THE LINKS THAT BIND THE EMPIRE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10887, 12 February 1901, Page 4

THE LINKS THAT BIND THE EMPIRE.

Is Imperial Federation premature? The question seems to have been discussed in the columns of the " Empire Review," by the Duke of Devonshire, and we are inclined to think that most of the conclusions ha arrives at will find favour with Colonial readers. " Any attempt," he saye, "to " define unity by pen and itfk and xmrch- '" men<t would be more likely to endanger '• rhan safeguard the Empire." While pronounced federatiionists will no doiibt vigorously challenge this assertion, it must' be evident that the present is not a suitable moment to set about the task of preparing a formal Ixmd of union between the Mother Country and her widely scattered dominions. And the reason is plain. The tiee which now bind the Empire—the bonds of kindred, cherished associations and common interest—are far stronger and more lasting than any tiocumentary form of written agreement could ever be; and to attempt to define tJhe basis of such formal agreement would ba to open tie door to the possibility and even .probability of disagreement. Moreover, after the recent splendid response to the call of the Empire from all quarters of the British Dominions, to suggest that the unity so . displayed should be defined in writing, is almost akin to asking for a written pledge in the case of a debt of 'honour. TThe colonies fully recognise their obligations to the Mother Country, and are prepared to fulfil them to the last fraction and something over, and it is an extremely inopportune time to suggest that the Empire could be made more united by means of formal undertakings and Acts of Parliament. The Duke of Devonshire is said to have dissented from t'he suggestion that 'tfhe Imperial Parliament should display greater interest in Colonial questions. This from one point of view is right. It ihas unfortunately happened in the past, <that almost invariably when the Imperial authorities bestirred themselves in <xftti{B&io>n with Colonial matters, they dlkV'the thing. In the early of thiis colony'j?>flistory this frequently happened, and if ftlhdse at the helm of State in Great Britain couU have heard the tilings said of them toy the men here struggling with the problems o.' early colonisation, their peace of mind would have been rudely disturbed. That' "the absolute internal independence of the autonomous colonies is a recognised condition of the existence of the Colonial Empire" is unquestionable, and any meddling with the existing conditions of self-government would be too insane an act for any British, Ministry now to think of for a single moment. But while the Duke of Devonshire may be perfectly correct so far, it would not, on the other hand, be a bad thing if British statesmen took steps to make themselves better acquainted with colonial questions. It is mainly due to the recognition by Mr. Chamberlain of the increasing importance of the Colonial Empire, that of late years the aspirations and feelings of the people in these distant parte have been better understood and more carefully considered. Mr. Chamberlain and some other Parliamentarians have seen the wisdom of studying colonial matters from the colonial, as well as tha Home, standpoint, and the consequence has been that the British Colonial Office nowadays is seldom at loggerheads with the representatives ot the colonies- It can do us no harm, therefore, if members of the Imperial Parliament "display greater interest in colonial matters," provided that they confine themselves to increasing their store of knowledge, and not interfering with our methods of government. There is one sort of federation which might be attempted—a federation of the Empire for trade purposes. In other words, trade reciprocity, preference for British goods and products throughout tb* Empire. Canada already gives preference to products from Great Britain, and the Premier of the Australian Commonwealth, Mr. Barton, in a recent gpeecli, held out a hope that at no distant date Australia would do likewise. To attempt a fixed and formal Federation in any other shape would, we are convinced, »>e a fatal mistake.