The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-10
AUSTRALIA NEW RULE |
TROUBLESOME QUESTIONS THAT
ARE ARISING IN THE COM
MONWEALTH
SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES
State Premiers Trying to Retain
influence I'm Federal Exec
tiOns-The Tariff Cues
ton UP.

Although ushered into existence with
pomp and ceremony unprecedented in
the Southern hemisphere, the infant
Australian commonwealth has appar-
| emily a time Of trouble to encounter be-
| fore the newly created machinery gets
into proper working order, writes the
! Sidney correspondent Of the New York
| Tribune. At the outset an attempt Will
| have to be made to secure the settlement
| of disputed questions abandoned IN
| despair by the various federal conven-
tons, and which caused Mr.. Reid, ex-
| premier of New South Wales, While re-
cording his vote for federation to eX-
press doubt Of his wisdom in so doing
One Illustration will suffice. The con-
stitution of each of the federal states
provides that when a member of the
state parliament accepts an Office OF
profit under the crown he vacates his
seat, and must be re- elected This is in
| accordance with the principles Of the
British constitution, on which those OF
the Australian states are based.
OF the nine members Of the federal
ministry only one-the federal premier,
Edmund Barton-is not a member of a
state parliament, and four, including Sir
J. r. Dickson, since dead, are state
premiers. Each on joining the federal
ministry accepted an office of profit
| under the crown, but commended that the
rule did not apply in his case, as the
federal constitution permits federal Of
fees to be held by members of state par
liaments without compelling them to
vacate their seats. This, however does
not overrule the state proviso, and con-
seGuently the members of the federal
ministry find themselves in an awkward
dilemma, threatening unpleasant conse-
quences in the near future. For in
stance, Sir William ]. Lyme, the state
premier of New South Wales, refuses to
vacate his seat or resign his premiership
until he has made number Of valuable
appointments in connection with several
commissions sanctioned by the state
parliament. Sir George Turner the Vic
torian state premier, has, on the advice
of his attorney general, vacated his seat.
but retains his state premiership. Sir
John Forrest, state premier of Western
Australia, also retains his seat and state
premiership.
THE PROTECTIVE TARIFF CUES
TON.
An explanation Of the existing state Of
affairs is to be found in the desire Of the
state premiers to have hand in the ap
preaching federal elections. But in this
they are reckoning without their host.
AS soon as the New South Wales parlia
ment meets motion will be offered to
the effect that all acts by the state pre-
miers after accepting office in the fed
eral ministry, were illegal, and cOnse-
quently, null and void. This is the view
taken by the great majority of Austria
lians, and it may possibly result in the
defeat of the federal minister's with the
exception of Mr.. Barton, at the federal
elections. All the members of the fed
eral ministry are supporters Of pro-
tective, tariff, and if they were allowed
to have their own way prohibitive GUS
toms duties would be the rule. But the
trend of public opinion in Australia is in
favor Of a revenue tariff only, and it is
probable that Mr.. Barton and his col
leagues will attempt some kind of COM
promise
VIEWS OF Low TARIFF PARTY'S
LEADER
Mr. Reid, the eX-state premier of New
South Wales, is the leader of the low
tariff party. He is, perhaps, the most
popular man in the commonwealth and
may GUST Mr.. Barton from the federal
premiership directly after the federal
parliament has opened it's session. In
discussing the federal question, Mr.. Reid
refuses to accept any comparison be-
tween the American and Australian
states, the circumstances in each being
wholly different America, he says, by
way OF illustration, is the largest manu-
one Of the smallest. The prosperity Of
Australia is based on its exports of raw
produce, for which It has to take manu-
featured goods in exchange. In the fu-
ture these conditions may be reversed.
AT present they must be taken as they
exist.
FEWER STATE REPRESENTATIVES,.
The federal elections will be fought on
the tariff question, but no matter which
side gain the day, one result is inevita-
ble--the federal parliament will absorb
many of the best men in the state legsla-
lures. This will be gain in one direc
tion and a loss in another, for the mem
bers Of the various state parliaments are
averse to any reduction of their num-
bers. In the New South Wales legislative
assembly there are 125 members. It is
sought to reduce the number to sixty or
seventy but the members. especially
those representing the state labor party,
will listen to nothing of the kind It is
the same in Victoria and the other states.
If the number of members were reduced
the constituencies would have to be en-
larged, and this would assist in exclud-
ing many of the smaller fry of Austria
liam politicians.
OPENING OF NEW PARLIAMENT.
The assembling of fhe federal parlia-
ment in Melbourne will be a brilliant af-
fair, accompanied by festivities rivalfng
those with which Sydney celebrated the
Inauguration Of the commonwealth, and
the Duke and Duchess of YORK will have
a magnificent reception. There can be
no question of the loyalty of the Austria
lians to the British Crown, but it must
be remembered that the imperial gov
eminent has allowed them to have pretty
much their own way in everything
There are many Australians who can re-
member the cheers that greeted the de-
parture of the last of the British garri-
son troops from Sydney, couple of gen
eratiOns ago. 1t represented the end OF
British military rule in Australia Now
the armed representatives of the Impe-
rial army are welcomed with rejoicings
as indicating the close union Of the
mother country with the outlying por-
tons Of the empire.
One significant feature Of the Common
wealth celebrations in Sydney was the
number and enthusiasm Of the nationaIi-
ties which took part in them Nearly the
whole of the American residents in the
city; with the exception Of the United
states consul and eX-consul, took part
in the movement for erecting a splendid
American arch, and constructing an
American avenue. where. in passing sew
eral OF the proceSsion'S bands played
American national airs The French and
Germans followed the example of their
American brethren. while the Canadians
and Italians furnished embelmatical cars
for the commonwealth procession.
OPENING OF THE NEW PARLIA-
MENT
The selection Of Mr. Barton as Federal
premier was in accordance with popular
sentiment throughout the commonwealth
although few believe in his power to re-
tain it. He had labored so long and
time appeared a hopeless cause that it
was felt that some such rec