Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-08-08
GOVERNMENT BY CABINET
Modern system Largely a Matter OF
......s circumstances. p, 4
BRITISH PROCEDURE PAVED THE HAf
Little by Little Advisers of the King
Became Real Representatives OF the.
People Dispiscins Autocraey by

Kings ana pFeSlueutS dho SiiipSi S-S'
who change the face or political maps
and influence economic conditions; not
SO frequently does 1t reckon with cab
inets which are growing factor In
world affairs.
Before the World War broke up the
autocracies of Europe, France was the
only Republic on the continent en-
ploying the British form of cabinet
government. Now the list includes,
besides France; Finland, Esthopia,
Latvia, I4thunia. Poland, Germany,
Czecho- slovakia, and Austria" states
bulletin from the wasI ington, d. C.,
headquarters Of the National Geo
graphic Society.
Our Cabinet Different.
Recent agitation to permit MEM
bers of the United States cabinet, to
be present on the floor of the senate
and house and to take part in debate
on matters concerning their, depart
ments serves to bring out the differ
ences between the privileges and adu-
ties Of the cabinet members OF va
rious countries. . ~ ssa,S
"To pegin with. the cabinet of the
United States is cabinet in name
only, for the government of the United
States is in no sense cabinet gov
ernment as are the governments OF
Great Britain and France, and those
of a large number of the other leading
countries of the world. There is not
even formal sanction for the existence
of our cabinet as an advisory Council
to the president. The fmembers have
an undoubted legal status as heads OF
the various administrative depart
ments, but the president need never
call them together, President Wash
ington held no cabinet meetings at
first, and President Wilson did not call
his department heads together for a
period Of many months. When the
president does. receive the advice of
his cabinet, he is under no obligation
to follow it. rh,
Britain Mother OF Cabinets"
Great Britain.is the mother Of cab
inets' as well as the mother Of parlia-
ments.' Her cabinet is not Of a fixed
size, and while most members are the
heads Of departments, there may be
members without portfolio who have
no special duties. In direct contrast to
The situation in the United States. "ev-
cry member must be member of
either the upper or lower house of
parliament All have Seats in both
houses and therefore not only have the
privilege OF debating but also Of vot-
ing. OF greatest importance, when an
important vote in the house of COM
mons goes against the, cabinet, its
members must resign, SO as to permit
q new cabinet. usually of the opposing
political party, TO be formed.
1.-The cabinet, under the British sys-
TEN, is really committee of the house
of commons which the. party, in power
permits to manage all executive af-
fairs, and to shape and lead all legis-
lative action. The cabinet in action is
the real government; while it func-
tions the prime minister Is the real
ruler, and parliament is his instru-
ment.
Chile Hasa Real Cabinet.
But there are checks and balances.
The house of commons can force the
resignation of the cabinet, and. the
cabinet can force the dissolution of the
house The matter is thus squarely
up to the people, who elect another
house, from the majority party OF
which a new cabinet is chosen.
Practically all of the older part of
the western world is Under cabinet
government. This includes all of Eu-
rope except Russia and Switzerland,
South Africa and the French portions
of North Africa. Canada brings
large part Of North America into tle
cabinet column. In the Easts Austria
liza and New Zealand have true cabi-
net government, Japan has slightly
modified form and China q nominal
one.
",rhe constitutions OF most of the
countries of the Western Hemisphere
have been modelled after that of the
United States with an absence Of re-
sponsible cabinets. Chile is the only
republic of the new world with a cab
met whose members both sit in con-
gress and must resign when there is a
formal vote of lack of confidence
Born of Happy Accidents.
"The British cabinet form of gov
ernment came into existence by a Sc
ries of happy accidents. Because the
old privy council became such large,
unwieldy body, the king fell into the
habit of consulting with only the few
leaders, holding q small council in his
cabinet or private apartment. Short
ly afterward England had two Ger
man kings who could not understand
English, and the Cabinet Council was
permitted to meet without the sover-
eign. BY the time an English speak
ing king came to the throne the GUS
tom of excluding the king from cabi-
net meetings had been firmly fixed.
"By degrees the king practically lost