An Anglo-American alliance—is it com-' ing? and if #0, then how comprehensive both England and the united States, brought f the moment in' po up and given prominence at this particular: time by the recent speeches of the Rt. Hon, Joseph Chamberlain, Great Britain's) Minister for the Colonies, in England, and ai notable article from his pen, just published reg in a leading American magazine—Scribner's. That, a close understanding and unity of} action in international affairs is his dearest desire there is no question. Nor is the Boubt this side of the water but that he: speak: for a very large body of Englishmen—the most radical part of his country-\ men, the boldest, or the most progressive} if fon chooses so to understand the w Here is what he said. at the Nation Liberal Unionist conference at Manchest the middle of the month, that being h first' public utterance following his return to England from America, where he had been visiting his wife's relatives.
"What is of equal importance: (to noticeable between the motherland aod the, thorough and complete sympathy so her colonies), our American: kinsfolk (loud cheers) have begun to understand us better. If we have had differences in the t I believe they. have arisen entirely rom the want of a proper mutual understanding, but now the' American people know that in the Late trouble our hearts went out to them (cheers), and they and theirs heartily reciprocate our good feelings. I shall not attempt to predict what may follow' this better feeling but I may at least hope that in the future the understanding of which I have spoken: may be perfected, and that' in the' face of that understanding we two may: be able to guarantos: porce: and. civilisation to the world." ud and prolonged cheers.
Evidently spoken from the heart. Now see what ho says in his article which must represent hira in a more deliberate mood than when he was speaking extempore.
Is it visionary to speak of our ultimate alliance, or has the dream of a league of the English-speaking people been suddenly Drought within the region of sober and
Inited Kingdom is concerned, it may be statesmanship? So far as the taken as a fact British nation the would welcome any to this conclusion—that there is hardly avy length to which they would not fo in response to American advances—and that they would not shrink even from*an alliance contra mundum, if the need should ever arise, in defence of the ideals of the Anglo-Saxon Toco of humanity, justice, freedom, and in.which ap alliance of forces might be suitably employed "*When, three years ago, the Armenian massacres sroused intense indignation in the United Kingdom, the-English Government found that active intervention would place them in position of complete isolation, even if it did not arouse the active hostility of Europe. The risk of interfer fence was too great and the probability of success too small. But if at that time, the United States, whose moral support' was assured, hed been-prepared to join in serious representations to the Porte and, if necessery,: to allow her fleet to ce-operate with the British navy, it ie almost certain that. the other Powers would have held aloof, in presence of such a combination, and & great and bloodless service might have been rendered to humanity.
"In this instance there would have been nov material interest to serve, but we may -easily -supposo a case of a different kind: The recent collapse of China has opened up one of the greatest questions of our time. Is this vast country, with untold mineral and other resources and with a populhtion''of four hundred millions of tragal, industrious people, to be~ partitioned among European nations? Is the greatest potential market of the world to be permanently closed'to general trade, or is it'to remain open with its incalculable ties to all-nations on equal terms? The interest of the United States in the decision is the same as that of Great Britain. If it should ever be necessary to enter into negotiations. in order to secure to all the world an equal opportunity in ard to this commerce, it cannot be doubted that they would be infinitely more influential if backed by the joint action of the United States and Great Britain, than if either of these powers held aloof."
In conclusion it be permitted one to make prediction in the matter, it would be my.guess that no Anglo-American alliance of any sort will come until some nation shall, take a step that threatens at one and the same "time important and identical interests of England and America and that demands immediate and vigorous action. Then, when the natural course of events shall' have brought the two nations into close cooperation in a'matter so far-reaching as to arouse the national spirit, the first and most difficalt-step in the alliance of influence and forces will have been made.
America' is getting accustomed these days to strange things: She is just re-ausing that Porto Rice and the' Philippines are to become, not American territory, but American property, to be, in -fact, gradually bind us together "The. pursuit of a common mission will colonies, with all that the term implies. ud lead toa! The Spanish Peace Commissioners are exetter. understanding. find that ' pected to give in Paris to-day-their final our interests are identical while we and. reluctant consent that Spain shall shall prosecute them separately we shall relinquish the Philippines in: return for inevitably be drawn into closer union: the cash payment of $20,000,000 and the they are threatened or endangered. renunciation of. any claims for' damages fow look at the question for a moment against Spain, public or: private, from the from the American view-point. time of the inception of the Cuban re-In its favour is the-strong feeling of friendship for Britain and her people that At the same time comes the announce-has sprung up in the -course of the six ment, unofficial and unfathered as yet, but months just passed, overturning the pre-none the less worthy of credence, that the vious sentiment of unfriendliness and the United States will adopt in the Philippit long standing ill-will. England's attitude the policy of the open door of sympathy and implied suppers at a time nations. A remarkable step this is for when this nation was at war awoke a ready America, walled in as she is with a and emphatic response. trictivé, almost prohibitive, tariff, and But against any alliance comes first the nificant is it, too, of what may be ex-icy, as old, almost, as the Constitution pected within her own confines in the not itself, of keeping free from all entangle-far distant future. The government of the ments with European nations: That was colonies will doubtless be, for some time, the parting word of America's first and fore-purely military one, until there. is most President—Washington—given in his sufficient opportunity to study the con-farewell address in 1797, on the occasion of ditions of people and customs which legis-the termination of his Presidency. It is lation must meet there, true that the most recent acts of the Boston, 29th November.
American Goverment in taking the island of Porto Rice and in demanding the faraway Philippine archipelago, have been of necessity contrary to such advice, and these Meetings. acts have received the endorsement of the people; but the sentiment inspired by
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.