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Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXI, Issue 12583, 21 January 1905, Page 1 (Supplement)

republic might tot. been _ suggested to th® Americans by those ancient examples -to which they loved to recur. The ex"perience of modem Switzerland has made -it still more obvious to us now." But ifc should not be forgotten, in reference to "the actios of those who assembled _at Philadelphia, that their motive in giving <juasi-aucocratic power to the President was determined by the feeling that self preservation is the first law of t=re, and ■ that the kingship of generalship of a single TTv>Tt was more likely to make for effective self defence in those troubled times than the rule of any democratic Cabinet. Twice ia the history of the Union has the. Pieaidant been chcsen by Parliament from nwnßtr candidates nominated by popu.ar suffrage. The constitution provides, that, • T*pl—* one' candidate receives from the ' „ College of Electors an absolute majority of' its votes, the House of Representatives shall be called upon to* decide between the three men. who stand "highest "on the Est. It is possible also for Congress to take action for the removal of - the < President by-means of direct impeachment. Andrew Jacfisroa had a fierce quarrel with the House, which resulted in a motion of this character, but he was acquitted, his adherents formed more than• one-third of (be whole Congress, and the constitution provides that Congress cannot remove the President without \ the-* concurrence of two-thirds of the mem-, bem On the other hand, s the President can: very effectively curb the power of O&Bgress by means of his, legislative Teto. . Th&' fe .permanent only in the event of MhS majorities in the Houses heing _com- : piaatrvety If- after . President has vetoed a-measare. CongrSis passes it - again by majorities of at least two-thirds, the wiH of the elective Chambers must prevail. ' It may seem somewhat strange that, while in modern practice the royal veto in monarchical England is never exercised, a. similar power vested in the . ■ President of ■ a republic should be frequently brought into operation. Bnt ■Bsyce remarks in this connection:—"Sc fur from exciting the displeasure of the ' people' by resisting the will of their representatives. a President generally gains popularity by ths botd use of iiis veto pmrjnr. It conveys the impression of firm- - oessjit shows that he has aims, and does not fear to give effect to them." . "®; • has been the principal ratkpal virtue the growth of which has been d-rjccoraged by the .system of making- the ■ iExcctttxvedirectly. responsible to the nation at large. This fart, is plainly observable in the attitude of parties on the . question of protection ta native industry. It t £s an essential part of inherent pa- . tiKttisui is the case of an American to give- the preference, not only in war, but - also'in trade, tot his compatriots- Bryce, -who is himself an English free-trader, was compelled after close investigation to admit ■ that-there is no such thing as & freetrade party in the United States- _ He aijs t- —" itere »no political organisation -vtMch agitates for free-trade by the usual ' party methods; much less does anyone taint* of 7 starting candidates for the PresuJesey or Congress upon a pure arrtiprotectionist platform." On broad Ba- - tipnal -issues of legislation in fact, it may besaid of the United States that there is ' a remarkable consensus of public opinion. This must, in very large measure, be ascribed- to the fact- that the elective system- of choosing the Executive —although - defective in some respects—has had the : "effect' of preventing aspiring men frcm ■ • making party capital by- promoting rancour „ # to- proposals affecting the na'tieiial welfare. .

' Tty author of " The American Commont describes wifca some amount of %Inipaaßr the coofnsed impression prodnced mind of .an. Englishman bj" ac "attempt to dig deeply and discover the JaiirdatioEs- of tlie -wall of.policy whirh hlKriiiiagines. to _ separate parties inr ■ the StSffe*. Referring' to:» typical Democrat, ■ aidrjis supposed points of difference from he says" If yon go an io'htftme wbafcheariag the doctrine o' iigjhts has oa" any presently debated issue-howiH admit t&afc, for-the moAenf. " ' ife- hia.jione, bat williEsisfe that, .shon*<i -airjr • iss>» involving the -rights." of the JStaieS; erise; tis party will be, as always, - tße »gfcrdnm : cf Arnerican fieedom. .A.* rm-'matiir'- wfc'fact.: the partisan eJemenfr - politics sire created by ,tfce. ■ ■ ambitions'- of office * seekers ' ■, the members of lif " Cabinet are almost inrariably high jMjsSpql integrity," selected by iheir party ■ ,B«eibser,of tie weight which their per-- ' Isiinal-.wdrth w3f carnr fa the elector*' '■ Tiie straggle between thtf oiii# : - 1 -its is one which nsnally depes'V -eatirely on "the cooitesy of the Senate" Syjpaxticiilar, and 'generaQy on the patron- " which have been usurped by - iisivJteCmcmberi of Congress- .' We. are !■:,»feiieefore-' justifiedin arriving at the ctmjg«fqipoß that the' elective ap^ • ii2^pßeE^to" ; 'the' - ''eß<iice of theWashiDjrtop - Erectttfre-, has produced a, very beneficial ■ on these departments in which it --has been permitted to exercise its in- " fttreneevw-hße.the timid"'negation of that , i hnrolTed' in the patronage right* .'«• jjf'&rtMress has been responsible for the ■■■:*• worst; erfls frooD which American politics / havestrffered.' In thosebraoches of the frnKic service in w-icb 'tlie party system of . electorates has never. been allowed ■ to. generate Party GoverEment in the Le- . the success achieved in the'ad- ' \ngniatratinr -of the affairs of the ' United Efcii e* may be token as showieg the high water mark of civilisation in so - for as itconderrs national co-operation fcr motnsl.bettefit;- .' _ . , ■ lir'short, /the experience of the United ''jjStatfjy like that of England and the BrijtU,(jploiiie3, may becited tp show fciat the.worfcnig of Party . Government within the assemblages elected fcr"; the people to represent them. an<3 i itdnßßister the affjjirs of the nation, is .McinnjNunfti by evils have seriously „ ~ r fmpaitedt the valne of representative iniefftutions, and most inevitably bscome intolerable in the futine.