New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-24
KINGDOM AND EMPIRE.

After the Empire, the Kingdom as Also De-
fore The first day OF the Jubilee was briush
In IFS essential character. The second was cos
monolitan The third was conspicuous! I'LL
,erial The fourth returned TO the hrst estate.
The bulk of yesterday was given 10 the repre-
sentatives Of the United Kingdom, local ana
oone,ol The UouspS of Parliament presented
addresses TO the Queen, and the chlet munlcl-
nal dionitories were received at the royal resi-
dence. All that eminently fitting us ap-
peal 10 the imagination was not as Iorcei"i as
that of the preceding days parade. but It's real
significance was by no means less. For VIC
,oria * first Oueen. then Empress The King
dom was before the Empire. Whether II VIII
cut,os, II Is question of interest far too remote
for nresent consideration. Precedents point
both WAYS. With the loss of her colonies
Athens fell With the dissolution of her EN-
pire Rome was whelmed in ruin Spain lost q
mighty empire. yet herself survived. ana stili
survives vital if decadent. France lost one EN-
pire. but endured with vigor unimpaired to gain
another But between each ore OF these ana
The British Empire Of to-day the difference Is
radical. and any attempt 10 draw comparative
conclusions would be futile
What is more graciously and far more per-
tinently to be considered is this. that the stabll
,tv of the Empire depends upon the Kingdom
Tho Parliament Of the Kingdom Is called the
Imperial Parliament. In one sense II Is not
Colonial representatives have no place in IT,
nor does It legislate for the outlying States OF
the Empire. But in the largest and most potent
sense il is indeed imperial. II shapes the policy
of the Mother Country toward the Colonies, ana
upon that policy depends the strength or their
attachment 10 her. 1t was the conduct or the
Government at Westminster that lost to Eng
land the Thirteen Colonies 1t is within the
power of that Government to-day to repeat the
error or 10 avoid IT, 10 hold the Empire together
or 10 dissolve il. What the Queen is and has
been TO her Kingdom IL behooves the Kingdom
and its Government TO be 10 the whole Empire.
She has reigned, not ruled. and by the sweet
reasonablcness Of her sway Increased the 10y
atty Of her people and made the permanence or
the Kingdom more secure. That Is tn" example
which the Government at Westminster may
most profitably follow in its dealings with the
Colonies 1t cannot rule them. 1t can reign,
and make its reign perpetual:
Uanpily for Great Britain, for the British En-
nire. and for the world, Mr.. Joseph Chamber
lain is q far different statesman from Lord
North. A few years ago men reck0ned him
parochial with no mind above Birmingham
marks and streets and sewers. Then he became
a national figure, but was deemed Little
Highlander" careless Of all that lay beyond the
seas To-day he is of all men of his time
the most advanced imperialist. Has he then
changed? BY no means, save as natural growth
and logical progression may be change lie
has merely exemplitied the fact too often lost
sight Of in the pseudoaltruism Of these days
that the basis Of the problems Is the unit. The
individual is the unit Of the social problem.
Right dealing with the individual makes the
communty-made Birmineham-gO Making
communities good makes the whole nation
good. Making the nation and all the allied ma
tions good makes more than anything else could
do for the integrity OF the Empire.
II is a most suspicious omen that this spirit
prevails so greatly In the Victorian age. II has
been steadily growing In this Jubilee season
II has attained its fullest development thus far
To what extent still further IT will grow Is to
be seen, but he Fill not be the most rash whose
prophecy is the most generous The Kingdom
10 being nightly improved. Universal suffrage
local self-govc,l ment, free public education ad-