Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-04-09
ENGLISH REPUBLIcANlsM.
Looks Like British Empire Is Going
Toward Dennocracy.

Looks Like British Empire Is Going
Toward Democracy.
II ever the French have been puz-
zled by the strange and marvellous
ways proper to the "perfidious Albian,
writes Francis Warrington Dawson to
the News and Courier from Paris, they
are puzzled now over the British coal
strike. A strike which can paralyze
a nation, which can throw very nearly
two million men out of work, which car
be felt directly and indirectly in all
trades, and which can affect all classes
of the population to a greater or less
degree, that is the dream Of many
French Socialists, that Is the night
mare of many French capitalists, that
in short, Is a situation which France
could understand and either approve
or disapprove. But the rub comes with
the very smoothness of it in England
Such a state of affairs. and yet no vio-
lent agitation, no revolutionary move
ment, no stringent repression by the
force of arms; such a state Of affairs
and a government calmly negotiating
to right and left, failing, rejecting and
then beginning over again! That Is
where French imagination stops short
Thus, the press remarks daily that
trouble is imminent and inevitable
The remark has doubtless been true on
each separate occasion, as far as any
one could judge. But the days have
slipped by, running out to nearly three
weeks now, since the strike was pro-
claimed. Whatever painful or perhaps
tragic surprises tomorrow may re-
serve for us, the nineteen days al
ready passed TRANQUILITY in England
mark a period the like of which has
never been witnessed in France.
1t is wise to make that reserve In re-
gard to what tomorrow may hold; for,
to Judge by the news with which coll
umns of French papers are filled each
day, a prompt settlement could only be
effected on terms which would precipi-
itate graver dangers in the future than
even the ominous present can hold.
1t has not been forgotten here that
a few days before the strike became an
fact, that is, towards the
end Of February, the leaders Of the ex-
tremists in the Miners union actually
published a pamphlet proclaiming that
Il
the minimum wage, which they were In
a position to secure by the strike, was
only a first step, which would be fol-
lowed shortly after by a seven-hour
day, and when this was achieved, 9TH
er measures would II necessary be re-
sorted to, rendering coal mining so on
erous for capitalists that state owner
ship would come as matter Of course.
Nor is 1t forgotten that the other trades
unions announced that they would wait
for the miners to win out for the min
imum wage, and then they would strike
for 1t, too; and they also acknowledged
that they were working towards state
control.
SO lIldl, lSdNlIl6 dSluC lhS quSotoh Va
rights and wrongs, there would seem
to be little doubt that, by giving sat-
isfaction to the miners now, the gov
ernment would open a period Of long
and serious agitation which would
transform the so-called Liberal gov
ernment into something 80 nearly ap-
Socialism that 1t would
scarcely be reconciled with a mon
archy.
1 would remark here, parenthetically
that when 1 was last in England, in
the autumn Of 1911, several prominent
Liberals admitted to me that they per-
sonally were working for a republic
and were using the reform of the lords
and like measures to pave the way for
II gradually. The attachment Of the
British nation as a whole to the name
Of monarchy was such, these people
that any movement which
should assume a frankly anti-dynastic
character would be bitterly opposed
even if it's other principles were ac-
ceptable. The proper policy was con-
to mask the real object be-
hind the measures which were fairly
sure to win appreciation, and when ev-
erything was accomplished, and ev-
cry position won, the mask could then
be thrown aside and the last act Of up
setting the throne would be compare
lively simple.
Those speaking thus did not commit
their associates even as individuals, and
they were still farther from stating
that this was the aim of the Liberals
as a party. For some time l confess
had my doubts as to the applied i'm
portance Of the admission made to me
by the unities in question. But 1 must
say that the course of events since
then has inclined me to believe that the
Importance is great, and that If not the
Liberal party as whole, then at least
many influential members of it as in
are truly working behind a
mask to overthrow the British throne
at such time when long and careful
can lend to the act the ap-
pearance of a spontaneous assertion OF
the nations will.
without inquiring into the motives,
collective or individual, of the Lib
erals, the thinking class of Frenchmen,
schooled by their history to know the
ways which lead to upheavals as well
as the consequences which are precip-
itated, see the gravity of the future
which looms ahead Of the British mon
archy And this eXcites much feeling,
not that the form of government In
England is of such vital interest to
France, but that the organization for
which that government stands cannot
suffer without plunging Europe into
difficult to gauge, but
very serious.
For one thing, the opinion of a note
worthy element in France Is that an
empire constituted as Is Great Brit
aims could not be held together under
rule. Frances own colonial
enterprises have been remarkably sue
cessful, so far but she has to deal with
alien races treated half aS subjects