Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-07-12
BUILDING A NATION.
FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIAN COLO
MES is NOW ASSURED.
The New commonwealth In the
Southern Seas VIII BE Fully Estab-
Iisbed at the Beginning of the New
Century-Its Future Is bright.

Southern Seas VIII he Fully Estab-
Iisbed at the Beginning of the New
Century-Its Future Is Bright.
Especial Correspondence
MELBOURNE, June IA new nation
is about to take its place in the sister
hood of nations. The federation of the
Australian colonies is now assured be-
yond question, and the first year of
the new century will see great Anglo
Saxon commonwealth established in
the southern seas The late action of
New South Wales, heartily approving
the consolidation scheme on a referen-
dun vote, removes the last vestige of
doubt as to the success of the move
ment, most of the other colonies having
previously expressed themselves in
favor of federation, though in some of
them the referendum is yet to be sub
mitted. In the colony of Victoria, of
which this city is the capital, the refer
endum will be taken the latter part of
next month, but as this colony has al
ways been in favor of the union, in
deed having taken the initiative in the
movement, the final vote will be over
whelmingly in the affirmative. Thus
the world may hail the UNITED States
of Australia.
While not an independent nation, it
is sufficiently so az to be the master of
its own destiny. Though still loyal to
Great Britain, there is here an intense
ly national spirit, particularly among
people bern in Australia and who know
no other fatherland. During the more
than century since the Anglo-Saxon
occupancy of this vast continent there
has grown up distinctive Australian
native white population which is proud
of its country and has great faith in
its future. 1t is this strong element
that has been mainly instrumental in
bringing about federation, and it is
this element which will make the fed
Grated colonies a republic should the
political domination of the mother
country ever become burdensome. But
this is perhaps remote. England is not
in these latter days alternating her
colonies. She had an all sufficient lesson
in that direction when over century
ago she lost the brightest gem in her
colonial dad am.
1t cannot be said that the Austria
lians have acted with undue precipi-
fancy in the matter of federation or
that there has been any of that haste
which is supposed to characterize
young communities. The movement for
federation commenced in the early
sixties, when Sir Charles Gavan Duffy.
then member of the legislative assem-
bly, of Victoria, was chairman of royal
commission which sought the passage
of an imperial act permitting two or
more of the colonies at their discretion
to join together Nothing came of this
Recently conference of the six
colonial prenliers was held in this city
which cleared away most of the diff.
cuIties which stood in the way of fed
Grafton, and there now only remains
the referendum to be taken in some of
the colonies and the approval Of the
British parliament and crown, which
will be readily granted, to complete the
formation of the new commonwealth.
The federation embraces Victoria.
New South Wales. Queensland. South
Australia, Western Australia and Tas-