The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-25

the semblance of an attempt, by political
! maHeuvre. to displace the Dutch from po-
! litical predominance in Cape Colony.
! The ministry have begun to look after
! their friends, and as an inevitable sequel
shrewd politicians scent a coming disco
| luton. This week they have given sop
| to the agricultural laborer by agreeing to
/ bill admitting him TO compensation for
! accidents, while under the guise of new
/ elementary school code they have squeezed
! in another dole to church distinct from
[ uusectarian board schools This means.
! says the parliamentary quldnuncs. that il.
as Lord Woseiey predicts, Lord Roberts
/ hoists the British flag over Pretoria on
! May Il. they will dissolve Parliament in
the hope that, their opponents being lead
/ erless and without united policy, they
| may sweep the constituencies on a wave
I of popular eXultation. Some even say that
/ Mr.. Chamberlain has up his sleeve as a
/ further bait for the electorate a grandiose
/ scheme OF imperial federation, giving to
Canada, Australasia and South Africa
( when federated. seats in an imperial coun-
| ell 10 be associated in consultation with the
Cabinet for the decision OF imperial mat
I tiers. Lord Salisbury has certainly, this
week promised serious consideration" to
proposals of this nature submitted by the
Imperial Federation Defence Committee.
II is also admitted that the armed help
given to the Empire in South Africa by
Canada and Australasia must find its Sc
quel sooner or later in some form of repre-
sentstion in imperial councils, while the
recent speeches of Sir Wilfrid Laurier and
this weeks message from the New Zealand
: Government to Lord Salisbury, declaring
New Zealand unable to approve any meas
ure Of independence for the Boer Repub-
lies. are taken as indicating that the colo
MES themselves expect to take fuller
share in the responsibilities of Empire.
/ The imperial War Office has. moreover,
this week gone one step further in the di
rection OF military federation by Offering
ia commissions to Australians in the
| British infantry and Royal artillery regi-
ments. while il is expected that the repa-
triation of the Royal Canadian Regiment,
on the lines suggested by the Canadian
Government, will create a new military
link between Canada and the Empire.
These. and many similar measures of
imperial cooperation. all point in one
direction, but sir. Chamberlain has yet to
live down the ill-repute OF his abortive
imperial ZOllverein proposals, and the
English nation is hardly likely TO be eager
TO embark on strange seas of Imperialism
under his pilotship. Moreover, the Liber-
ais of imperialistic stamp. such Lord
Rosebery, Sir Edward Grey. and probably
at lease one-half of the Liberal party,
would justly resent any attempt TO make
party capital of such a national question
on the eve of a general election.
Canada's further tariff preference. an
nounced today, is gratefully received, but
there is not the remotest chance Of such
reciprocity in the way OF British tariff dis
elimination against the United States and
other countries as the Canadian ministry
seem 20 hope for. England knows too well
the strength which free trade and the pol
icy of the open door" give to her Empire
memorable sale OF rare books take
place at the Hotel Drouot, in Paris, next
week. being 1900 works from the library
OF Guyot de Villeneuve. the former Presi- /.
dent OF the Society of French Bibliophiles I
Ii comprises the cream OF the library Of
Nilleneuve's father. the Comte de Montali-
vet, the well-known Minister of Louis
Philippe, and includes a Book of Hours. ex-
quisitely adorned with the finest NINA
lures of the period. II was present from
Henry " to the beautiful Henriette de !
Balzac, Marquise de VerneuI The sale
also includes Bossuets original edition of
the Historic des Variations des Eglises
Protestantes,' with corrections and addi-