BRITISH AND FOREIGN PAGE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 193, 9 May 1908, Page 10

BRITISH AND FOREIGN PAGE.

CURRENT TOPICS.

i.'v: Hie Political Outloolt. ; "tn prescnco of fundamental duTor- ' • it wjll bo impossible to maintain the • old unity -of tho Liberal patty," writes Mr Hector Macphtrson, m tho "Glasgow Herald." "In order to maintain their position tho Liberal loaders will bo'driven to conOihato still further the working clais voters , by legislative measures of.a;'sfm);SMiali?t na- :'.; turo—measures which will naturally ■nb tho middle classtw, .who, without. nccosSarily. becoming Tory, will act as a disturbing factor at general' elections. Tho elements of ?:V' -disruption aro present, riiady to buret forth. It is to bo feared that tile Liberal party lias ■; / gone-too far qn tho road to Socialism to re-, ,-' •"" traco' itsVtcos.■ Under such circumstances the. , loaders ciWnot hcipo to proventHho ; splitting up of ill 6 nfiTty into groups, after thofashion of Continental Ihe .troth has to ba faced that the great Liberal party is lilio.yto bo 1 educed to impotence through the. pro* ■ -sonce -lnMts ranks of men. holding antagonistic .idea]!j and -advocatine discordant -vions.. What, th6n",'iS'tlio outlook' In the absence > ,rof any external -coi9Dhcations,T which .migh.t unite thO natriots on- tWvbfcSi's of. patriotism,, - wo fcar-tliat by means ■ of, jylijnee tno Lao- ! . i oiinsts-p.ncl tho Home w'iil.hold ( ■ tho balance' of power, and not ad-:: vanee their own interests: th(jy^will. I 'at least' ■ : mako it'impossible for tho two.'hrstbnc|par'-. " . tits toexqrcisP any real legislatiro",'power. ■v v It', will' not be -at all astonishing ifyOUt'-'qc tile political , chaos of tho next'. fow' 'Jeaf? - there should arise .a new party-composed'of •" Conservatives and Liberals who, alarmed at . ' tho prtgress of Socialism;' are determined. ' :to sink purely historical distinctions ; and : stand: forward in defence of the principle of • •/ ,■ It will* not bo surprising if. -: out 6f tho turmoil thoro should . arise , a".'hair ■f- ioflal party, preserving' for the nation the ■ • permanent elements m our political life—tho. sturdy' individualism of Liberalism, and. the ■ • vivid sense of national greatness and contin- ,' uity which. we owe to Conservatism." : t A Cfcntro Party. • .Tho '■'' Spectator " has cbmo' to. . , "elusion thafc.tho formation of a Ceritro party • ' will 'Vprovo the',;best solution .of ipresent dis-!' contents, and:, difficulties': —At : , present,n thei' Liberal -Government, are ■ not only., engaged v in trying -to"pass 'a' batch of chaotic measures •sc.- -in. regard to. tho details of which'therems ■no ■ Nmall amount of r doubt and - perplexity .!. among their,followors, but arc-also getting : v. 1 committed to financial engagements; winch if ■; ■ earned through. :must lav tho-most -serious i burdens, upon •. tho taxoavers,. and., involve' the national finances in hopeless; confusions r .. To be specific,, wo should be.by- no :inoahA surprised if,: when- tho Government' schemc . , .for old-age:pensions:and for paving for those -pensions- is submitted to Parliament, > it • is - i . : found that it is either utterly impracticable, or else ,tfill, involve burdens. so hoaVy that ■ there will lie a revolt against it of o most v. senona .kind. : .It is very eharactofrjstie'of v ; ■ Ehglishmen. to: seem to sivei aspcjit' )iV"t"rle, . abstract to daligerous political nroposalsybnt . to draw back from , thehi ill indignation .when thev. sto presented m concrete, form.' But *.'• if ■ the Liberal party and> tho "Liberal Cab-'. ... -.'.met break un over old-ago T pensions,- on# whole. paVty, System-.wi11.-bo lVtho.'ntoltingpot., and,m that case the ooportunity which . wjll. mains possible the formation of a Contro - party . will have anSen; {Remember that ,if this, opportnliity rftcpursj: Sind '.jf a CfentW :*: u - , party comes into bfeino:, it would verv ~<"^! : 3oon: gather strength." -:.The " Spectator " u ~i. aski thosbnv>o are in favour of a Centre \*>:.--.-v party; to l He patient for the .time,' and ■ to.iwait th*ir opportunity.

"The Aristocrats of Japan.—" Although Japan has.wme of tho; elements of.' ihoMMn-.' stitution.al government -with vwhich :wo ;»ro, •familiar, it would bo a great mistake to draw inferences as to. their 1 polity l from oiir' own,>i' , writes ,the .'"'Times." •..,'.'..Tho .time'isiiwitirihi , „. the remembrance 6f rmany.'.meit;;iio\y IJ'V.mg. ..when Japan was outside world/and wlicn the •; cusoms „of-Europeans ; )rere'V^en'''ffi)re'..>t¥- ; ■known, to tho Japanese'.' Tho:'; %oiderfuP . awakening of Japan ;h:is been> t due* 'aliposb • • }Y: - entirely' to ,the. patriotic. and stout-Hearted' . ;^^./^lnen;of'theK•^o^m•arlstocrdcy^<l %h^^il^:piae^; .■■■, '■/.to givo ;tlieir. country.. tho position;'-ini'tli's .world and-tho civilisation ..t6.:»#hicK' H-Key .., ->• ...aspired,: sacrificed their. o\rii'Safes'-intcrobtii, : their wealth, and in. many, cases :th'elr';liv<a?tO'bring about . the needetT 'revolutipn. j Is.' it > • /wonderful that tho .survivors oF'sneh ■•■should, still ,have a power afidrafi'thority-iii' tho Empire far more.potent;.thait."ahy3Cote" y• '..stitutionaKMinisters or' the "Parliahieni, of .. ..• which they are-m a very real sen So" the 1 authors? Constitutional : ' L 'gbvdrnmteiit;. ' has . only boen festablishod .in Japan for sotho »■ eighteen years, while.it is more thanfort? •: since theso men began ■ their great' struggles ■.-,. for reform. The few., that, aro-left'al ; o coiisuited by their So\ereign in' .air Matter's ..that i affect the Empire, alid; since he has the ab- .- . solute executive power, and a ttstf real'con-*' / • trol over legislation, 1 it is obvious 1 , that their i approval or* disapproval-<jf'ia Ministry, is' all-;. ■....:: important, and ■ that■; ; iiifiuciico; to a ' groat extent neutralises the' efftct of. party, government. It sebms: ; pOSsil)le'.that; eveii' when the sadly diminishing band of veterans- ■ L j,-. ..frOm ,the glorious days of'fegeheratioii Ims' ■.•finally-.departed, there may still.b'e a; caste" ... .; of statesmen, educated by tlicVn to an uiidef- - -standing'of/their ideals and:'of'ali thte •' ar-' ..': ... cana; imperii,'; ttho their, peculiar and almost sacred power, in tho: State ..... and pemanenbly neutiraliso .ths' party' govornihent." •• '!>:■ ■/'■• •;

-The Licensing Bill.—Referring to '.the; Licensing Bill, the "V Guardianstates:— The-brew'ors.'have' .unanimously. t ' decided, iwhile tho Bill is Irefore Parliament, :to with-.-hold all . subscriptions to. religious, charitable)". '/ ' and social objects, and- to coiicentrate' their, resources upon the "protection -of' their own' •.. interests. 'With this decision, despite its absence .of magnanimity, we see no reason to ; quarrel—men who are attacked must,- within ■y-.'vcertain-''limits,' "be .allowed to: choose ~ the weapons with which they 'will defend tliem- : ' -pelves. When, however, tho. brewers go-be-yond the; ordinary rights of ■ self-diMice,' • arid endeavour to brine pressure to bear •upon the - :(aureh t of England by . threatening, T in the :.-. event 'or. .the - Bill becoming law,'■ to withdraw" their support ot religious and educational ob-, • • jects, it. is.(time, to ; Speak plainlyr ; Sueh' ■ : -.threats have, during the last few-'days, bien made in unmistakable terms, aiid it is well to say at or.ee that nothing would be better calculated to, deprive . those who* make the'm .' of the'sympathy of Church 1 people-.-■ -TO'i'say' that many brewers are Churchmeii' and . gdri'•;V erous. subscribers to religious objects is noth r ing to the point. They migliVbe ,'all that, . .'' ". and J'et have a bad case,, As it happeiis, tliby ' have a good orie> vis-a-vis this Bill, which is . opposed by Cliurch people because it is ihijust in; itself and unlikely, to do much to -i ' advance the caufee of temporance. The conseiemees' of Clmrehmen aro neither to bo,

! bought nor to be influenced by thioats, and . Y~ only 'refc<intly the Primate liiade the position perftfctly clear when, addressing a deputation' W A of teraperaiico 1-eformers at Lambeth, he referred tb; the hints which: _lidve liow been; - v translated ' into plain English.:: '.' Lot us' 5 : . niako it 44 plaift as words can make itj" said the Archbishop, . " that We da fiot ivant ohe : halfpenny to be "giveh to ; us .by anybody if thov. imagine that by SO • giving' it; tho'y.; call mate us, abate a jot 111 our erideaybur? .that we make- for the' caUSe which'w'c„h6idi sodear." 11l this matter the Church of EngV ■; land stands fcir'justice aiid fair, treatment,' . and its opposition to the Bill is based'solely . upon, its inherent injustice upbn;> thefact that it is a measure for inent of political' opponents'fhther -iliany.fijr tho inculcation of tc'.nperauce. ' Ifrib ieali bo so amended as to i)rod»cc a fair:, settlement as between the btate arid those: Vbb,ttirectly ■or indirectly, arc 'interested in licences,, and Substantially to encourage tcmthat opposition Will .be remot'ed. But : tbo ultimate attitude of the Cliurch will be determined by other, and ivorthior considera- '; vtious than fear for' the loss of BUbsoriptiona.'!

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v,-. Lords.and Commons.—" Thero are few who would not prefer to bo an M.P. rather than ',ft„EQ?r,-"„)yritQs the Duko of Argyll in tho j'Pall Mpjl Magazine" for April. '.'There is all tlio di&efoiico between youth and agd; Thd-Hou§e"of-"Commons' is invigorating and youthful:; tho" House of, Peers is depressing and .nged; ...You hear ihore fun in tho.Com...morii!■■ in afi .evening than you do in tho Peoii' .library .iii 1 a lifetime. It is 'an- unfounded '.'assumption that tlio Peers havo It' is true that, as in tho Cohimons,:.» mini may ' take'it easy,'; and tho abstention ,'frioui, much talk either in the . Hojjspi v pr. .atJpijMic party meetings is not the least vaiuaDip ( ;mia]ity or many of tho Such eomparativo detachment is mord' favourable for, tlie formation of a; cool 'judgment''thaii: is tho ' hack-in-harn<iss' Condition ' 'of ■ irimd/ovolved by the; crack of tho Party : Whip.; ; Independence and individual jt%ight a-j;o npt bad olo'qients in a chamber of, .rpvisipit.,; $f).r is it by any means incon-. yeniCnb to liav6 t a number of .men from whom c'Sn"l>c*sol&fctl the. committees which, have "ttf o wbiElr:6vid&'icD and report, on' the many matters 'f,waiting their ■ decision. No ono. need' imagine that bccauso the Lords mcot lator and' rise earlier than (fo_; tho Commons iho , output: of .work , is less.' .The 'Work of their-tongues is often, less. Tho ..work of their brains;;ia.- often—well,''let us say, f-o 'be' rdspcctful—equally great. An Upper House, it may bo, should always* power of: asking that; tho .people consitjci; again th 6 ovidenco - on;' any ;important question'beforo they finally";con-' . firni. '6r ;; their '.judgment formed 1 on .first impressions. This is.. the lesson_taught and.'vmaintainpd, by all, the great English- , speaking'democracies,": Modcrn-Tliousht.—lll a review of tlio Bis-, -hob-ypf.: Birmingham's on " Tho Now Tlieology-j and the Old 'Religion," " Public Opihipil.'ll'statcsßi&hop Gore declares that "jt "is : ivftfiifehe- wholo of human experience and lcnowiedgdiand belief/ and not ,only with tho -of scienco, that philosophy- ' alid'jMigioji different 'ways are, concerned.' ;^'ns^^if^Md' / thought '.of'pliilofeppiiy; appears.' in 'our day to be rovort-' iiig 'vory. generally ;to a' sjiiritnal interprota-. : ti6n of .'the.iinivorse.. This Lboliovo to be the caso . Europo. and-'•America.' 'Ini Franco there-'is,' I f am inf6rmedj-;a notieOable 'revival of-'t-ho intellectual autlrority, bf -P(b-J d of tlie; of'.! the ..sphere 'of- science;-, pi'qperl.y called, and an opan door for" rca.sonable./faiiiji". What/is.plaiii -to seo is tliftt has., in .quite recent-years 'been a rdmar.kabJtj.gTOup of: distinguished' men', of letters. . in; . 'J'rance-rßrdheticro,' Huysmans, Bdurge'{,\'Co'ppee, Verlaino, have .beeii c'ouycrtod, and havo proclaimed their co.nyeisifl'pj ./frpm extreme Hostility' to l-pli-j»ion, arid', devoted 'member.sliipl Church;; This has ar-: .'.'rested,".th4,",inierest of'-Europe-.' • 111 England faith'of ..the. bip■l'ogist -Georgo-R-omanes on groilndg.' which' received, alMncompleto ,but very, iliteresting , statement 411; 'his .fragmentaryTlioughtKon ■Rpligibn;'.:;haß been .follotved ..'more'-' recently: by a>ainiiiar :i'eturn described 'by Mr.. George . Palmotii;!.jn.iiis Progress.' ;And the/..progress and recovory .dpspribqfl■' jiu-ji-JißSp. .liooks. is typical of a -very, ,far. at least •as >the' : ac/;. /fleptanepvof/a> spiritual Viow •of tho: w'oi:ld/,is'' ~cpucorJ3ed..",; , v,;i ~ • ;

• iho.v Plains of Abraham l lire crowned with till-sorts of beautiful i including ami a s factory (writes.. Mr. Kipling in,'' Morning Post"): dalm's :l«ftt/W»Bg.-'-ia marked :by thegaolj and Wolfo'sijiglite.by. Tliel-e' i 9, .happily, iMTf.kaa'moveinbnt 011 Vfoot'to. abolish : thpse '-adoyiinriuts -'and 'turn tho'' battlefield • a park, Wfiicn"!# would; b'6. : ono of; tho :i» our; woHd.- .'yet/'.iij Bpite ;.ofj;gaolS oniLthe' One sideband/convents oil -the'(rthcrsotad tlia thin . black.'.'wf'eck j>f .the Quebeolllailway Bridge,, lying, like .a. .dumped. MaHloacl!ofrtili;'caris,in tho.river; tho Eastern.. .Gate: t(r: Citnada is lioblo with a dignity b6•yohd'rwords! *>We saw ityo'ry :oariy,; when the i iofiithe. clouds ..'.turned. chilly pink . :'6vfe?; a'.iliighrpiled, brooding, dii&ky purple ; :oityj?:JwsU at-tho.point of dawn ( what looked like -tiic'.iSultail Rarun-al-Raschid's otirn pfivatOAJshallwiy all "spangled .with', coloured ' lights;^'Stplb across ; the iron-grey water, and •'dißUppsaredMhto tho darkness of a slip." ; tifNorway.—Captaih. .William: : "Aaainsj^bf^ine' Moiiiinfj, together. with iCapj-., ' ~ JJi'Milne^-of ithri Eclipse 1 , cpmuiiitlore ; fleet, have received at • • .of. Norway the hofiaur. '6f k'nigMhbbd;'.an.:.recognitiori of' merit,-in ' 'cbnft'ect'ioii !ivi£h services • rendered to' Captain ;;M ! who'was the : first, to ..llav-. ■ ■-'igSte-4 : sfiip~ through the ■ North-VYesfc Pais-, Sagd.'• To..both gentlemen the 11 Nautical! its ospo- ; the:service been' rendered to bur OWn country,;. thfe recognition. they would h'fiv^receive iwotild'havo been of much less- ; :dSgYeet"', ;'commented'mow. than is set-byfor'-eicii, msriifrno. countries in: enco'uragiiig, in 6V(^' : and m6rchant sSa--1 'W4Vt'"'.CAptam'Amundsen paid a. special' visit information before, starting on' his'famous expedition to -.the Magnetic pole' througli 'the; North-West Passage; a feat . whiclV'Jiai'only.' once . been accomplished: Jloth] CaiH : can-fed■ stores ; ,'thi oHbt'ditipli j* .' and established a /'depot.' n 'AdijraS '.Has' further distinguishes! liimsdlf 'ih'.a .very notable' way by-'acts of g&l- ---. Jantfy ; and: humanitjv During lliis 'seafaring ! '.career' ho'.Vhas,, been ' instrumental in saving . ,iio'':.fe\yo'r,', tj\an. ninety-one lives. on 6 minif he ■ saved' from; drowning by jumping' over-board:'iti..m'id-bcean,'and in"another;cab. he- - .f-eSciied a man.'who ,Was in peril of drowning ; , in' hitrbour. V /

ft. Creak ,Orientalist.—Sir Le'pel .Griffin,', a ; distinEuis|ied--inoinber of:.. the Indiaii. Civil lOTryioe,-'has'just died. .Ho was born in 1840. V.frhe,iTimes''o.^ys"Ho had .a reputation . in, ids'. Service Jar. oxoeeding tho rank ho actually attaine<l. At one time tho most covetedposts soeined -well within his grasp, and he Was as perhaps tho most brilliant t-ccruit of his generation, Though ho retired without- reaching the status of a lientenaiitgoy&riior,,lie,.will be long remembered for his' bxceptionfil .capacity and .great versatility. As tfli admirnßtrator ho,was Vigorous and out-' write-with' force and-direct-.hiKjs;. and.;speal> with fluent grace; ho'had .the faculty. °f judging men with unerring cer- < tainty, ■ and-Tie w«is .unusually popular 'with .ImliKn'Princes.and chiefs. Essentially a'niaii M the. ivorld,-liis. marked aiid attracti've ch'a.vactoristios soQn mado'him conspicuous, while his prompt decisions and ready resource we-n - hinT rapid promotion in his earlier years."" ' Liberalsand Socialism!— Mr. Geoi-so Whiteley, M.P.j Chief Liberal Whip,, spiking; at-Pudsey On March 14, said thdt tho past Week had; shown that in the bulk of tho ■Liberal party'there was as distinct a" difference between what ; they uleant by working cla&s,'-'democratic legislation and social, reform and .;the Socialistic doctrines of Mr Ramsay Macdonald and Mr. Victor Grnvsonfes there! had /been in tbo past between Libera ism and . Toryism. Fifty or sixty Liberals--...'certainly went ' into . tho lobby ngailist the -Government on tho Unemployed Workmen; Bills but the vast bulk of these .ho,; knoiv; them intimately—were Liberals of a. good typo and as full of forvoii" ,fts. any,, member of tile Government. x There ■was •ajsmall'section of Liberals, however, at tComnipns who were always i.u a ~state',.of 'semj.-^cialism; men who, elected as Liberals, --thought they were entitled, to run . with»/tho liaro. and hunt with -the SocWistic.i.l'tHl-nds;, men who, Wedded -to Liberaljsm;.; felt ;.they 'wero entitled' to philander and , flirt with certain elements of Socialism .im. Jifilef t-o better sceuro their " wttgfthcir , Constituents. But they God •and i Mammon, and if "the ;country jbegan to think that the Liberal party was'.ac£uftteil ; by, or even tainted with. Socialism,, .would be ( a split in , tbo party of tliQ deplorable kind, and they would lose' the vart bidfc of ,the ;moderato opinion wluoli'liad been -the' backbone q! Jaberalisih„forjMy yoaw- ' ■■-