The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-26
Unrest in British Dependencies.

Evidence is not lacking that the Brit
1 ish,~ empire, hugest in extent, greatest
in wealth Of all the man-built empires
+ Of history, has reached the zenith of
its growth and is now about to enter
upon the downward path Of disintegra-
ton. Only by laying it's imperial ties
most lightly on Canada and Australia,
has it been able to keep them within
! its domain. Each is now as nearly in
dependent as it is possible to be with
out attaining actual and complete in
dependence. But neither is quite salts
fed with the imperial connection which
!. shuts them out of parliament and keeps
from them control Of all diplomatic
questions. When questions arise be-
tween Great Britain and the United
States which involve Canada, it usual
, ly happens that they are settled by
Great Britain in way to satisfy the
, United States, whose good will and
friendship are essential Canadian
wishes are a minor consideration. The
Alaskan boundary treaty was, a bitter
pill for Canada, which more and more
desires complete independence and con-
troll of her own relations with other ma
tions. a., -
Australia, too. is developing q desire
for independence that seems likely to
bear fruit soon. The federation of the
I colonies has not proved successful or
satisfactory, and there is strong SEN
tlment in the labor party, which con-
trolls Australian politics, for cutting
. loose from the mother country and set
J ting up strongly centralized republic
! on American lines. In South Africa
! there is a similar tendency, now that
{ the Boer oligarchy has been over
thrown. 49,
But it is in the subject countries like
Egypt and India that there is the most
! serious menace to British supremacy,
J In India especially is there great un-
rest. And the worst features of the sit
uation from British standpoint is
. that is is an intelligent unrest. "India
for the Hindus' has become a shibbo.
leth OF power. The native press speaks
! out plainly, at the risk of suppression
for seditious utterances. The burden
of Hindu complaint is that England is
exploiting, but not. developing India
!. England throttles native industries in
order that the great market for British
products may be maintained.
s7 There are two native parties. both
well represented in the approaching In.
! dian congress, an unauthorized but
quiet representative assembly of the
:, races. The moderates are loyal to Great
Britain, but desire eventual home rule
and practical autonomy, such as are en-.
loyed by other British colonies. Tho
radicals, a growing party, demand com
plete independence The aims of both
parties are looked on as visionary and
impractical by Anglo Indian publicists
but. Of course, that of the radicals is
openly seditious.. The younger genera
ton in India, according to Ernst Pi
riou in his "India of Today and the
/ National Movements is imbued "with
western learning and western ideas an6
is- determined to free itself from Brit
sish. domination.'' .~.....-. .-,,...--,--.
Craftsmanship of a rare order will be
r1equlred to hold the British empire to
4 gether in the coming storm rand stress
period. ~ ! IT, - a.. ..-:.t" sI.%& Il =