Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-30
A MEASURE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE
Spain is Having Trouble Over the
Matter of Taxes.
WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA


planned why the house should be full and
expectant; why the side galleries should
hold long rows of members squeezed out of
seats on the floor of the House: Why peers.
an odd dozen of them, should have formed
a cluster to the left of the clock. and why
| the front row of the distinguished strangers
gallery should have sitting. elbow to elbow.
the delegates from the Australian govern
ments-strong, heavy-made men, men with
straight brows and heavy chins. home to
the motherland to urge the federation of
the great colonies of the southern world.
1t was an epoch-making night. One felt
that. But there was no glamour about it.
no oratorical fireworks His speech ex-
planning the scheme of Australian fedora
ton was crisp, clear and convincing. But
there was no rhapsody. There were not
half dozen cheers in the hour and three
quarters that he spoke. The attitude of the
house was one of interested silence. 1t was
impressive for that very reason
Right at the start Mr. Chamberlain ex-
planned how he regarded the commonwealth
bill brought by the delegates from the
australian colonies to receive the sanction
OF the imperial parliament 1t was a step
toward the reorganization of the British
empire; 1t did away with a congerie of
colonies, and created an entirely indie
Pc ndent English-speaking nation; an indis-
soluble commonwealth.
Here was matter for a great speech-the
topic was gigantic. But one could not fail
noticing the refined, Unconditional way in
which Mr.. Chamberlain spoke He was
stating case rather than expounding one.
He was conciliatory. and he had nothing to
be aggressive about He is best, truly.
| when he is aggressive, but he had no such
opportunity. Maybe, however. when he
comes to wind up the second reading de-
bate will be in different humor. For this
bill Is not to slide through parliament
easily.
But the succinctness of the man, the
grouping of facts and the pressing of them
clearly and to be understood in one mouth
ful of words, that IS what is striking
Mr.. Balfour would have tripped and bum
gled with the intricacies of the bill.
Purport of the Bill.
In hurried outline summary the bill comes
to this: The Australian colonies nave
decided to federate and have one CEN
t1al government with two houses of par
Lament, one called the senate and the other
the legislature, with members to be paid,
and the legislature to have at least twice
as many members as the senate. These
two bodies will deal with all legislative
matters. even old-age pensions" added
Mr.. Chamberlain. with a smile. The home
British government agrees to every line OF
the bill creating the constitution SO
Tar as 1t deals exclusively with the inter-
ests of Australia. but the imperial govern
ment is trustee for the British empire as a
whole, and must watch over Australia as
palLl VI lHe empire ana GnUCaNpf TO reStrd IN
her from getting into complications which
might be prejudicial to the unity of the
empire. 1t is not for Britain, says Mr..
Chamberlain. to insist on our colonies
naming attached to us. IF there is any
thing In the relationship which is felt to be
irkSome we shall not force them to bear It,"
The link that binds the colonies to the
mother country Is the direct right of every
colony to appeal to her majesty through
the privy council This link the federated
colonies of Australia propose to sever.
True, the royal veto will remain, but the
abolition of the privy council will nigh
stultify it.
Now, this new Australian constitution. ar
CUES Mr.. Chamberlain, can only be brought
about by an imperial act 1t will dele
gate power, but it is reasonable that when
questions arise as to the Interpretation of
the clauses by which the authority is dee
gated the imperial power which creates the
delegation should have no representation.
What the government proposes is, seeing
that Australia Is by no means unanimous
in wanting to cast off the privy council as
a court of appeal-that federated Australia.
Canada, India and South Africa shall have
representative on the privy council APP
pointed for seven years: that they shall,
during that period. act lords of appeal;
that they shall have conferred upon them
life peerages and sit in the house of lords,
although they will not act as judges after
their term of service has expired. Further
that they will be paid the same salaries as
the lords of appeal and the payment will
ment.
Most Important Measure.
This final point, then. is the manner in
which the government meets the objection
of Australia to the prvy council giving
the commonwealth representation on it.
And just as he was about to sit down, after
pushing the last of his notes from him,
Mr.. Chamberlain said in laying the bill be-
fore parliament no more important measure
had ever been presented, and nothing
throughout the whole course of the queens
long reign. glorious as it had been, would
be regarded in the future as passing it in
magnificence. Then he sat down, pale and
breathing hard and the cheers broke loose
The papers here all give much space to
the event. recognizing the vast Importance
of the birth of a nation and of the
far greater Importance of keeping this
strong, young nation within the empire
Columns might be written on the different
treatment Australia is receiving at the
hands of the mother country from that
which was melted out to America This
proves the falsity of the assumption we
Americans are fond of-that the English
never learn anything. They have learned
this lesson, at all events.
British Advances.
BY the capture Of Kroonstad Lord Roberts
has. for all practical purposes conquered
the Orange Free State. Separate forces of
position may have to be overcome, but the
probability Is that. cut off from all their
resources and with the Transvaalers in
flight to their own country. the Free Staters
will surrender at the earliest moment The
capture of Kroonstad is the eliminating
triumph of series of brilliant movements,
which We're set in operation only as recent
ly April 30. 1t was on this day that Lord
Roberts moved from Bloemfontein and
from that day to this his advance has been
a series of brilliant successes. On the Sd of
May he seized Brandfort, four days later
Smaldeel; on the 9th he crossed the Zand
river. and on the 18th planted the union
jack over Kroonstad. 1t Is a march which
will live in history as brilliant as the one
to Kandaha and for epoch-making. Wheth-
er not Lord Roberts will rest his troops
for any length of time at Kroonstad re-
mains to be seen. There WILL no doubt, be
much police, work to be done to the east
and south of his present position, and some
little time will be required to bring up
transport and repair the rails.
The other day one of the leading papers
on the continent, referring to recent fight
ing in which the Black Watch distinguished
itself. complacently observed that the
blacks fought very WELL" This might seem
incredible. It is only a type of the igno-
rance that prevails on the continent 1t is.
ligent foreigners gravely reproach Eng
L