New-York tribune., 1908-03-29
ASIATIC IMMIGRATION.
HARD NATAL PROBLEM.
1t Inrolres Limitation of Rights OF
Citizenship
Especial by French Gable TO The Trioune-l

rco,srigh. 1905 BY The Tribune Association
London. March 2S.-The question OF ASiH'
Immigration is more troublesome Tor Eng
tban for America. because It involves llnlta-
ZION of the rights of imperial citizenship Nalai
supplies an effective illustration That coioiiS toi
hair century has imported Indian iaborers lot
contract service and they were allowed 10 Se''i7
there until they outnumbered the whites uiS-
placed them traders and menaceo tlei SUI
premacy in business The Natal government -
now forced propose legislation for prohloith's
Indian immigration and for canceliing tradnis
licenses compensation for losses being assesseu'
1t has become a struggle for racial existence
the whites finding themselves crowded OUT OF the
trading industry and the fact that the INDIANS
are subjects OF the Emperor-King and cltlzehS
OF the British Empire does not prevent their eh-
cIusion from the colony as a sef-goNerneo s'a'
The policy adopted when Natal was crown
colony will he reversed and the Indians penal
fzed and Disseminated against. although thev
have racial birthright within the empire
Moreover, the Transvaal in ridding Itself OF
Chinese labor is forced TO restrict the entrance
,r Natal Indians and a South African con-
federation can never be formed unless this reser-
voir of Asistic trading energy is regulated by
legal diss sbilities-
The same question has been brought up by
Mackenzie King. who has been explaining tie
grievances of British Columbia 10 the Colonldi
Office and showing the necessity of restricting
East Indian immigration TO Canada He is
businesslike advocate of Canadian interests WHO
is well known in Washington, and he has con-
WINGED Lord Elgin that the rush of Indian
coolies TO the Pacific Coast is more troublesome
than the Chinese or japanese immigration
Prohs hly a commissioner or agent will be dis
matched 20 Canada to negotiate a pfactical
arrangement for dealing with This question The
Indians are not protected by imperial citizen
ship but are subjected TO the dlsabilitleS OF
South Africa. Australia. New Zealand ana
Canada They have. however, cold comfort from
the imperial Tory organ. The Morning Post, >
which holds out the hope that India may have
some day. a fiscal system to enable her TO ae-
yeIop her home resources and to employ her
suarrning population her own soil unoer some
scheme Of imperial preference
The government conducted by Mr.. Asquth
will not be invertebrate. This is clear from the
defiant inflexible way in which the challenge OF
the LIQUOR trade has been taken up since me
Peckham beer debauch- Yet it viii alsc oe
g flexible government. prepared 10 give and take
and possessing the Cexterity required for estab-
fishing a system of checks and balances among
the religious bodies. The Nonconforrnists, pla-
Gated by the support given by the bishops 10
the licensing bills. are in a mood for accepting
a settlement of the education question on the
lines proposed by the Bishop Of St Asaph s,
and chances for q compromise are steadily I'M
proving The Roman Catholics would prefer a
government bill. but they will have compensa-
tion in Mr.. Birrell's Irish scheme for a univer-
sity with Jesuit college at Dublin and colleges
ri Cork and Galway, united in q single founda-
ton lust as the Protestants are colciliated in
turn by the reconstruction of the Presbyterian
college at Belfast, as a university. with Mazee
College at Londonderry, connected with it.
Mr. Asuuith's tactics are not disclosed but ap-
rarently he intends to persevere with licensing
bill expecting the bishops to help him and the
Lords to extend the time from fourteen TO
twenty-one years He also hopes for the pas
sage of the Irish university bill, and is willing
20 accept the Bishop of St Asaph's education
bill as a substitute for the government measure.
The Moderate Liberals Will be conciated by
the withdrawal of the eight-hour bill, and the
labor group and the extreme Radicals will find
consolation in the old age pensions scheme The
strategy is brilliant. but Mr. Asquith is more
accustomed TO hard hitting than to diplomacy,
Meanwhile he has an awkward debate on Red
mond's home rule resolution 30 manage on Mon
day and a strenuous struggle over the licensing
bill on its second reading, with the Unionists
bent upon following up their success at Peck
ham The drink interests have lacked discre-
ton in Haunting their political power and
threatening II withdraw their subscriptions
from religious and charitable work IL the
bishops oppose them. The Liberals have great
moral issue in arraying public rights against
public house privileges and in insisting that the
state must control the drinking places. Tariff
reforrners are not helping their cause by
making breweries and public houses IRE
sponsbIe, protected interest, with evil resources
for carrying elections l. n. f.