The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-09-02
UNITED STATES OF AUSTRALIA.
Federation Now Waits Only for n
Vote of the AntipOdeans.

Federation Now Waits Only for n
Vote of the AntipOdeans.
The Australian federation conven-
ton has adjourned until September.
when, it is believed, the final steps will
be taken toward uniting the Australian
colonies in one government. The move
mcnt encounters obstacles not unlike
those that were met with in 1857 in the
formation of the federation of the
United States. The convention to frame
constitution for the United States OF
Australia met on March % at adelaide,
and accomplished Il large part Of its
task. What threatened to wreck its
| undertaking is the dispute as to the
equal power Of the smaller or less pop
ulous states in the senate. They in
| sisted. for example, chat the senate
should have the power to amend money
bills. as our senate does, while the
| larger states contcnded for the princl-
| pie that the entire control OF money
bills should be in the house, as is the
ease in England. The large states.
ulation Of the proposed federation,
| think it right that the house, i'll which
they have the larger number of repre-
| snntativcs. should say how money is to
be raised and spent.
Early in April, by a majority of two
votes, the Australian convention de-
Cdicd that the senate should not pos
Eess the right to amend money bills
| whcreupon the delegates from west
| H..
will not at present enter the federation
| unless its demand is conceded. 1t does
| rot appear however, that this secession
will wreck the attempt at federation
| II is arranged that the federation shall
| lie inaugurated if certain number Of
colonies favor it, and more than that
| number, represented at Adelaide, have
| declared the constitution carried. But
| one step more will be needed to COM
| plete the work. This viii be the vote
Of the people. No further action on
the part of the colonial legislatures is
required, but as soon as federal cOnsti-
tuition is framed, it viii be pronounced
upon directly by the popular voice.
| Should three colonies favor ii, 1T goes.
| -NNN lOulitldilNI JClllSllllo " tIilo va
| n.uch TO its hurt-OutSide the DOmin-
ion of Canada. Several colonies of Aus
| tralasia will be outside when the feder-
ation there is first formed. But the
new government will have so much
more power and prestige than any
single colony that the colonies now
holding off will all, it is thought soon
bpt II 70 h ai1s Nv nj Il ra tn q Mt "a.
| the federation.
With Australasia compacted into a
single government, there will remain
only South Africa to consolidate. The
| problem there is made difficult by diff
ference of race. but not more difficult
than it was in Canada. The French in
! Canada were opposed to the English re-
! ligion as we'll as race. but consolidation
was effected there, and the queen now
has no subjects more loyal than the
! French Canadians. The Dutch Of the
| Transvaal differ from the more nu-
merous English in South Africa in
race, but not in religion In Cape Col
ony and Natal they have fused with
the English in politics, and in the Or
| ange Free State the two races get along
together perfectly well. In the Trans
wal recent wars and the masterful
spirit of President Kruger have kept
alive, it is said, and stimulated eXpir-
ing animosities. The uniustifable
Jameson raid arrested the movement
toward perfect fusion, not only in the
Transvaal, but also in the rest Ut South
Africa. Cecil Rhodes had, IL large
extent, united the Dutch with the Eng
lish in favor of federation everywhere
except in the Transvaal, when DR..
Jameson's indiscreet ac. put the fat
In the fire" for time But the CON
yiction that South Africa must be UNI
fed still exists and gains converts. Tho
logic of events is held to prove the ne
cessity for it. Industrial prosperity
cannot come to that region until the
apprehension of war between the
! Transyaal and other states is removed
by voluntary cooperation for the gen
eral welfare.-Chicago Chronicle.