-
tuition was never adopted by the
people, and it vests the supreme
power in the kaiser rather than in
the people. Russia has also main
tanned one man power, but the
change in sentiment there was re-
Gently manifested when the plans
of the ruling powers were upset by
the action of the duma, body
that has heretofore been regarded
as purely advisory, and devoid of
any real power. A revision of the
governments so as to make them
responsive to the people will con.
stitute stronger guarantee of per
manent peace than any interna-
tional agreement by the present
powers could be. The change in
Germany is nicely expressed by no
less a person than Alfred Zim-
norman, the new German Foreign
Minister, who says:
ut would be useless and dangerous
to deny that thesrend of political
thought in Germany today Is toward
liberalization. The important feature
of the change will be the creation of
direct responsibility of government to
the people through their representa-
tives in the reichstag. Under the pres
ent system there IS actually no such
responsibility. The chancellor is at the
head Of the political government. He
owes his responsibility to the kaiser,
by whom he is created. The various
secretaries are not actually ministers
of the cabinet in the common under
standing of that term. They are mere
ly bureau chiefs Of the chancellor, who
is not only nominally, but actually,
their chief and to whom their respon-
sibility is alone due.
There is definite beli-f In Ger
many today-and belief that may
not be far from realization-that the
government should be answerable to
the reichstag, thus making it respon-
sive to the popular vote. Perhaps the
most effective way Of bringing this
change about would be to amend the
constitution of the Confederated EN-
pire, with the permission and approval
of the kaiser aud the various ruling
kings and heads of the confederated
states by whom the constitution was
granted. In creating the responsible
ty of the chancellor to the people it
would likewise be necessary to organ.
ize a cabinet, the members of which
should have powers similar in their
nature to those held by the cabinet Of
ficials of America, France and Eng
land. The creation of such q form
would obviate the present charge that
Germany does not possess a popular
government, and would give opportu-
nifty for effective participation of many
minds which now are lacking mode
of expression.
sit is my idea that in the creation OF
E the new form of governmental respon-
sibility there should be given to the
government fixed tenure of Office
similar t., that which America possess
es, where the cabinet is emplaced for
four years."
There is q growing sentiment on