New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-04
AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION


probably come to completion in 1900 we may
reckon the uniting of the Australian (and Tas-
manian) colonies into a federal republic as tho
United States of Australia. 1t was during last
year that the Prime Ministers of the six colonies
prepared the final draft of the constitution, and
that the constitution ratified by popular
vote of the colonies. 1t now remains only for
the Imperial Government at Westminster to
sanction the scheme and to proclaim its going
into effect That, no doubt, will be done this
year, so that before the incoming of the new
century the new republic will be an accom-
plished fact We shall then have for our neigh
Dor in the southeast Pacific a great common
wealth resembling our own in more respects
than those of name and Of having a written
constitution
It is to be noted that the various colonies are
henceforth to be known as States, and each
State will retain its own complete government
The federal government will have its seat in
a federal district not less than ten miles
square. All powers not especially granted to
the federal government by the constitution are
reserved for the States The rules for admitting
new States or altering the boundaries of old
ones are practically identical with ours One
point of difference is, however, that Parliament
may grant representation in its houses to the
federal district The two houses are known
by the same names as ours. The Senate con-
sists of an equal number, six from each State,
chosen by the State as a whole. Parliament is
empowered to determine the manner of choosing
Senators which must be uniform in all the
States; until otherwise ordered it is TO he by
popular vote. Parliament may change ut will
the number of Senators, but all the charter
States must always have each the same num-
Der, which must not be less than six. The
House of Representatives Is to have twice as
many members as the Senate. They are to be
appOrtioned among the States according TO vot-
ing population, provided that each charter
State shall have at least five. Each State shall
divide itself into representative districts at
will. Senators are chosen for six years, Repre-
sentatives for three. Salaries are $1,000 year
IN both houses.
The federal government is invested with full
authority in all matters of commerce, foreign
and interstate; taxation and bounties, both of
which must be uniform in all the States postal,
Geographic and telephone services; lighthouses,
quarantine and fisheries; banking, currency,
weights and measures, census and statistics,
insurance, patents and copyright, bankruptcy,
immigration and emigration, marriage and di-
vOrce, and the army and navy. 1t Is OF interest
to note that it also is to undertake the service
and execution in one State Of the civil and
criminal court processes and judgments of an
other State and generally in a most practical
manner, is to compel each State to give full
faith and credit to the public acts of every
other State. The federal government is to ex-
ercise cOnciliatory and arbtral functions for tie
settlement of labor disputes whenever they ex-
tend outside of single State. 1t Is to own,
build and operate the railroads, but only with
the consent of the States.
The Governor General is, OF course, TO be ap-
pointed by the Queen. He is to have an ex-
ecutive council chosen by himself, and to hold
office during his pleasure. Seven of the coun-
cillors shall be Cabinet Minister'S and they are
TO be also members of one of the houses OF
Parliament. 1t does not appear in the consti-
tuition that the Ministry is responsible to Parlia
ment or is dependent upon favorable majority
therein. Yet it is scarcely conceivable that the
daring experiment is to be made of an execu-
tive independent of Parliament That would
be an application of the American system with
a vengeance. That 1t would work satisfactorily
under the nominal monarchy Is extremely
doubtful We must therefore conclude that
the constitution is to be construed in that re-
spect to accord with the present practice in
Great Britain itself and in the Australian
colonies
However that may be, 1t is an interesting ex-
pertinent our brethren under the Southern Cross
are going to make, and its results will be
watched with uncommon interest. Their sys-
tenn borrows much from ours In some details
many will deem it an improvement upon OURS.
1t also borrows much. as is natural from the
unwrtten constitution of Great Britain. 1t is
in brief, a blending of the systems of the United
States and the United Kingdom. Its authors
have learned something from both these ra-
tions We shall see if their work is so good
that either or both Of these nations should learn
something from il.