THE EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 110, 1 February 1908, Page 12

THE EMPIRE.

SOUTH AFRICA. L Mr. John X. Merriman,' speaking on the links of uijipn between the British and Dutch, said, thero was nothing to prevent unification, which, however, lie supported on the grounds of economy. Thero must, ho declared, first, be 9 parliamentary confepnce between tj>c States, then a p.ppular convention, and, .finally, 3 referendum. While ho favoured moderate Protection against overseas competitors, he sjtrongly advocated Free jpternaiiy., , . ' CANADA. AND JAPANESE. In tjio Ppmijiion Houso of Commons Mr. Ralph Spjith, member for Nanaimo (British ■Cplumbia), nioved that steps be takon by the Government to restrict the influx of Oriental immigrants \to Canada, as v.-as done ii> the case .of jtjio Chipese, which, ho said, had proved satisfactory. Mr. Smith spoke ably and eloquently on the whole Oriental question. He took the ground that the subject. l was not only local, bPt a '! s .° Canajdiap'.,apd Imperial. \y)iat was Jiad for Britislj Cpljjmlua was bad for CaiJ.a-da, and what was batj for Canada was bad for the British Empjre. What weakened 9110 lipk in the bond of Empiro weakened the whole chain. The Oriental,quostidp yrps an Empire problem. •' Raco prejudices, said tl>e speaker,' were stronger'wjth the Oriental against'the Occi.deijtal than yico'.versa. During tho past 17jnoflths' 9000 Japanese, 1000 Chinese, and over 8000 Hindus had arrived in British .Columbia. Up till the time'the-Japanese .treaty jvas passed there was no necessity for furtjiej" restrictive' measures against , tho Japanese. Such restrifctiye. measures as then .existed worked well. .- \ Mr. Smith condemned those who entered juto contracts to bring Japanese to Canada when the United States had passed spcci&l legislation against the Japanese. It was an easy matter :to organise a-system of bringing them 'from'.'Honolulu to Vancouver. Tho Japanese- could not be brought'to the United States under contract; therefore, as.long as it was possible, they would be'brought to Canada. It sljould bo made impossible to bring Japanese to Canada under: contract'; and, Canada's immigration laws should' be •amended in this direction.. It should also bo impossible for any passports' to be accepted pxeept those straight from Japan. ; Mj\. Smith spolio of tho great commercial advantages ''with Japan 'which Canada wished 60 retain, while at tho :same .tiiiio possessing . restrictive 'measures'> against: any influx : of Japanese.' He approached tho question from this standpoint, ho said, and hoped the Gov r ernnient-would find a solution of the difficulty along these-lines. ' .- . Mr. Smith is - a Labour representative; whilst at the same' time; : supporting .Sir Wilfrid Laurier'and'lmperialism; s'o that his utterances. on this question;' aro all the more important. ' Mr.y Macph.erson ■ (Vancouver), who, as' bo said, lives in "a hot-bed of antj-Oriental-immigration feeling," seconded. tli'd resolution', and in doing so declared'that tho restrictive measures were in existence when 'the treaty was passed were satisfactory to him. '-. ' - - ' .

, Sir ."Wilfrid Laurier, the Premier, it was noticed, paid particular 'attention to the spsc-ch;Vo.f, Mr, ; -' William Sloan, member.. for Comox Atlin . (British' Columbia), ( whose speeches during' last'session .on tho"; inter? national fishery'question in the Pacific received tlie commendation of . Mr.' Root, "United States; Secretary of State, for the fairness which 'they'..displayed:. Mr. Sloan, •who'has spent some time 'in .Japan .andGhina, saidi ," in tho - course 'of . debate, that the most potent result of the influx .'_of .Japaneso' and other Orientals was to ' dis'courajjo settlers of tho white'race from going to British 'Columbia, vtho'great, natural resources.' of "y/liich" coiild be as well developed by white labour" as the other older provinces of,the ,Dominion. This >6uld result in a' ■morp equal division of wealth.' Canada had already'lost a large amount of- territory in' ;ihis North' and Spilth, through 'the indifference 'of''British . statesmen,-' and"'-' his'' (Mr. Sloan's) conviction was 'tiiat,' unless ' there vras a complete reversal of the present, policy of the Government, tho important-possession of British' Columbia, "from the' Roeky Mountains' t'o -the' Pacific Oceaii, would become a. ; colony, and- ultimately" a possession, 'of the '.United. Orient;'; •

' Mr. .Sloan quoted Count .Okuma tp prove that. Japan's 'ambitions extend fid - to y the Occident, and he added' that it was undeniable that the overflow 'would follow the lines' of the least resistance. While it was claimed i t-h'ai^—considerations of trade with the' Orient wore pf paramount, importance, results, in the opinion of the speaker,' had'not justified., thq contention; but as Prince Rupert'.becu-; pied ' a'' cpminanding position, being nearly 1000 miles nearer: the Orient than' Sari Francisco,and being backed by : tlie'grain fields of Alberta ■'and 'Saskatchewan; Canada ■ was hound,- to' command the > transpacific 'trade irrespective' of- Oriental.. restrictions. - Mr. Sloan; continued: — ! ' "If ; the United States is not ov.er trade relations ' with.' 1 ! the Orient, why should Canada bp? We . should not recede from our .position. Immigration to .this cpuptry should ''bo- ; controlled'' from within and' not -from "without.' \I : trust' that legislation will he' introduced this session with that ohd'- in' view.- ■ Other, self-governing oolpnies ■maintain t)iat ppsitipn,' and' that we, the 'connecting link pf British Dpmiriipn, should dp, likewise, is doubly • imperative. The problem is "one calling for 'the. highpsjk: statesmanship afid diplomacy, -jjotjj colonial; arid imperial.'' • CANADIAN INSURANCE. ' ■ '.Mr. W. S. Fielding,- Minister fpr Finance, introduced in Parliament tjie • Government's Insurance Bill. The measure is along the liues v of the Insurance Commission's report of last'year, but certain modifications have been madq, and it is not so drastic in some respects as Were the Commissioners' recommendations. —.The powers-pf the' Minister concerned anditHe Superintendent of .Insurance, in dealing with cpmpanies, are enlarged. For any-violation -of the Act, the .Minister' can cancel, withdraw, or withhold the cempany's license. The superintendent's powers pf inspection and auditing are' increased., ... - The trust funds of foreign companies must in future be placed in",the hands of an in; corporated board, and not, as now, "with individuals. Surplus funds arising out of deferred 'dividends must he distributed: every three years. No salary in excess' of £1000 • may be paid by the head office unless, voted by tho board of directors.. All salaries pf perspns drawing £800 arid upwards must be reperted to the Department, and must be published. ' : _ ', '" ■' ' Rebates are forbidden;'any manager or director having knowledge of a violation of this ; clause may \ be, fined £200, and aii agent or policyholder '£20 each. Pensions must be approved by the annual meeting. Voting proxies over two months old cannot be used for now'-, business. Old business must riot be paid fpr by new. Investments by,' Canadian and. foreign companies will 'be allowed in . Government securities; in " the bonds pf any company outstanding five year's, and which are secured, by 25 per cent, extra of the assets, and fan-which there'has been no default; alse in debentures' outstanding seven years; without default; also in Preferred stock which has paid a dividend of 4 per cent, for seven years, and/'in .Common stock, which has paid 5 per • cent, for ten years. Tho Bill was read a first time. The Bill covers both fire and life insurance. Tho principal. changes proposed are that lifo and, fraternal insurance are placed on tho basis of thq National Insurance Congress mortality table. Tho cpmpanies aro given fivo years in which to comply with tho investment requirements laid down in tho Bill, JAPANESE VIEWS OF INDIA. Tho "Japan Times" writes:—Wo have not infrequently heard from the lives of Indians sojourning in ' this country words more or less to this effect: "You fwvo dono well in Japan and inspired lis with now hope. Von are Asiatics and so aro 'we, and is there any. reason why we should not succeed as you havo done? But can wo do so in India? Wo are all so poor, Not that we havo no rich, and great' men, but thoy ore all bought ud

by tho English. Still ypu know how the Swadeshi movement is ' progressing and it shows what we can do. Besides, all right thinking people in the West aro in sympathy with our aspirations. Tlieso Indians appear very earnest and we bolievo they are so in confiding /to their Japaneso listeners their aspirations and And we make no slight of their sentiments, but wo feci it would be unkind for us to encourago them in these breedings; they will do no good to tlipjr 'country. Indeed,' wo should have all tho morp reason to discourago them, if the ideas and complaints they represent aro at tho. foot of disturbances which have'of late been reported from India with unusual frequency. -Whatever wo have thought and ilpno wp had tp'think out and do for ourselves'and'to forbear from any expression of knowledge wherever it coukl be fount). There is every reason to convince us that it, was this circumstance that brought u's tho moderate success we'new'piijoy. This being the case with us, all Indians wh.o complain of their present position raako their owii case tho worsp-r-for pity is near allied to contempt. _ Wo know very 'little about the Swadeshi movement, but in our experience ,we have found it most Important for the progress of' our country, to learn and get all that , tho West can teach us or givo us b.oforo shutting out foreign products—bfiforo w.e have 'mastered tho' art pf 'making them our? sejves. Tlje Indians come to us in search of our sympathy, but in tho manner they set abou't it they only fill us with' misgivings. Thero are no doubt'cases .of ill-treatmeijt'pf the natives bi-tho whites; but!the concensus of tho worlcPp opinion is that India "as a whole is better governed under the British r.han its teeming' millons have ever' been by iri'ljgenous rulers. N.or'.d.des anybody, even tbo niost biased friend, thiijl; that jthp viceregal reginio in India has any sepiblanco .to tl;o autocratic tyranny of Russia. Describing tho second day's meeting pf tho all India National" Congress at 'Surajb thp special correspondent of thp "Times pf India'' telegraphed on the evening of December 27 :~Thp'lndian National Congress is dead. . Mri-Tilak ' has wrecked ' it, 1 as . lie wrecked thp Sanvajaiiik Sabjia. Every sign there is somehow shows, that to-day's catastrophe had been carefiiily planned..' The forbearance of the Gujaratis is beyond praiso. Last hight their leaders, went about exhorting tho young' men to restrain themselves and to forbear from any expression of a violent character towards tho Extremists. At tho sitting hold to-day again and again excited yeuiig Gujaratis rushed on tho platform wlion Mr, .Tilak persisted in refusing to givo way to tho President, but the Moderate leaders intervened and beggccl them to leave him standing.' .......

It was only when a shoo was hurled at Sir Pherozeshah that the storm burst anil delegates jumped over the Press table and swarmed on to the platform and Mr. Gokhale was roughly handled; A'blow was aimed at Dr. Rash Behari Ghoso, when Mr. Piereo, of thp "Times of India," rushed to hold back the mail and stumbling over a chair received a bad kick'which stunned him.

The greatest indignation is felt and- Sir. Tilak- had to bo escorted out of the 1 camp under police protection. Stones wero thrown' at 'him and hut 1 for. tho police 1 lid js. sure to. have, been very badly handled'liy tho Surat populace.. The Congress is dead, the' split is complete, and the Moderate leaaer3 .aro deliberating t!o-day tho idea of holding a political convention of those only who subscribe to tho creed that 1 all reforms aro to be worked

for .in a constitutional manner and that present system of Government must bp tho basis of all further -reforms. i"

To-day's fiasco was not unexpected, though it, was not. expected that thero ;vould; bo blows.' After twenty-tliTee years the National Congress has come .to. 'a laipeivtablb end, amidst •' which 'reflect the greatest discredit on those 1 who have engineered tho..present -catastrophe. -. 1 It is noteworthy that maiiy pfitho -Extremists of Nagpur and l'oona camo , with / jathis and, judging from appearances,' several of these men wero mere desperadoes hired for such

an eventuality. . Tho general fdding of sadness at-the end of the Congress, is somo-,what-relieved by tho.feeling that' the air is cleared at last, that tliore-can be no further

connection between Tilak and the Moderate leaders, and that tho Extremists will not bo ablo to: skulk under cover of the Constitutionalists.

CANADA. Tlio "Canadian Gazette," in _.commenting on tho departure of. tlio - Attipricaii 'licet , for the.Pacific, says:—"For" Canadians,, tho salient iaob is that' her great'.' neighbour, whose territory and interests! touch hfer. territory and interests' at almost'! every'point; is asserting her naval predominance,' and assert: ing it in a region which will unquestionably bo.t-hosceno of'-tho •most.-' momentous trade competition of the near future. Tp 'Canada no less than to tho Uiiited (States* is''the. Pacific a home ' sea. :'. Canada has hpr owncommercial arrangements : with ' japan,, her own State-aided steamship connections with-, tho Far East, and her trade, across thp Pack fie must bo a material factor in her'national development. For the. defence of tli.eso, in-; terests Canada , now .' looks, - entirely tt> tho Motherland, and,-in the absence, of cp-opera-tivo naval defonce arrangements with tlio /British Admiralty, 'tho British warships in thoiPacific seas of the Dominion have given" place:to the warships of the "United.States, i Britain guards tho high seas ; Canada's coasts nobody guards. As tho Hon. J. H. Turner, British Columbia's ex-Premier, pointed out at the last gathering of the Canada Cliib, it is now United States and not British bluejackets who aro to be seen in British Columbia streets, This.is a..circumstance which: .'may; wcjl' mako: thinking ■■;'Canadians pause and reflect in view of tho national trade expansion for which both Canada and Japan are preparing, to say nothing of tho larger and ' infinitely moro'. difficult / problems' involved, in tlip Japanese_ immigration''- question "and tho whole relationship of Canada aud tlio United States on the Pacific coast, of thp difficulties of which the Alaskan boundary, dispute was'a recent indipatjon, ..Caii Canadians iauqh longer rest"complacent in their present position!"' 1 .. Referring to, the agitation for a reform of tho S.enate, the '/Montreal "All that is wanted to make the Senate equal in every way-to its" functions is to escape from, tho retarding rut of routine and from party enslavement. ? ' ,' ' Sir Thomas Troubrjdge is 'interviewing. Sir •' Wilfrid L'aurjer and' other Ministers regarding tho Black Sod Bay route for : the "All-Red" line.' ' He! sayVthat any project which does not include the -.Pacific will not be considered by Great Britain. Ho has discussed the scheme with the officials.' of the Grand Trunk and Canadian Pacific Railways at Montreal. 1 He declared emphatipally that tho British Government would do unable to carry tho subsidy, measure' without tho. support of tho Irish paj-ty. -.' : . INDIA. : ■ Conductor O'Doiinell, ono of the last two military .Mutiny veterans in Lucknow, has just died. 'He held'the Mutiny medal, with the clasps for Delhi and Lucknow, 'During tho siege of Lucknow he made a bonfire on thp top of the Martinjere.Fort; the welcomo' glare from which conveyed the first, news of the approaching relief to the beleaguered garrison. O'Donnell was accorded an impressive military funeral. ; ! Latest reports tend to minimise tho seriousness of .the incident at Villupuram. It appears that, though several persons were, injured in tho' disturbances, no one was killed. Order has now been restored.' Stones were thrown at the police in Cal : , cutta at the conclusion of a political meeting. When the police were returning to quarters they were'again pelted,' and the mob fol: lowed them, taunting them with cowardice. It is f&ared that unless severe means, of dispersing disorderly crowds are employed it will bo difficult for European polico 'officers to maintain order. , The period during which political meetings were prohibited in Calcutta having expired, largely attended meetings are again taking place in tlio northern quarter of the city. The speakers, howorer, aro not attacking the Government. At a. meeting of SOOO supporters of tho Extremist party, it was re-, solved to invito Mr. Lajpat Rai to bo President of tlio approaching Rational Congress, deputation will,ask,Dr. Rasfi Behari Gliose, the President-elect, to withdraw. Simultaneously a counter demonstration was held under .tho leadership of Surendra Nntli Banerji, who vigorously criticised the tactics of'tho Extremist party. Tho "Englishman" learns that Laipat Rai has refused to be President of the National Congress.