POLITICAL POINTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 18, 20 July 1907, Page 12

POLITICAL POINTS.

The women's party in tho Finnish Parliament has dTawu up its programme, of which the following is an abstract : — Equality of men and women who contiact civil marriages; marriageable ago, which is now fifteen, to be laised ; increased penalties for crimes against women*; curtailment of police powers ; illegitimate children to be placed on social and legal equality with those of legitimats birth ; widening of th.j sphere of omployment for women ; elaboration of the laws affecting women ; extension of woman suffrage to local elections. The instruction in so-called "patriotism" — bowing to one's own flag, etc. — an " Ameiican notion — has two sides. In Cannda it is found to be conducive to "swelled head" and open and ignoiant contempt of other nationalities. The other day, at Massay Hall, Toronto (says the Canadian Courier), during a camera, display, a coloured picture of the Stars and Stripes was thrown upon the soreen. It was a svwciul occasion for school children, and. thousands of the- youngsteis crowded the hall. When the picture appeared, they quickly and spontaneously hissed it. This was bad manners, and indicates that either the parents or the teachers of Toronto are lacking in that balanco and rostraint which should be characteristic of a British psople. If we hiss th& United States flag in this country, we must expect the Canadian flag to be hissed in ttlio United States." The "dynastic parties" in Spain (writes the Westminster Gazette) aTe aaid to have composed their immediate quarrel, to the great benefit of the nation and the Throne. The Ministry -will not insist on the confirmation by tho Chamber of thoso elections where the malpractices of its agents have been most conspicuous, and the seats thus vacated will be used to placate- cortain prominent Liberals who are urging their leaders to withdraw the p^arty from the procoa dings of the new Cortes. It is stated also that the Ministry proposes to go some way towards meeting the wishes of the "Catalanist" Home Rulers by conceding them a certain degree, not of autonomy, but of local management of their finances and of administrative liberty, subject ' to intermittent instead of constant control from Madrid. But the thoroughgoing "Catalans" will hardly treat such a concession more respectfully than the Irish National Convention treated Mr. Birrell's Bill. Five or six school teachers, a dressmaker, a clergyman's wife, and. a res-taurant-keeper are among the nineteen women elected to the Finnish Diet, which was formally opened on 26th, May. These are the first \vomen\members of Parliament in the world's history. The new Diet consists of a single- chamber of two hundred deputies elected by direct adult suffrage. The Senate, which consists of tho Ministers, .the principal judges, and other officials, drew up tac scheme, and the Tsar gave his sanction to it in face of the opposition of his advisers' In Russia. For long its fato hung in the balance, one effect of which v/as that the Diet made virtually no amendment in tho Bill lest-occasion should bo taken to veto the whole scheme. The Yorkshire Post notes as a curious feature that the extremest form of democratic government to be found in Europe — perhaps in any civilised country—has been established in tho dominions of the- .Tsar, and with his express sanction.' Tho Italian Ministry (writes the Westminster Gazette) is i threatened with a crisis. It has assented to a Parliamentary enquiry into the state and needs of tho Army ; meanwhile, it demands oight millions starling at once for pressing needs connected \vith,th© artillery and fortification. It is not stated where the forts are for which the sum is needed; •but the demand throws some light upon tho view held by military experts on the I relations with Italy's faithful ally and only possible foo. To save appearances, the sum is to be distributed over the Budgets of the. next ten years; but it is clearly desired that it shall' be advanced to the Government, and spont at " once. However, the committee has decided to grant only the minimum required for the most urgent needs of the army, and hag roconsidered and confirmed it 3 resolution. Tho Ministry deprecated this course in the chamber, and threaten to mak3 tho issue a question of confidenco. But it is hardly likely they will^go out if defeated. "Reconstruction" would be the more usual and probable solution.

Mr. Lewis Haiconvt's new and revolutionary Small Holdings Bill meets with sharp criticism from Mr. Walter Lon» and from The Times. Both strongly object to the principle of compulsion for hiring. Such compulsion, says Mr. Long, should bo confined to purchase. And if there is to be any sacrifice, The Times says it should fall upon the community as a whole, and not upon a single class. The Times also criticises the fact that the Bill does not promote peasant ownership, which Mr. Jesso Colling advocates "There are,, no doubt, advantages in an occupying tenure, and Lord unslow's Committee recommended that in certain casos and subject to certain provisions, an attempt should be made to introduce it as an experiment. The small landholder who is not an owner retains his capital , to stock his farm, instead of locking it up in the purchase of the freenoldf-Dul he is not stimulated by that 'magic of property' which many regard as tno best mcontive to labour that he can possess." Tho Globo declares that there are very grave objections to the machinery of Land Commissioners. The supersession of tho State Supremo Courts by the High Court (says the Melbourne Leader) is not by any means an unmitigated advantage. Tho doctrine of direct appeal has practically removed a large proportion of tho Supreme _Court business to the Federal arena. Litigants recognise the folly of taking an additional risk in the speculative- paths of litigation. The High Court has established a reputation tor overruling the judgments given by other tribunals, and has thereby offered an additional inducement for the transfer of business. If there is to be an appeal it is better to reduce the number of stops in tho process. The appeal jurisdiction of the State courts has, therefore, almost become a thing of tho past, and High Court judges are beginning to complain of the pressure of work cast upon their shoulders. If they were the only sufferers people might be inclined to sympathise very little with their tribulation. But the public 6uffer through the delays and attendant inconveniences. It is not to the general benefit that the- final court of appeal should be overburdened with work which might be done with equal satisfaction by other methods. The Supreme Courts of the States have not lost the corjSdence of tho community. In ability and legal knowledge the members of these tribunals are in overy way equal to those who have been appointed to the Federal bench. Tho State courts also aro more accessible, and tho cost of litigation will not be increased by tho frequency of postponement. Before the High Court was created the suggestion was offered that the State Supreme Courts might be utilised for Federal purposes. But this sensible proposal was overridden by Federal ambitions. Now it would seem a3 if the community were to bo called upon to bear a doublo burden — in increasing the number of judges in on&> diroction, and in tho other in I maintaining those who have no work to do,