The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-06-22
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served TO change these conditions, was
an act which prohibited the employ
ment of women and girls in mines and
collierfes. 1t was owing to the efforts
of Lord Ashley, later known as the
Earl OF Shaftesbury, that the attention
OF Parliament was first called to the
subject, and commission appointed
TO investigate. During his whole life
time the Earl of Shaftesbury devoted
his energies to benefting the working
class. He secured the passage of an
act reducing the hours of work for chill
dren in the factories and extending the
number of hours during which they
should be under instruction
Legislation favoring the working
class has continued during the Queens
reign. Compulsory education met with
opposition, because it was considered
that it interfered with individual
rights. The workingman possessed
few rights, and he clung to the few
with stubborn persistency. The results
have fully justified the interference.
The nearly ten million of British sub
jects who have embarked from their
native land during the last 60 years
have been fully equipped to compete
with the representatives of whatever
nationalities with whom they have
since been associated.
One of the most radical changes
which was made in England's policy
was the abolition of the corn duties.
AS early as 1912 the measure was over
whelmingly defeated in the House of
Commons by vote of over four to one
Yet it was scarcely four years later
that the Government declared itself in
favor of the abolition of the duties
The Queen opened Parliament in per-
son in 1916, and in the speech from the
throne Parliament was recommended
to consider whether the principle of
the repeal of prohibitive and the re-
taxation of protective duties which
had been presented from time to time.
might not be more extensively applied.
This was the result of years of agi-
tation on the part of men who, because
OF their benevolent dispositions and
their researches into the economic con-
dit1on of the country, were convinced
that the social problem could never be
solved until the price of food was re-
duced to meet the purchasing power of
wages. Mr.. Richard Golden was the
real leader of the movement. and his
chief companion was Mr.. Bright. With
them were associated many of the
leading orators of the day, who de-
voted themselves to the work of Sc
curing the repeal of the corn laws A
league was formed, and the whole
country entered into the agitation. In
1845 the potato rot'' affected the
chief article of food in Ireland and,
confronted by famine, even the Prime
Minister urged the abolition of the
corn duties
At the time of the death of William
". there was strife between the two
factions in Canada. The million odd
inhabitants threatened the disruption
of the Government. Lower Canada was
formed almost entirely of French. and
any legislation that appeared to favor
either one of the divisions was regard
ed with jealousy by the other. One
man after another had tried to recon-
struct the Canadian governmental
scheme, and had failed 1t was even
proposed suspending the constitution
of Lower Canada. Misrule had Destroy
ed authority until Lord Durham was
sent out, and assumed control. His
policy in Canada subjected him to Sc
we're criticism, and he was shortly re-
called. But he had thoroughly investi-
gated the condition OF affairs in Cam
ada, and Immediately upon his return
to England he recommended that the
colonists should themselves possess as
much as possible of the government
OF the colony, that autonomy should be
allowed the judiciary as well as in the
execution of law, and that the home
government should interfere only in
the relations of the colony with the
mother country. Lord Durham's rec
concentrations were gradually adopted.
and the Dominion of Canada of today.
with its population of six millions, and
its loyalty to the home government is
the result. The same policy of auton-
omy has been pursued in Australia as
well. The population of Canada and
Australia combined in 1887 was scarce
ly million and a quarter Today il is
nearly eleven millions Since Queen
Victoria ascended the throne so. 900
square miles of territory have been adj
ded to the possessions of the British
Empire in India, and in Africa 1,000,-
900 square miles.
During the reign science has made
wonderful advances. The industrial
arts and literature have developed.
Steam navigation had already been sue
cessfully tried. Many lines of railway
were opened during the year 1888. 1t
was also in this year that the act of
transmitting the mails by rail was
passed locomotive attained a speed
of 81 miles an hour during this year.
and transatlantic voyages were made
by steamboats,. In the same year Pro-
fessor Morse went to England to obtain
patent for his invention Of conveying
messages a short distance by teIe-
graph. Today there is not quarter of
| the globe that cannot be reached by
steam navigation, by railway or by
telegraph. England is in easy commu-
oil hcr.