Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-24
INTEREST IN PLANS or OLD GOVERNMENT
Correspondence Over Chambsrlain's Pet
Ideas is Made Public iu London.
SCHEME MAY HAVE BRILLIANT FUTURE
Balfour Cabinet Say Become Famous for
Policy Now in Allegiance.
MATTER NEVER REACHED DEFINITE STAGE
suREestion Made that Existing
Imperial Conference May Be De-
veIoped Into something of
More Tangible Sort.

LONDON, Dec. 23.-Cspccial Cablegram to
The Bee.)-In years to come when things
are seen in their true perspective, 1t is
possible that one of the movements inau-
gurated by the Balfour cabinet, to which
little attention has been paid, will stand
out as one of the greatest movements OF
modern times. Reference Is here made to
the proposed imperial council, details con-
cerning which Mr.. Lyttelton. the retiring
secretary of state for the colonies, made
public In connecting with the turning of
his post over to his successor the earl OF
Elgin.
1t is OF course impossible at this particu-
lar time to even venture a guess as to
what the future will bring forth Some
thing naturally depends upon the general
election Just why it should be so it is
difficult to say. but the liberals are sup
posed to be less inlperialistic than the con-
servatives Not that the Little England"
spirit is confined wholly to either of the
great parties-not that worldwide policies
discussed only when the unionists hold
the relns OF responsible government but
some way some how, at home and abroad.
the general public has come to expect the
liberals to devote a little more of their
time and attention to a discussion of the
economic prODlernS relating 10 Ine Onlleu
Kingdom. while the conservatives are gen.
orally expected to take n wider view In
planning for the up-buding of an empire
with a big F. Hence the correspondence
between Mr.. Lyttelton and the govern
ments OF the self-governing colonies is to-
day being studied with the most profound
interest In every part of the British ern-
pire. For the replies of many Of the CO.
lonial governments were known to the peo-
pie of the colonies months ago, and the
most interesting fact at the present time
Is the combining of the mass of corre-
spondence by the retiring secretary in such
q shape that the attention of every think
ing man in the British empire has been
called to the problems involved. No mat
ter what may be the final solution of it all
It must be admitted that a definite step
has been taken In advance toward the ideal
of iAsperial unity which IS undoubtedly the
greatest OF ell political objects for British
citizens IN every part Of the world.
work of Chamberlain.
The reading public does not need to be
reminded of the interest which Mr.. Cham
berlain took in these subjects when he
cupied the important position of secretary
OF state for the colonies, but II is doubtful
whether Mr.. Chamberlain could have ac-
complished as much toward imperial unity
II he had elected to continue as secretary
OF state for the colonies under Mr. Balfour.
for above all and behind all would have re-
mained the fact that Mr.. Chamberlain's
bent OF mind was toward the introduc-
tion of fiscal reforms rather than toward
the constructive policy OF even so great an
idea as that involved in proposed imperial
councils. In a powerful personality like
Mr.. Chamberlain what is in his mind
must come out sooner or later, generally
sooner. Had he remained i'm Office and
tangled up his protective tariff policies
with his imperial federation schemes he
must inevitably have injured not only the
cause of imperial unity, but his pet pro-
posal of tariff reform as well. The work
of collecting the data looking toward
proposed imperial council could undoubt-
edly better be performed by an almost
colorless and certainly far less rugged
personality, like that OF Mr.. Lyttleton.
Often It happens in empire building that
tho really great movements are carried
on not by great statesmen. but by men al
most unknown-men who are remembered
because of their connection with the cause
that they have represented.
The proposals which Mr.. Lyttelton put
forward for consideration In his dispatch
Of April 20. 1905 naturally do not contain
anything radically novel on the contrary
In their general outline they follow the
conclusions made familiar during the last
year or two by the work Of the British En-
pire league and by the efforts Of that
anonymous committee of influential indi-
viduals OF all shades Of politics whose
spokesman has been Sir Frederick Pollock
New Plan Proposed.
The essential characteristic OF those con-
clusions has been the abandonment, so far
poses are concerned, of definite schemes
OF legislative federation of the empire and
the acceptance OF the principle Of gradual
evolution working along existing lines. and
involving no breach OF continuity or sacri-
nee on the part of any constituent of the
empire OF its existing legislative and execu-
tive autonomy. The line of least resist
ence has been followed by all persons
interesting themselves in these problems
This is indicated by the various conferences
OF the colonial prime minister's the first
Of which assembled in 1857 under the presi-
dency OF Lord Knutsford. but which ac-
quired new significance and Importance
during the period of Mr. Chamberlain's 8
tenure OF power at the colonial office. The
gradual development OF these conferences
into a kind of consultive council of the
empire, and the strengthening OF that coun-
ell by the addition OF permanent commits
sion which could work out problems re-
ferred TO IL or collect information on i'm
portsnt questions Of imperial interest has
generally come TO be regarded In the empire
outside as well in England as the
furthest practical step that can be taken
along constitutional lines in the present
condition OF the empire
Proposals of LytteIton.
The actual proposal laid by Mr.. Lyttelton
before the governments OF the self-govern-
ing colonies consists of two parts. The
FIRST is that the colonial conferences whose
past history he sums up in his dispatch
should In the future be described by a title
moro in accordance with the actual cir
cunstances OF the day under which the
original casual conferences have developed
INTO real imperial council" for the dis
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