New-York tribune., 1900-11-17
LORD ROSEBERT'S DREAM.
THE FORMER BRITISH PREMIERS IMAGI
NATIVE SKETCH OF WHAT MIGHT
HAVE BEEN.

Glasgow Nov. l6.-The Earl OF Rosehery IN
stalled Lord Rector of the Glasgow University
to-day. His address on the subject Of The British
Empire" 4 stirring appeal to the to realize
It's responsibilities and prepare fight for its
existence. Never, said the former Premier. did the
Empire urgently require the strenuous support
Of It's subjects. because there was dispositioI
abroad to challenge both It's naval and commercial
supremacy. The twentieth century, he declared,
would be period Of keen. intelligent and almost
fierce International competition. more probably in
the arts OF peace even than in the arts OF war
Therefore, he added, 1t necessary TO under
take periodical stock taking. to remodel the State
machinery and educational methods, 10 become
more businesslike and thorough as warriors, mer-
chants and statesmen. and TO look thoroughly TO
the training OF first rate men for the struggle
ahead, as these depended the future OF the En-
pire and the race. He thought that the now anti
quared met lods OF training had almost resulted in
commercial disaster. and the time had arrived to
reconsider the educational apparatus.
Lord Rosebery asserted that but for the small
incident OF the acceptance of a peerage the En-
pIre might have been intellectually greater. Had
the elder Pitt. when he became First Minister,
left the House Of Commons he would probably
have retained his sanity and authority. and he
would have prevented suppressed the reckless
budget of Townshend. induced George III to listen
to reason, introduced representatives OF America
into Parliament and preserved the thirteen colo
MES to the British Crown.
is It fanciful 10 dwell for moment what
might have happened? continued Lord Rosebery.
The Reform bill Of 1892 would proba bly, have been
passed much earlier, for the blood of America
would have burst the old vessels OF the Constitu-
tion. II would have provided a djusting sys
TEN OF represen alton. such prevails in the
United States whereby the increasing population
IS pToportonatey represented. And at last when
me Americans became majority Of the seats. the
Empire would perhaps, have been moved solemnly
across the Atlantic and Britain would have become
an historical shrine. the European outpost of the
WoFld empire. " hat an extraordinary revolution
II would have been, The greatest known without
bloodshed. The most sublime transference of power
IN The history OF mankind. Our conceptions car
scarcely picture the procession the Atlantic
OF the greatest soVee eigR and the greatest fleet in
the universe; Ministers. Government and Para.
inent departing Solemnly for another hemisphere
Not. as in the case Of the Portuguese sOvereigns
put under the vigorous embrace of the younger
world. America would have hung on to the skirts
OF Britain and pulled her back out of European
complications. She would have profoundly affected
her foreign policy in the direction OF peace and her
influence on her domestic policy would have been
scarcely less pott MT Probably she would have APP
peased and even contented ireland The ancient
Constitution OF Britain would have been rendered
more comprehensive and more elastic.
'On the other hand, the American yearning for
liberty would have taken different form, would
have blended with other traditions and iOa ted
ether moulds. Above all. there would have heor
1872 with all the bitter memories these have leIl
in America: To secure that priceless boon could
be satisfied to a British Federal Parliament
sitting in Columbia territory