Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-03-07

HE Liberal Prime Minister
Holds Reins First Time
Since 1911.

Ottawa, March 7.-(By the Associ-
aSd Press.)-For the first time since
141, q Liberal prime minister will
held the reins Of government when
TIN 14th parliament OF Canada is
otened by Governor General Bygn
nxs.r Wednesday.
Nv. l. Mackenzie King. the new
pIemier. is the first OF his party to
held that office since Sir Wilfrid
Laurier was defeated more than ten
years g on his policy of reciprocity
with the United States.
Some Old Customs.
while lacking much Of the pomp
ara circumstance that mark similar
EVENTS in Great Britain, the converting
ofs the Canadian parliament is ac-
sompanied by observance of many
ambitions. A few relics of medieval
p4Eentry, borrowed from the mother
ofsparliaments" at Westminster, have
been retained and probably will on
tinue.
THE governor general, in fun dress
Of parliament in the state carriage,
attended by a guard of honor.
mounted and afoot. He enters the
senate chamber and occupies the
speakers chair.
Then a functionary known as the
gentleman usher OF the Black Rod,
clad in silk kne breaches, sIlken hose,
buckled shoes, tailed a ADORNED
with rosettes and a cooked hat. pro-
ceeds to the chamber. where
the members Of parliament are wait
ing patiently and gives three re
sounding APPS on the door.
The sergeant-at-arms of the COM
mons, who is also attired after the
fashion Of CromwelIs day, goes to
the door and investigates the rapping.
He returns to announce to the speaker
of the the arrival Of the
messenger from the senate. The
speaker orders hat the messenger be
admitted. In ZONES he gentleman
usher who. after making three low
bows to the speaker, that
the governor general demands the
presence of the commons in the SEN
ate chamber. Three more bows n
the gentleman usher takes his leave.
After him comes the sergeant-at-
arms with the great mace of h COM
mons at the sloe on his shoulder. Be
hind the sergeant-at-arms marches
the speaker OF the commons, in gown
and cooked hat. Behind troop the
members of parliament. AS many as
an squeeze themselves into the SEN
general reads the speech from the
throne. Tier parliament is open for
business.
First Task.
The first task is election OF a
speaker, who always is a member OF
the dominant party.
For this office Premier King has
selected Rodolphe Lemieux of Mon
treal, a parliamentarian Of &c years
experience. He served as postmaster
general in the Laurier government
prior to 1911.
Election If the speaker by the
members Is the merest formally after
he@has been chosen by the premier
The government commands ]abou
one-half of the members Of parlia
ment. The official opposition group
numbering about SO in a house Q
235 members, is led by Arthu
paid a salary Is opposition chief.
An unofficial progressive group. Q
60sodd members is commanded by 7
A. Crerar. This group is expected t
support the government, on most OF IT
policies, out mainly On the tariff
liberals and progressives uniting
their belief in customs duties &c
sentative program of protection.
Premier King, himself a veteran {
the Laurier ministry of 1911, in whic
he served as minister of labor, hs
surrounded himself with seasoned at
visers, many OF whom had cabin
experience under Sir Wilfrid Laurie
Five OF the King ministry were in IL
administration that went down to d
J feat in 1911 on the reciprocity pa
with the United States.
Foremost among these is W.
Fielding of Nova Scotia. who negot
ated the reciprocity agreement wi
the Taft administration. The othe
are: Charles Murphy Of Ontari
George P. Graham of Ontario. Her
s.. Beland Of Quebec, and Jacqu
Bureau OF Quebec.
Two swelled heads are better tn;
non