THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2425, 5 September 1900, Page 37

THE WEEK.

" Sunquam aiiud nature, aiiud sapientla dlxit."— Juvinxl. "Goou uacurc aud gooti aense must evur join.'' — Porjt, TLe Premier did not abandon his gtuin al-

together on the Tariff question, but lie stood by them in a rather hesitating and in-

Backing Don ii.

effectual way. He appears to have been rather oifended with some press correspondents and others, who repcrtcd him to be backing away from his original intentions, but they turned out to be right, thoiigh the Premier in a sort of grotesquely good-humoured fashion repudiated the impeachment to the very last. The custom, of Mr Seddon, and he carries it off with undeniable skil 1 , is to be very bold and emphatic where there is no danger, and to retreat at or.ea when the enemy looks in the least desfre* formidable or even troublesome. • ffe could afford' to stick to his guns in the matter of tea, coffee (practically), currants, raisins, rice, salt, and so forth, for in these no one cared to champion the cause of the higher duties. But the instant the protectionist* I—by1 — by ■which we mean those personally interested in protection — v, ere up in arms and s=ecured some of his own followers to champion them, he beat a rallier ignominious retreat. Some of the leasons he gave for backing down were audaciously amusing, as where he re-instated the 3d duty on cocoa and chocolate on the ground that " the local article was better than the imported " — which excuse seems to show Mr Seddon's ingenuity at a rather low ebb. The same with candles, where he had to come to a compromise, ar.d dredging machinciy, where lie had an excellent case, bub bowed before a teapot storm. The lesson we have enforced before. It ' is, tliot once a duty is put on for protective TWiposc." it is next to impossible to get it off again, no matter to what extent the body of consumers would benefit. The plausible story in the beginning always is, " Put on the duty for a time until our industry is established, and then we shall lequire no protection." But after the industry has been established for a generation and is in a thoroughly thriving way, the slightest attempt even to reduce the duty by ever so little is immediately followed by the cry, '" If you do this we shall have to turn adrift our hands and close our doors." Sometimes the " try on"' is more bare-faced. — as witness a recent telegram from Auckland in which it was stated that some 20 candle hands had received notice that their services would not be required. Fortunately for the consumers of this colony the cry for protection, and a continual increase of protection, has died out. The total collapse of the Victorian boom, followed by the phenomenal smash of so many of their banks, gave it the coup de grace.. The connection at first sight may not be apparent, but it is intimate ' all the same. Victoria had long been notoriously protectionist, and ultimately, owing to various causes which had not the shadow of a connection with protection, she " boomed."' More than a decade has elapsed since then, so that we are already forgetting the rush- of NeAv Zealanders for Victoria. A perfect roar for protection emanated from New Zealand, so that we might boom also— a roar that was taken up by all the time-serving politicians who were keen for any policy that meant votes. Then came the Victorian smash, and the nr'n and misery which followed — and protection in New Zealand died as if it were shot.

Very much better, bolder, and more statesmanlike was Mr Seddon's

A Tale of Two Railways.

method of dealing with the Auckland members on the subject of the proposed ex-

penditure on the Northern Trunk Railway. The Auckland section of the House seems to have come to Wellington this session with some crude notions as to what could be done for their province by " vigorous action," and they 'seem to have adopted Ihe ridiculous "Agitate, Agitate, Agitate! " theory as their policy. The presence of so many new members probably accounts for this, who always approach their first session in the spirit of the new broom, and with little either of parliamentary knowledge or tact. Hence their weekly caucus meetings and their incessant and wearisome deputations. Their idea was that By pressure and agitation they could squeeze out of the Premier sufficient money to get the Northern Trunk" line constructed from end to end within a couple of years or. so. Their newborn zeal also developed a tendency to depreciate other lines in 'the coloi^', such as the Otago Central. Now we have always supported the Northern Trunk because it 'connected two of.-tlie great centres of the colony, and was necessary to complete the main arterial system of railways." But it has to be borne in mind that it does very little more, for the line lies for a large proportion of the route through country that is little better than waste. On the other hand, while strongly supporting the early completion of the Otago Central, we have never been under any illusions about it or the character of the country through which it passes, or the climate. The country is in the main pastoral, and the climate dry, but then every acre of mountain and plain is available, is among the best of its kind for its own purpose, and almost entirely belongs to the Crown. In other words, the Otago Central passes through a country the whole of which is most productive in wool or gold or grain, or all tLree, and which has a most rapidly expanding dredging industry at the other end. The Northern Trunk connects two lai.je cities, and has to pass through an immense extent of pumice waste in order to do so. iiJoth, for different reasons, are lines wliicli

The Weakness or Union.

cal.ed the Powers." China has perceived the fact and has acted upon it, just as Turkey did at the time of the Cretan cmbroglio. The truth of the matter is that each nation, as is quite natural, is selfishly looking after its own interests, and the interest of no two of them is entirely the same. Russia wants to take the conciliatory line with China and retire from Peking on the plea that such retirement is necessary to enable the Chinese Government to be set on its legs again — the essential preliminary to the commencement of negotiations. The real fact is that Russia Avants to establish herself securely in Manchuria, which she already occupies with some precariousness and with an immense expenditure for men and public works. Her progress there is already thrown back for years in consequence of the recent destructive work of the Chinese. Then she has financial difficulties to struggle with, is trying now to raise a loan of twenty millions, and feels, the costly burden of the great Siberian railway, Avhich Avill still be some years on hand. Finally there is the consciousness that the real struggle Avill yet be Avith Japan for the possession of Korea. America dissents from immediate Avithdrawal from Peking, and wants first to see a stable Chinese Government sefc up and freedom of trade established, at all events to as great an extent as it existed before the disturbance. But America has a desultory war (requiring the presence 'of

50,000 men, however), going on in the Philippines, and she has on her hands a disturbing factoi in the shape of a Presidential election. The position of Germany differs from that of all the others in so far as she has the murder of her Ambassador to avenge ; and she, like France,

wants from China territory as well as the right to trade. France, doubtless, has an uneasy sense that she ought to see the Chinese business out, but does not like to separate herself from Russia in the matter. Great Britain has her hands full in South Africa, but is vilally interested in the establishment of a settled Chinese Government and the maintenance of the open door, especially in respect to the .greet Valley of the Yang-lse. Japan wants territory on the Chinese main land, a protectorate at least over Korea, and is ambitious of predominance in the East. All the nations together dread intensely being " let in for a big thing." War nowadays (happily, for it is a restraining influence) is terribly expensive, and the end is very diflicult to see in this Chinese business It has proved," as mot-t instructed people expected, a comparatively easy thing to .get to Peking, but once there what are you to do with a Government which has securely established ■ itself 700 miles away? That is to say, what can sever different nations with distinct and in some cases opposing aims do under such circumstances? Two things seem to us to be very clear. The first is that Russia is initiating the policy of withdrawal under the influence of Li Hung Chang, and hopes ultimately to gain by it. The second is that she Avould never venture on s.ueh a policy were Great Britain sufficiently free to take the lead in 'the settlement of Chinese affairs. And we d,oubt very much whether, should Britain, Germany, and Japan decide to see the Chinese question out, Russia can afford to 'withdraw.

It i& said of Lord Brougham, who Avas per-

liaps the vainest and most

in Adventurous Colonial.

restless of the great men of the century, that he contrived to give currency to

the report of his own death in order to see what the Avorld would have to say of him after he AA r as gone. It occasionally happens that men have that privilege — if such it may be called — without resorting to such questionable means of obtaining it. Among such is Dr George Morrison, AA r ho has been for 'aome years. past The Times' special correspondent in Pekin, — an odd j)osition to be attained quite early in life by a man who was bom and brought up in Geolong, Victoria. When Dr Morrison was belie\'ed to have been massacred Avith the members of the Legation in Pekin. Professor Strong, formerly of Melbourne," and noAV of University' College, Liverpool, in the pages of the Spectator paid a\ graceful- and ' sincere tribute to his memory, and gave some details of his life, which are notew-orthy v themselves, and should be specially interesting to colonials. Dr Morrison's father Avas Principal of the Scotch College, Geelong, Avhere the son was educated. When a boy, and a slim, delicate one, who seemed very little capable of undergoing much fatigue, young Alorrison called on Dr Strong and asked for advice as to AA'hat he should do for himself in life, expressing a very decided leaning tOAvards travel. He Aras advised to try medicine, which he ultimately did, though he av,(s clearly not destined for the profession. At 16 he purchased a canoe and

travelled some hundreds of miles along the Murray River alone. He furnished a Melbourne neAvspaper with an account of the trip, and saved" up the money received for it for another trip, wbiph took the shape of a journey alone and on foot from Melbourne to Adelaide, a distance of SOO miles. These trips Avere undertaken during university vacations. His next adventure was to the beche de mer fisheries in Western Australia, Arhere he passed as an ordinary seaman. On the next occasion he shipped as an ordinary seaman on a vessel engaged in the Kanaka trade, his object being to see whether there Avas any truth in the alleged cruelties practised upon the Kanakas, his experiences being aftenvards published in tiie Melbourne press. Dr Morrison's

next journey, also on foot and alone, was across the Australian Continent' from the Gulf of Carpentaria to Melbourne, a distance of 2000 miles, in the course of which he had to work his Avay through tribes of liostile blacks and had to surmount many difficulties in the shape of rivers and creeks. Throughout the entire journey he Avas never under a roof. It Avas after this journey that he was sent by the Melbourne Age on an exploring journey to New Guinea, where, after penetrating 100 miles into the interior, he was shot by the poisoned arroAV of a native and suffered great agony Avhile he Avas being conducted back to the coast by an Australian black, who Avas his companion. On arriA^al in Melbourne the consequences of his Avound Avere found to be so serious (portion of the spear could not be extracted) that he had " to be sent to Edinburgh to be operated upon. There he finished his medical studies, worked his way (literally) to America, roamed the .West Indies, returned to Victoria as doctor of a ship, and settled doAvn for tAvo years in house surgeon in a Ballarat Hospital. It Avas in 1894 that Dr Morrison made one of the most notable journeys in the history of travel. Starting from Shanghai, and dressed as a Chinaman, he travelled the 3000 miles of the Yang-tse Valley to British Burmah. The journey was made for the most part on foot, was accomplished in 100 days, and cost the adventurous traveller less than £20. A most instructive account of this journey was given in "An Australian Abroad," after the publication of winch he Avas appointed Times' correspondent at Pekin, Avhere he crowned a sufficiently adA r enturous life by his recent escapade with the Boxers. The career of Dr Morrison shows once more Jioav a strong individuality Avill assert itself, breaking through a narrow environment to do it. In these days Are often hear of canting demands made for " equal opportunities " as a question of political right. In the scheme of Nature it would seem that the

ought to be constructed as the colony can afford it, but it is wholly misleading for northern members to talk as if^ their line were an essential main line of the colony and the Otago Central an inferior branch. v one can better afford to wait than the oilier, that one wovld bo the northern line. Very proper, therefore, was the set down Mr Seddon gave the Auckhnd agitators in his speech on the Financial Statement. " Pressure, '' he said, "'had beep brought to bear on the Government to compel them to expend large sums of mone^y, especially in connection with tLe North Island Main Trunk line. The Government propose to greatly increase the expenditure on railways, and, if possible, even to double it ; but the North I&land. Trunk railway would ba placed in exactly the &ajne position as the othei railways in the colony, neither belter nor worse, and if this was not satisfactory to the House and the people of the country the sooner some one else came and occupied his place on the benches the better." This was the riglit tone to take, and the decision of it had the effect, as decision always has, of putting an end to an agitation that was artificial ar.d ridiculous from the beginning.

There is nothing more remarkable in the

history of commerce than the sudden flare up of the wool market in' 1899 and the

The Slump in Wool.

slump which followed it with such disastrous , rapidity. There is commonly associated vrith wool a certain idea of staid propriety, of. as it were, middle class respectability, something which is more or le«s subject to moods but is wholly antagonistic to exciting extremes. When wool " rises '" — taking the word to imply a considerable and noteworthy advance — it is usually once or so in a generation, and the movement is made with a certain deliberation and steadiness. When it falls .it does so with decorum and without the appearance of haste. It is about the last of the gicat staple -articles of commerce which one would expect to go up like the proverbial rocket and come down like the stick. That, however, is what it has done on the present occasion. The rise of 1899 we imagine reached a higher level than that of 1871, with which year only it is comparable. But the prices* of 1871 would appear to 1m vc lasted until 1875, and after a drop then to have declined slowly for another decade or so. Why wool should last year have gone up so suddenly and come clown again in the same style no one that we have hitherto met can explain. The wool expert can generally tell why wool "has risen after ft lias risen, but he never seems to see the process which gives the upward tendency in operation. We 2night even go further' and say that his well-founded anticipations as to what the .staple will do are generally hopelessly out. There have been disastrous years of drought in Australia in which, many millions of sheep have perished, and he<j-vy disasters of a like kind have overtaken the woolgrowing industry in the '-Argentine ; Irot wool, instead of rising as it ought logically to do in such circumstances, has more often sharply fallen. It is a very safe thing to say that wool answers to the law of supply and demand, but then so does the currency, the very nam> of which suggests to the great mass of- even the intelligent people of this world the idea of a fog. The unfortunate fact remains that the great staple on which this colony mainly relies has gone down iv a very unaccountable way just after > a demand, for it so keen as to imply that the world's supply was at a very low ebb. This, too, at a time when tLe world's trade in almost every other direction was expanding at a most satisfactory rale. After what we have said the reader will probably not be disposed to accept any theories of explanation at our hands. The unsettled state of the London money market consequent upon, the outlook abroad no doubt accounts for a good deal: But that outlook within the last week or so is distinctly better. ' Doubtless in a few months' time the blackesbofxthe clouds will have rolled by, in which case it would be reasonable to expect an upward movement in the wool market again. Meanwhile, owing to the failure? in France and the doubtful experiment, of abolishing the September sales and carrying over so immense a quantity of wool for the November series, the immediate commercial outlook is certainly not bright. Farmers must console themselves with the fact that the demand for stock is as keen as ever, and is not likely to suffer by the fall in wool.

The neAvs from China shows lioav impos-

sible it is to expect anything like sustained concerted action from what is grandiloquently but conveniently

men Avho have it in them to -j- v£lt bj opportunities make them for themselves.