Show POWER OF ROYALTY IN ENGLAND THE SOVEREIGN IS 13 MERELY A figurehead 0 the house of common commons ii is practically supreme in its Lawan aking and the action of the louse of lord lords and nd that of tile Is I 1 a matter of form forin just at this time is an opportune occa eion ston for giving a brief outline of the functions of the english government gove rement t this is admirably done by N 0 winter english correspondent for the national tribune and the following facts are quoted from him the queen is sovereign in name only her individual will weighs almost as naught her official acts aro are those of the party in power the queens speech BO so called read at the opening of every parliament ia is prepared by the leaders of the brezil prevailing party and contains a setting forth of the measures which it is proposed to pass although at heart a tory yet should the liberals bo be successful she would bald bo be obliged to appoint the cabinet proposed by that party slie she has las I 1 veto power on all bills I 1 believe yet she would not dare exercise it her gracious approval is a matter of course after the bill has passed the two houses since the seventeenth century when parliament repudiated the claims of the stuart family and established a rival claimant on the throne the choice of sovereign rests with the house of commons of course unless for special reasons the direct line would bo be chosen but should one sovereign become I 1 0 obnoxious he be or she would be signing the death warrant of their respective house the monarch serves as a figurehead as an official representative dt df the government none of the royal family although jt occupying seats in the house of lords dare tako take any part in politics in return for their magnificent salaries they lay cornerstones attend public gatherings and furnish matter for public gossip the tendency of lato late years is toward e the abolishment of the hereditary house of lords although such an event may not occur very soon yet it will mill no doubt be the final result the necessary turning point toward such an outcome would be obstinacy on the part of the lords toward any favorite measure of the commons the lords appreciate the situation and as a rule are obedient and their approbation is generally only a matter of form it if they oppose a measure a second return of it by the commons generally lias has the desired effect and some nn important amendment will probably ba tacked on merely to preserve their own dignity in this respect their proceedings aro are generally very tamo tame in a comparison with the occasional stormy sessions of the lower house there is also another way by which the obstinacy on the part of the lords may be overcome that is by additions to their own ranks peers can be created at any time and without any limit of number political leaders are often of ten given peerages pee rages for eminent services should some important measure bo be obstructed ted in the house of lords a sufficient number of new peers of the right I 1 faith digil be created to overcome tile opposing faction this extreme is one however lio wever that has not been resorted to for many many years the house of commons is a favorite training place for forthe the heirs of hereditary peerages pee rages it gives them a training in the usages and tactics of debate and legislation Is which grants a certain p prestige when compelled by cruel fate fato to transfer their sphere of action to the upper house A wide difference in the political systems of the two countries is found in the elective system the duration of a parliament is indefinite the timo time of election equally so and other things differ from the clockwork regularity of the amer american elective system the extreme lifo life of a parliament is seven years or it may be dissolved at any intermediate time by command of the sovereign also in the case of some new policy the members may be obliged to submit themselves for election reelection re on oil that issue such was the case with the gladstone party on the Hom erule question when parliament lias has been dissolved writs are issued to all the constituencies i for a new election A day for tion is appointed not simply for party nomination but each intending candidates aarao namo must be presented if there is only one then ho lie is declared elected otherwise a poll is ordered for a certain day when ballots are deposited by the qualified electors as in the states to the person of careful observation it will bo be apparent that the british voter resembles ih moro more ways than ono one the american voter while it is true that tho the Br is a freer agent than ins his american cousin yet lie is quite as easily influenced and has an equal faith in the party leaders elections may occur on any day within a certain limit and not simultaneously all over the tile country likewise a man may veto in as many districts as ho lie possesses tho the necessary property qualifications anal cat ions there is not a manhood suffrage hero here but one of property so that one person may possibly vote for several candidates the qualifications are of tateo aln co different kinds a man mail must possess freehold property which brings in a clear income of i 0 small ci amount mount or lie must occupy rented premises of the value of fifty dollars yearly or third a man must occupy lodgings worth per week the two latter require the occupation of the bamo same Ire premises for ono one year previous to election S W fosa foss in yankee blade |