THE EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 69, 14 December 1907, Page 12

THE EMPIRE.

CANADA AND GERMANY. The conclusion of the Franco-Canadian Treaty has naturally been watched with tho greatest interest in German official and commercial circles, and one sequel is to be found in an Ottawa despatch, intimating that tho Canadian Government is about to outer upon negotiations for a commercial arrangoment with Gormany and Italy next year. For some little time past pourparlers havo been in progress'. between representatives of tho two countries; and the German official view, as expressed in a recent issue of tho "Canadian Gazotto," points to the fact that, whenovor Canadian Ministers do feel themselves able to approach Gormany, they will receive a sympathetic hearing. As regards the basis upon which a rapprochoment between Canada and Germany may bo possible on tho tariff question inquiries show:— In order to effect this settlement without any unnecessary dolay, Germany would bo inclined to negotiate with Canada on the lines of the German Conventional Tariff and of tho Canadian Intermediate Tariff.' That is to say, these two tariffs may bo taken as * a basis on which to work. It is more than likely that when the various details come to be gone into Germany may follow tho example of France and ask for better terms than those granted under the Intermediate Tariff, yet thoro is no point suggesting itself on which she is likely to claim more favourable conditions than those granted to liar neighbour. Certainly Gormany has no intention of asking for more tian she is propared to offer. On such torms, Gormany would no doubt be ready to welcome Canadian representatives to discuss the situation, and to satisfactorily arrange the various points in dispute.

SEDITION IN INDIA. Tho Government of Bengal has issued a strong'y worded resolution regarding tho Calcutta riots on October 2 and 3. It says that the charges against the police wore gross exaggerations, and observes that a most unsatisfactory feature of the disturbances was the fact that they took their origin.in tho conduct of a usually orderly class. The 'conclusion is irresistible, says the resolution, that the disturbances were the direct outcome of the violent writings and speeches of agitators. > Tho Government of Bengal has also addressed an important letter to tho Government of India on the same subject, in the course of which it says :— "The situation might easily become very serious, and there will be very grave trouble if the example_ of respectable people, incited by agitators, is imitated by tho naturally turbulent classos. Sir Andrew Frasor, Lieu-tenant-Gpvernor of Bengal, warns the Indian Government of much more serious possibilities as the direct outcome' of the persistent campaign on the platform and in the Press, with the object of bringing constituted authority into contempt and encouraging resistance to the police. The LieutenantGovernor is of opinion that'it is imperative for the Government immediately to take power to stop violent speaking arid writing." In the meanwhile a fresh sonsation has been caused here by the arrest of Leakat Hossain, a prominent agitator, on a charge of disobeying a magistrate's order not to take part in political demonstrations. Hossain, against whom two charges; of sedition are already pending, headed a' procession of a body of young men armed with lathis to a swadeshi meetins.. Pandit Upadhya, editor of the "Sandhya," against whom two charges ; of sedition were ponding, has 'died in hospital after an operation. ' The extremist Press declares that tho accused's disease was aggravated by continually standing in tho dock for days. He would not ask for a seat, as he was determined not to request any favour from an "alien-magistrate." ■ Handbills, notifying his death, were distributed broadcast, with the result that the funeral was made' the occasion of an oxtraoidihary demonstration. A, great multitude of Bengalis followed the body and lined the sti eets. At the burning ghat national songs were sung, while the ourning of the body was accompanied by loud shouts of "Bande Mataram. The ashes were eagerly collected by the bystanders. A Bengali,' Mrs. Dass, delivered an oration. She said that Pandit TJpadhya had taught a lesson in patriotism and shown them how to die when their usefulness was threatened by an alion bureaucracy. Other speakers followed. It is asserted that never before has a burning ghat been the,scene of such a demonstration. Mr. Keir Hardie, M.P., has been interviewed on his impressions of India and her peoples and his views of the problems presented by the Dependency. He admitted that no great political advance was possible until the great mass of, the people were educated and ablo to take an intelligent interest in the affairs of the country, as at present the vast population of India lived the simple, primitive life of thoir fathers, and had been .scarcely affected by Western influences'and civilisation. Mr. Keir Hardie expressed himself in terms of strong approval of the principle of State ownership of land. Although tho land tax was not exorbitant, tho membor for Merthyr Tydfil thought the mode of collection frequently caused suffering. -Partial remissions of the tax in bad seasons would, ho thought, save the peasantry from the money londors;. In conclusion, he expressed tho opinion that the working classes in this country are steadily deteriorating. ■ Mr. Rees, the member for the Montgomery Boroughs, addressed his Welshpool constituents last night. Referring to Indian affairs, on which, from his service thore, ho is an authority, he dealt with Mr. Keir Hardio's utterances in India, and, said it surprised him that a man who' possessed the most infinitesimal modicum of commonsense should set himself up to say that particular institutions which were good for England and Canada were good for India. The people differed from each other as much as night from day. We employed Brahmins under supervision of impartial Englishmen to govern India because of their enormous power in India, but .they were the most .exclusive and aristocratic society in the world. They now wanted to bo rid of;. supervision, and to put their heels on the necks of the'lower classes of the poor in India. These Brahmins, who wanted to allow no justice to the lower classes, had persuaded tho English democracy to take their side, and we had Labour members taking up tho case of the classos against tho masses, high caste against low caste, landlord against tenant, and imagining that they wore doing good instead of working destruction among the people. They did not know that tho people of this country would havo to pay for rebellion got up by agitators and sentimentalists and ignorant peoplo of this country who played into the hands of tho Indian classes. The Government Commission of Inquiry into the recent riots is a complete fiasco. The Bengalis have proclaimed a boycott of tho Commission, and tho result is that not a single witness has appeared. . Another disturbance ocourred at Dhurramtollah last night. The police were removing a drunken groom from Messrs. Hart Brothers' stables, when a dense crowd of Bengalis, which had assembled in the street, began to stone the stables. Reinforcements of police arrived, but were attacked with stones and sticks. Tho crowd' broko through the barricaded entrahco into the stables, and tho European employees were forced to take refuge in the inner rooms. For a moment tho situation was extremoly ugly, but fresh police arrived and dispersed the crowd. They were unablo, however, to arrest a single rioter. Another unpleasant incidont was tho stretching of a ropo on Wednesday night across Red Road, in Calcutta, a fashionablo European drive. Fortunately tho obstruction was discovered before any serious accident had occurred. At a mooting of tho Legislative Council the roport of the Solcct Committee on the Prevention of Seditious Meetings Bill was presented. Tho mbasure has undorgono some modification. The expression—"public mooting"—has been clearly dofined and the class of public meetings in respect of which notico is necessary has boon restricted. Meetings hold under statutory authority and meetings oxompted by the local Governments are excluded from tho operation of tho Act. Tho measure is not permanent, its dura- . tion being limited to three yeai^