The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-21
LONDON LETTER F..
BY HENRY DEvEREAUx.


BY HENRY D
London, July 16. Transformation or no
coronation. it is recognized by those who
think, that England stands on the thres-
hold OF what marks fresh departure IN
her history. The reign of queen Victoria
laid the foundation of the new monarchy.
Prior to her accession monarchy simply
yelled an oligarehic republic Of the great
families. 1t was recognized as a con-
yenient form of Government. which It
would be troublesome to disturb. Under
vicious or incapable rulers such as George
". or William ", it became compare
lively harmless but now 1t is recognized
as a real power-none the less real for
acting within the defined precincts pre-
scribed by the Constitution. The influ-
ence of the monarchy has increased with
the Increase of democracy, and singularly
enough the throne represents the people
rather than the great families or nobility.
Whether this is the result of witnessing
the democracy in the United States it is
difficult to say. but the English people
look to the throne just as in the United
States the people look to the president
or what Is called the administration.
Had the King been crowned at the time
set he would have borne a title different
than any of his predecessors. King Ed
ward VII. would have been the first, Eng
fish monarch to be crowned Ping of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, and of the British Dominions be-
yond the Seas. The new style certainly
indicates a new political system and In
augurates a new policy. 1t will tend to-
ward a new imperial craftsmanship which
will bring more into a federation than
ever before the remote colonies of the
empire, so that they become less like
colonies and more the factors of great
unit.
Behind the pageantry of the coronation
was to have been the conference of the
Premiers of the great self-governing col
onies. The poStponement OF the corona
ton, however did not prevent the gath
ering of the Premiers in conference with
Mr.. Chamberlain In the chair. This con-
ference is far-reaching in its Importance.
The Empire includes self-governing Col
onies, Crown Colonies, and Dependencies
like India In which we retain under our
subsection races that we do not recognize
as our equals and which, rightly or
wrongly, we consider that we can govern
far better than they can govern them
selves. OF these last, we have added so
many lately to the Empire that we have
seriously Increased our responsibilities,
and even supposing that they did add to
our resources, 1t Is doubtful whether this
addition is equivalent to their cost. Most
of them are in tropical and semi-tropical
regions which Europeans cannot COLOMBO,
whilst the presence of a subject race in
them exceeding in numbers the dominant
race, would seriously hamper our at
tempts to do so, even were this possible.
/ D1Iff ff1rr eli 10 and al mutt
our Crown Colonies, the Empire may be
said to consist of sisterhood of States,
each of which is self-governing, whilst
all are united by a common bond against
the outer world. This bond will last pre-
cisely as long as Il is to the interests OF
all to maintain it. Sentiment is an evan
escent feeling. 1t is now hot, now cold.
What is the value of our great Colonies
to us? The notion that trade follows the
flag is exploded. Commerce means buying
in the cheapest market and selling in the
dearest. 1t is sometimes suggested that
we must have Colonies because our pop
ulation increases so largely that we re-
quire them as dumping grounds for the
overflow. But In reality our emigrants
are rather attracted to the United States
than to our Colonies, because, rightly or
wrongly, the individual colonist thinks
he can do better there than elsewhere.
Our trade with our Colonies is one-quar-
ter of that with foreign nations. They
impose heavy importdutes on all that we
send them. They do this partly in order
to raise a revenue. They tell us that the
lat~ is their only object, but even adj
mittlng this to be true, it does not alter
the protective character of those duties.
The Colonial Premiers would have us
treat their imports to the United King
dom preferentially. Our Colonial Inn
ports consists of food supplies and of raw
material, and it is essential to us, as a
material should be obtained at the cheap
est possible price, if we are not to be
handicapped in our competition for neu-
trial markets. AS Mr.. John Morley said
In that most able speech which he made
last week. whilst free trade Is not the
only reason why we have progressed by
leaps and bounds in the last forty years,
we should not have progressed had we
not been free traders. The Colonies do
not suggest free trade within the Empire.
What they offer is to reduce to small
amount their import duties in our favor,
on condition that we agree to impose du-
ties on produce coming from foreign coun-
tries. Sir Michael Hicks Beach has
stated that the new corn duty is for rev.
enue purpc7e alone But in view of the
utterance of the Colonial Secretary, 1t is
difficult to avoid the conclusion that the
new corn duty-in his expectation. at least
has been put on In order that we may
our Colonies by offering to take 1t off as
regards them. We must, therefore be
well on our guard. Mr. Chamberlain does
not willingly renounce a project. Were
his aim to become reality. we should be
committing commercial suicide for a very
problematical political advantage, and our
Colonies would be a milestone round our
necks that would so effectualy cripple
us that we should be past saving.
To return. however, to the question of
the value of the Colonies to us under the
existing tie that unites us with them.
They borrow largely from us in the form
of public loans. But we can lend on good
security If we have the money, and
whilst we are advancing our money ON
very low interest to the Colonies, we find
that Americans are investing theirs on a
good deal better terms In our home UNDER
takings. During the war the Colonies
were good enough to send us soldiers
and, Judging by the ELUSIVE gush that we
read every day in regard to this, one
would really suppose that were they not
to do so in the future we should be at the
mercy of any enemy who might attack
us. But what is the fact? In all COM
munities there are a number of adven-
turous spirits who are always ready to
rally to a fight and who fight exceeding
ly well when they have rallied to it,
These Adventures are not, however, pre-
pared to give their services unless they
receive a god wage for them. Our Col
onies did send some of these Adventures
to aid us. But they insisted upon our