PASSING EVENTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4467, 21 September 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

PASSING EVENTS.

'(From the "Now Zealand Mail.”) History is philosophy teaching by examples. —Thucydides. Suffering beneath so distressful and grievous a calamity, sympathy, as spontaneous as it is universal, has been expressed for the relatives, friends and countrymen ' of President McKinley. The civilised world has been shocked at an outrage alike purposeless and unwarrantable. Millions anxiously watched, so to speak, by the bedside of the late President during the week of his greatest trial, and were moved to sympathy for a noble wife and a sorrowstricken people. The inhabitants of all lands were first outraged at the news of the assassination, next buoyed up by the hope of Mr McKinley’s recovery, cheered by a momentary rally, and then saddened by the inevitable relapse and the sorrowful yet withal noble end. As they read the daily and final bulletins containing brief bub able wordpictures of the President’s illness and his dying, noting the bravery and patience of the sufferer, many would be disposed to exclaim- in the language of Scripture, "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into thy rest.” For such a man it is the duty of civilisation to mourn,, and to offer such consolation as is possible to the bereaved American nation. Yet the people of the_ United States ought to rejoice that their country hag been able to produce a President McKinley, He may not have exhibited much of the genius of statesmanship, but he set a good example by his pure life and upright conduct to all the world, and he earned a good name, which is, after ’all, above all other considerations and accomplishments. No people may be rewarded as decadent when men of. Mr McKinley’s stamp are produced among them. It is the production of Euch men that makes nations great and keeps them so. Abundant testimony has been paid to his unbounded courtesy and consideration for others, and this is no place for such displays as the rhetorician can offer. When his senators wept as children at the announcement of his death, the commonplaces of ordinaiy eulogy stammer with shame at their own ineptitude to adequately tell LW this man was beloved of all men. None knew him but to love him. None knew him but to praise. It is forty years since as a_ volunteer he offered his services to his country, and no one at that time would have dreamt of his ever being called upon to lay down big life amid the consummation of hig highest hopes and under circumstances so shocking and outrageous. But now hig life’s work is over. His country accepted his services _ forty years ago, and he has been untiring to promote the well-being of twice fortac millions of his oonUtrymyn, cejncnt’nc: and harmonising 'all their varied and conflicting interests by a career the dominant oßaFacEeristlo whion’ TJtfeo fhoughWiTnessT for others. Although civilisation has suffered by the untimely fall of President McKinley, its onward and upward march cannot be stayed; neither will the American people -lose faith in themselves or in their institutions in the paroxysms of their grief. Colonel Roosevelt has assumed automatically the duties of the late President, and being a man of 1 culture, high purpose and proved administrative ability, he will steady and support the nation in one of the severest trials that over befell the American people.

What system of land tenure any country adopts ig usually determined by the people, although there are instances in which their rulers have decided for

them. In this country various systems are open to intending settlers, and it appears from the figures laid before the Premier by Mr Hogg the other day that the freehold system is most popular. Mr Hogg pointed out that during last year some 1214 settlers had taken up 412,042

acres either on the freehold system or

with the right to purchase. In contrast with this, some 295 persona had taker up 97,138 acres under the leas* in peirpetuity system. Thus if the transactions of 1900-1901 are to be looked upon as indicating the trend of land settlement, and there does not seem to be any doubt on this point, then the freehold system is, in danger of undermining the lands for settlement system of tenure. Now popular opinion is fairly divided on the question of whether the leasehold or the freehold system is more advantageous to the State. When the individual has the option of deciding for himself, he invariably prefers the freehold, and wo do not uoub{i that every State tenant would if ho had the opportunity and the means at his command convert his leasehold into a freehold. It may bo mere sentiment, but the desire to possess a piece of ground that on* may fall one’s own from the heavens to' the centre of the earth is strongly embedded in human nature; and even' those who urge the advantages of leasehold over those of freehold usually profen a freehold for when it comes to their door as individuals to determine. Then the stimulus to labour is reckoned to be’greater in a freeholder than in a leaseholder, and there is no reason why the State should not afford ample opportunity to settlers to produce by their labour the utmost their lands will yield. If the ■ land is raised in productiveness under freehold tenure, then the State is advantaged; if men will. only use State leaseholds as stepping atones to freeholds, the leasehold lands may become rapidly exhausted. Again, if under a system of revaluation State leaseholders are assessed upon the increased value the land has received from the effects of their husbandry. then they will either demand a right to convert it into freehold or bo allowed to retain some portion of the advantage which the unearned increment has provided. Parliament has determined that lease in perpetuity shall be the system’ under which its recently acquired estates shall be held, but it may happen that the tenants will demand the right to acquire the freehold, and. since the people’s wishes must bo obeyed by Parliament, politicians of the future may be found ready and willing to change •ran the tenure of the Lands for Settlement Act, In dealing with its tenants the Crown will in the futnra have trouble if it begins to meddle with the system established. If periodical revaluations are permitted l>y way of amendment, then this may lead to a further amendment and freehold tenure be allowed. Indeed, the members, of Parliament who waited on the Premier pointed out that the granting of _ so many freeholds was likely to undermine

the very system the Stats has been at so much pains to establish. &till it was Cot shown that even this condition would amount to a calamity. It may be under the circumstances very Undesirable, but it the State limits the area held by any single individual and prevents the aggregation of large estates, it may bo an advantage to the State were every man to become his own landlord. It is now a generation since the Russian serfs were made free labourers and granted areas of land in their own right, and by their industry and effort that country is to day a competitor with ourselves in dairy produce on the London market. Small proprietors made France, as they are now helping to make Russia. Had it not been for her small freeholders France would have sunk beneath the load of the German war indemnity. The agrarian outrages in Ireland have been extinguished by the Irish Land Act of 1881, under which Irish tenants could become their own landlords, or freeholders; and while Irishmen work as tenants landlords are prevented from instituting a system of revaluation by which the tenants would be rack-rented. Whatever increase in value is given to an Irish tenant’s holding by the application of his capital and labour, it is now beyond the power of the landlord to raise the rent on that account. Thus the Irish tenant seenres the fruits of his own industry till he may he enabled to buy his farm, the value of which is under such circumstances capitalised on the original rent basis. The tenants of the State in New Zealand may agitate for suoh advantages as Irish tenants now have secured to them, and none of the members of Parliament who waited upon the Premier with respect to this question would deny to New Zealanders similar privileges. If they would prevent the freehold undermining the tenant system, they _ must educate the people on the superior advantages of the leasehold, and that will be a long row for them, to hoe.

I The war in South Africa is now being pursued with more of that military dash and brilliancy than characterised the operations in the earlier months of the conflict. Lord Kitchener is aggressive. iHe has drawn a cordon right across the 'north-eastern portion of Cape Colony, |and is gradually forcing the invaders 1 back into northern and desolated territory. The Commander-in-Chief is deal,, ing more drastically with rebels and traitors than formerly, and several hangings have had a salutary effect upon those Boers who, having yielded, were prone to take up arms in violation of their oaths of neutrality. Lord Kitchener is forcibly telling the.rebels that they cannot with . impunity loot peaceful colonists’ property, and in compelling the attendance of “suspects” to thise ordeals he is helping to spread the intelligence of his methods among the Boers still in the field. That this is necessary is regretted, but the warfare has reached such a pass that the severest tpsthods are the most merciful. Some rebels captured the other day with Scheepers’s commando agree in stating taat the Boers in Northern Cape Colony <are ready to surrender, and had actually agreed to do so by a fixed date. While the strength of the enemy is being withered up in the iron grasp of ; Lord Kitchener, ag Lord Milner recently observed, the Boer emissaries in Europe, Dr Leyds and others, are appealing to the Powers for arbitration in tb* disputes that led to the war. They are too late. The Boers lost their opportunity. to arbitrate when they sent Great Britain that famous, ultimatum and rushed across the border of the Transvaal into British territoiw in the vain hope that they would drive the rooineks into the sea before the British could reinforce their South African garrisons. Still Mr Kruger hugs his delusion. Speaking last month to an interviewer, he declared that “wo were not the aggressors.” Then, criticising the vigorous war policy of the British Government, the ex-President said “the hanging of rebels, so far from intimidating the Boers, would stimulate them. Nothing more useful to our could be done. ‘ From the blood of the _ marjtyrs spring up the avengers.” This deluded old man says much to the same . effect, hut all his utterances now are 1 the irresponsible , ebullitions of a garrul- ' ous, enfeebled and despairing despot. If it were not pitiable it would he amusing to hear Mr Kruger say,. “No halfmeasures—no s 6 mi-iudependence—will he accepted by my people. W° cannot treat with Great Britain unless a complete amnesty is secured to all Afrikanders.” ■ Thus Mr Kruger is forcing upon the British a war of extinction, of .' which ho himself once spoke in terms ' of pride and exultation when he looked upon that as the fate of our fellowcolonists in South Africa. “

The discussion in the Upper House on the subject of tobacco-smoking wag lively and interesting. It is evident -the majority of Councillors delight in, pipe dr S cigar. It is against the “vicious and deadly” cigarette-smoking, as indulged in ■ by boys, that these “learned lords” nave set their faces. Their determination has everything to commend it. The ancient Jews considered all their young people as children until they attained the age of twenty-one, and so prohibited them from using certain commodities in general use by men and women. The injunction to train children in the way they I should go is not usually considered neces- ! sary of enforcement np to manhood, yet I if boys are prevented by law from | smoking until they are over sixteen years I of age, it is not likely that there will ' be so many adult smokers in the next i generation. But some contend that the indulgence destroys the mind. While it is beyond questionthat .tho habit of smoking cigarettes is baneful to growing lads, we are pot among those who go the length of asserting that the habit even indulged in to excess will lead to insanity,' unless it ho regardedas an evidence'of imbecility to indulge in anything to excess. The people of New Zealand are not, however, so heavy smokers as the inhabitants of Northern Europe (Great Britain excepted) and ttho United States. The Dutch consume * nearly seven pounds of tobacco per head per annum, the Yankees about four and a half, and New Zealanderg only a little over two. According to statistics, both Dutch and Yankees consume most tobacco by way of pipe-smoking. Some assert that the inhabitants of Holland and the States havertaken to pipes because there is more “smoke” for their money in that way than if cigars were used, but the same may be urged against ’ smokers in all countries. The cost is, of course, a factor in determining the prevalence of a luxurious habit, but to many their pipe has become as great a : necessity as oeer or whisky has become ito others. And that reminds us that ! the ‘‘Lancet” .has discovered that nicoitine is not now the injurious poison in

tobacco, but a substance known as pyridine, which is produced .by the burning of almost any vegetable fibre; also that fusel oil in whisky is no longer the harmful substance in that beverage, and it is now alleged that furfural causes all the trouble. While these matters are engaging the attention of scientists the consumption of both commodities proceeds apace, and the users are utterly indifferent as to the presence of nicotine or pyridine, fusel oil or furfural. So long as the variety of weeds and liquors are suited to the tastes of the consumers they are all pronounced good. However, those who now dread tobacco from hygienic reasons may find it to their advantage to use the “health” cigar, the patent rights of which have been secured by the American Tobacco Company. These cigars are said to be devoid of nicotine, pyridine or any other injurious substance, so they may be indulged in to any extent without dele.terious effects.