The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-30
ENGLAND AND DEMOCRACY.

From the Springfield Republican.
The great personal achievement of the
queen Is that during these sixty years
she has saved the monarchical form OF
government In Great Britain from that
collapse into which it was freely predict
ed early in the century 1t would event
ually sink. Under Victoria, II Is COM
monty asserted, the institution of mon
archy has visibly been strengthened; at
least propagandists for republican forms
are no longer a political quantity worthy
OF notice This is undoubtedly true, yet
true only in peculiar sense. The mon
archical principle as ruling force in
Great Britain had sunk 10 its nadir when
Victoria reached the throne and nothing
was left save the tinsel ana the trappingS
Of the old-time royalty. III under the
sixty years reign the monarchical form
has not lost prestige in the affections of
the people, IL Is because the queen by her
personal virtues has made that form
worthy of respect and homage. But
again subject that institution to the strain
OF a probigate king, and all that II has
recently gained would quickly be swept
away.
The real development of the British en-
pire during these 60 years has been In
direction exactly opposite from monarch
ical institutions. Now and ther a Tory
writer, pointing to the personal affection
of the people for the queen, declares that
democracy has been checked, and shouts
his jubilee hosannahs over this new tri-
umph of aristocracy. But how absurdi
The queens jubilee is at bottom Il cele-
bration of the sixty years victorious
march of modern democracy, which save
in India, Is everywhere dominant in the
empire. Graciously tolerating the ancient
garb of a defunct absolutism the democ-
racy of Greater Britain has proved to be
hn agutNTT md
world. At home there is a political and
religious freedom not inferior to that or
any republic, even our own, while in u
number of the colonies government Is
conducted on a plan whose radicalism
would shock the conservative people of
the United States.
The queens reign is worth reviewing
along this line. What substantial gain
can there have been for monarchy in
England whea during these sixty years
universal suffrage has been granted;
when all government has come to be con-
Quoted Substantially by a single popular
legislative chamber, to which the rul-
ing ministry is directly responsible; when
an income Recommendations in this
republicans been imposed, and when to-
day a strong Tory government is enact
| ing socialistic law rendering compen-
sation to workmen for accidents? In
all the colonies, the advance toward So
cial democracy has been much more ex-
traordinary than in the mother land.
And whether we approve or not much
of the legislation of those splendid states,
one of the most precious reforms in
American politics, the secret Australian
ballot is due to their progressive in
stincts. South Australia has full adult
suffrage, for women as weM as men, while
| in New Zealand the women may vote,
but may not sit in parliament or become
cabinet ministers, as in the other colony.
New Zealand's labor laws would be re-
gatded by American manufacturers as
dangerously sCcialstic and oppressive 10
capitalstic freedom.
o
New Zealand also has progressive IN
come tax; a progressive land tax; an an
sentee tax Zone in the United states
would hit sucn men as William Waldorf
Astor); a radical system of state con-
troll of the land and successful system
of settling disputes between an individ-
ual and the state as to the valuation of
land for taxation by which the former,
If he thinks the valuation too high, can
force the state to buy the property. Be
side, New Zealand lends money on free
hold security in competition with private
money-lenders; 1t is the chief national
Insurance company; and the state also
lets small holdings of from 20 to SO acres
on perpetual lease to persons to whom
money is advanced for all their earlier
expenses, with nothing but the improve
ments they effect as security. This eX-
pertinent, says Sir Charles Dixie, in
recent article. has been absolutely sue
cessful."
When we find experiments in radical
ism, that would meet the most acrid OPP
position n republican United States
hourishing in the British empire, without
the slightest hindrance from the con-
servative forces that huddle around
crown, it is impossible to say that true
monarchical ideds have gained ground
among the queens subjects during her
memorable reign. Democracy was never
stronger under the British flag than to-
day, and nowhere else, not even in re-
publican America, can it be found deVel-
oped to so advanced a point as in some
portions of that imperial realm This tri-
umph of democracy, while yet good-na-
turedly and even lovingly yielding hon.
age to the living embodiment of an In
stitution once bitterly democracy's foe,
and now shorn of its power to stay de-
mocracy's grand, forward march-this
is the significance and the wonder of the