Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-11-26
SOUTH AMERICAN FINDS SOME Fault
In Reply Told that Natter of Form is
Not Fixed.
70 ATTEMPT TO CONTROL LOCAL POLITICS
Imperial Council Would Be but Permanent
Form Of difference.
LIBERAL LEADERS ARE IN CONFERENCE
while Joseph Chamberlain Seems to
Lose Popularity in birmingham
He stiII Has strong sup
port I'm Kingdom.

LONDON, Nov. 25.-(special Cablegram !
to The Bee.)-Next to the subject matter
OF the general elections. always interesting. |
perhaps the most important proposition .
before the British public is the question Of
the calling OF a colonial conference A |
hundred perhaps a thousand, different !
ideas have been advanced as to the best /
method OF bringing together the various |
sections Of the British empire. The latest |
suggestion is the formation OF council OF
the empire. A series OF resolutions recon- Z
mending the establishment of such a body
and it's equipment with something like a
permanent secretariat was adopted at a
meeting Of the council Of the British En-
pire league held last July.
Among other colonial statesmen to whom
copy of the resolutions was transmitted
was Mr.. John X. Merriman, the well known
politician at the Cape. Mr.. Merriman is
hardly r professed imperialist. He has
been given the credit of aiming at the en-
couragement OF South African rather
than a British patriotism; at the independ-
cnce of the subcontinent rather than its in
corporation in a unified empire. 1t was
not expected that he would take a very
keen interest in the proposals of the British
Empire league. However, Mr.. Merriman
replied to the instructions sent him in an
extremely instructive letter, going into
great deal of critical detail. Mr.. Freeman
Murray, the secretary of the league, says
that he does not consider Mr.. Merrimans
objection insuperable but they serve a
useful purpose In submitting to discussion
certain misgivings which float through
minds both colonial and domestic-misgiv
ings which when analyzed often appear to
rest on misunderstanding OF facts. His
Nrsgt ant Fo q, lott t. 9ha Of
the word empire" Mr. Merriman thinks
that the word empire" while appropriate
enough to the somewhat underlined rela-
ton that has hitherto so happily existed
between England and the self-governing
communities OF Englsh-speaking men,"
cannot properly be applied to the self
governing communities themselves, and
should not be applied at all to closer con-
.tratudonai structure such ms thl' advocates
Of imperial unity appear to be aiming at.
Suggests New Name.
His own suggestion is that the term
commonwealth" should be employed in
stead. To this the secretary of the British
Empire league replies that the name has
already been appropriated by federal Aus
tralia. On behalf of Mr. Merriman's con-
tention, however, II is asserted that the
Australian commonwealth is not likely TO
interpose any objection to the use of the
word in larger sense. on the other hand,
the charge is made that the word empire
has been used to denote in the past a large
variety of political combinations to which
the British empire bears no resemblance
whatever. The idea is advanced that sim
ply because the word empire" has been
used in despotic sense in the past ages,
and is still used in a despotic sense in
some sections of the world today. that does
not necessarily condemn its present demo-
cratic use.
a more serious argument Of Mr.. Merrl-
mans is that directed against any policy
which would give control over the colonies
OF the power of advising them to an inn
perisl council sitting in London without
giving 1t a similar power of control and
advice over the mother country. Those
interested in the formation OF council of
the empire assert that nothing of the kind
is contemplated. 1t is claimed that the
colonies should be fully and powerfully
represented as they are now i'm the period
ica colonial conferences and that the
council would be. in fact, nothing but the
erection of those conferences into a per.
inanent system. Tho element of continuity
would be secured by a secrctariat such as
is proposed In the resolutions Of the British
Empire league. II Is proposed to provide
the imperial defense committee with a
with the collection of all the necessary
data on which to base its decisions A
secretariat to the imperial council woulC
undoubtedly be anciHary In the same way
and, II Is claimed. there would not be the
slightest opportunity OF its usurping othel
functions or doing anything but what wa,
required OF y by the council The re
ciprocal COM \exerted by Great Britain
and the colon it is claimed, need no
of necessity orel any nsurmountable diff
culties In practice.
Premiers May BE Unnecessary.
one Of MIR. Merriman's chief sources O
anxiety is that the scheme of representinl
the colonies by their promiers does no
work with perfect satisfaction now an,
that in all probability it would be stll les
satisfactory II the constitution of IN
council should give moro far-reaching i'm
portancc TO the question. on behalf of tn
project il Is urged that this is a mer
matter Of detail. II the presence of
colonial premier at a conference or counc
Is found TO prejudice the domestic cours
of politics in his colony or 60 weaken nj
own position through absence, il might b
quite practicable to substitute anothe
spokesman who would be equally repre-
sentative, but less indispensable at hom,
For Instance, there does not appear to b
any reason why eaCh colony or group o
colonies represented should not have a min
lister especially charged with the consid
Grafton OF imperial affairs. The repr,
sentation OF India is, as the British Empir
league pointed out, absolutely necessary,
\ either the defense or the commercial rcla
tions Of the empire are TO be adequatel
discussed. yet II does not appear Hkel
that the Vioeroy OF India would be able
ever attend session OF the imperi,
council.
Il does not follow that the self -governin
colonies viii incur any loss OF polite,
status from the joint representation pr,
posed. No sort of interference with n
domestic AFFAIRS Of the various member
~ tho empire would be attempted by a
council. Colonies with the most variot
grades OF franchise and autonomy migl