The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-03-05
AUSTRALIANS FUTURE.

The Australians, having acquitted q
Federal government, are interesting
themselves in the choice of Il "natior1'
flag In fact the idea OF nationality
has spread SO widely during the past
few years and has brought about such
vital union OF the colonies that a
flag other than that OF the mother
country seems to be its proper and
necessary emblem. How much farther
this idea may go and what IL may lead
to in the direction of complete political
Independence no one can yet tell: but
that IL IL full of portents to the integ-
rity of the British Empire, appears in
the eagerness of Joseph Chamberlain 10
presp his scheme Of imperial federation
and draw the people of Australia and
other outlying dependencies into a sin
gle great nation having the British
Isles as a pivotal base.
There are many things In the way OF
imperial observation-disclosures that may
become insurmountable. In the first
place the people of Great Britain and
Ireland do not want to lose control OF
the imperial Parliament at Westmin-
ster, as they would surely do IL the
colonials were permitted to send men,
the number of inhabitants which OBJ
tains in Great Britain and Ireland. In
sisting as they do upon the control of
Parliament they would deny colonlals
the full vested rights OF n British cleo
tor. discriminating between the home
born Englishman and the British Uit-
lander, somewhat as did the late
government of the Transvaal between
- n FA, tr,,
Naturally the effect of such discrimin-
alton would be the same in one place
as another. We cannot imagine that
Australia or Canada or any other part
of the. so-called British Empire would
accept the actual community of empire
which Mr.. Chamberlain proposes, while
bereft Of the vital privileges involved
To become a real empire of the Anglo
Saxon spirit, Great Britain must make
every citizen equal in his political OPP
Iortunities.
There are, moreover. strong objec-
tons to imperial federation on the other
side AS the premier Of Canada sub
stantlally said not long ago, speaking
of the possibility that Great Britain
might ask Canada to supply 1t with an
army corps for South Africa, Owe will
defend our own part of the Empire; we
cannot levy troops for the defense of
other parts although we might supply
some volunteers" Surely that would
be a very loose empire indeed which
could not mass all its forces or at least
draw upon all, for the defense Of any
threatened point
The colonials object, also, to COM
mon tariff. Their interests demand
economic protection, while those of
Great Britain require free trade. An
empire with its component parts en-
gagged in hindering each others trade
would be an anomaly. The true en-
pire. such as Chamberlain dreams of,
must be homogeneous. If 1t Is not, it's
status is that of a confederacy; and as
Great Britain and her colonies have a
confederate relation now, why not let
it stand rather than 90 to the trouble
Of establishing the same thing over
again under another name?
The truth seems to be that Chamber
lain's idea is an iridescent dream, which
will vanish when the stubborn econom-
iC and military facts of the situation
are encountered What then? Must
not the British Empire continue prac-
llCuliS as IL 10 IL IollStlltS VI SNhtNS
bound together partly by tradition and
mainly by self-interest, but ready
where sef-interest is violated to fall
apart into separate Anglo Saxon ma
tions, majestic In their racial fraternity
but unallied in political purpose? In
the light of all past history and future
proba bilities, such would seem to be the
natural fate of that mighty power. We
may well anticipate that If ever Great
Britain stands ringed by enemies, as
was Caesar in the Senate House, it's
colonies will be glad to stay out of the
bloody press IL by so doing they can get
immunity from harm and a chance to
work out their own salvation.
When that day comes 1t will be but
the severing of a single weak tie for
Australia to become "A republic and take
in her own hands the lighted torch of
progress passed to her willing hand by
other great free States.
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