The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-05
A Shaky Empire.

Inc IOQerHC1Ou OIL Lu6 DI1ClSu CllpIlO
with England as the predominant part
ner is severely handled in a recent is
sue of the Australian edition of the
British Review Of Reviews by an editor,
Mr.. James Esmond, proprietor Of the
Sydney Bulletin. .. . 81.
Mr.. Esmond discusses two PROPOSE
tions: (D that the present imperial
system is likely to fall apart at any
time; (2) that the chief obstacle in
the way Of the formation Of a more
permanent system is the United King
dom itself. England, he shows, has
ever held narrow policy toward the
colonies and the colonists. In the first
place, the Englishman, who leaves home
and pushes the flag Of his country far
Their into the wilderness instead Of hav-
ing the gratitude and the praise Of
the mother country, is actually looked
down upon by the "aggregate cheese
monger'' who stayed at home. He be-
comes property and the stay-at-home
is his owner. Before he went out into
the colonies he had parliamentary
vote. He might rise to the top in poll.
tics; he might attain command in the
army; he certainly did enjoy all the
advantage Of being a British subject
But the moment he showed his ambition
for the greatness of his country by tax
ing up a part Of the wilderness in the
name of the king he lost at once all OF
those rights. He becomes a membe,
of a subordinate race. If he dwelt in
a civilized part Of the empire and lived
under a parliamentary government, il
was one subordinate to the imperia
parliament and one whose acts were APT
to be vetoed without rhyme or reason
by the colonial minister.
If his personal status is bad MIR
Esmond shows that his trade relations
are worse. England does nothing fo1
her colonies but sell to them. What
ever they sell to her she makes an extr:
profit upon, because it must be carried
in imperial ships. The matter Of tariff
preference he shows is CONSTANT,
viewed by the Englishman from tn
wrong point Of view. The Englishma1
conceives that it is the colonists' dut,
to give England preference; he neve
seems to think that it may be his dut,
to give the colonies preference. o.
course, the only way John Bull coulI
give Australia, for example, a prefer
ence would be to put duty on he
| imports from the United States whic]
compete with those Of the colony. Joh1
Bull will never do this, but he turn
about and asks Australia, which has
| tariff, to give him lower rate Of dut.
than she gives Belgium, Chilli. Franc
and other countries which are her bes
customers, and take the chance Of thei
Immediately retaliating. The attemp
to create tariff system for an empir
which is not an empire immediatel
results in hopeless middle.
There are other difficulties such a
the labor question and the matter of i'm
perial defense which make the probler
doubly difficult. Mr.. Esmond intimate
that none Of these difficulties can b
solved by stayat-home Englishma
who believes he conferred a favor o
his younger brother by permitting hi1
to emigrate into the wilderness to max
his fortune or to die Of starvation. Th
younger brother must have his either
ship restored, must have a chance a
the honors Of the empire, must see tn
accounts for imperial defense and mus
have hand in the legislation Of tn
United Kingdom. When these thing
are done Mr.. Esmond sees chance fo
an empire which will stand against tn
world, tho even then he believes tn
loyalty Of the black races over whic
England rules is only coexistent wit
the continuance Of British prestige.