New-York tribune., 1900-11-20
LORD ROSEBERYS DREAM.

Lord Rosebery evidently feels that old Bishop
Berkeley was a true prophet. His speech at
his installation as Lord Rector Of Glasgow Uni
Versity contained a recognition of the west
ward course OF empire as significant coming
from man of broad and philosophic mind like
Lord Rosebery. as 1t is extraordinary coming
from serious European statesman. We need
not agree with his view of the accidental char
acter of the American Revolution in order to
appreciate the essential truth underlying his
vision of what might have been, and, indeed, in
one sense, as he plainly enough foresees, is to
be. Pitt instead of Townshend at the Treas
ury bench might have delayed separation, but
no one incident was the cause, however it may
have been the occasion, for the break. Nothing
but impossibly different character and spirit
for that time on both sides of the Atlantic
could have kept the two branches of the Anglo
Saxon race permanently under one rule 1t was
the lesson of the Revolution which taught Eng
land how to deal successfully with colonies. and
the unquestioned loyalty of Canada is a COM
paratively recent growth. The tension which
eliminated at Lexington antedated the Stamp
Act 1t was manifested in Colonial legislatures
on every trivial question of prerogative. Short
sighted Colonial taxpayers We're ready to leave
the frontiers open to invasion rather than give
an inch of disputable power to a royal gov
ernor It was manifested in Braddock's and
Amherst's armies. ProvIncials were touchy
and suspicious. Regulars were contemptuous
and unappreciative. Each reflected the natural
temper Of the new and old civilizations
So in one way or another the separation had
| to come II it could have come peacefully. with
out the bitter memory Of two wars which school
boys were taught to cherish perhaps the present
| realization Of race solidarity and association in
| the work of civilization ub{o
with generous rivalry. might have been seen long
before. 1t is doubtful, however. if the great de-
| velopment Of America could have been achieved
| under English rule. Would NAPOLEON have
given the British room to expand beyond the
| mississippi? Would he not rather have kent his
treaty OF San lidefonso and in time of difficulty
nave given Louisiana back to Spain? Nor is II
| lKely mat any such growth Of Industries and
| population, any such fusion Of races es hoe
| made America the partaker and beneficiary or
the best thought and aspiration of the whole
| civilized world. would have been possible nndar
| the domination of one Of the European Powers
| Ihls was the Promised Land to Europe Some
! tlines the seekers for 1t have seemed an af1Ic
| uoh rather tnan a benefit. but there can he
niue DOUBT that on the whole this country owes
| niuch 10 the stream OF cosmopolitan immigra-
ton, which, Notwithstanding the scum II left
~ us cues pushed on through its forests, peo-
pied IFS plains, helped fight It's battles and
ADDED UNNECESSARILY TO its wealth.
Lord Roseberys fancy Of a great Anglo Saxon
| commonwealth with an American centre and
! British attachment the historical shrine and
European outpost Of the world empire. Is A
dream But. like most dreams II is founded
on elements Of fact. and perhaps it was those
elements Of which under fictitious guse Lord
Rosebery desired to remind his countrymen.
No procession Of the Empress Queen or her de-
scendants win set out for the new hemisphere