NOTES OF THE DAY,

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1601, 19 November 1912, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY,

It is reported that there are rumours of an extraordinary session of Congress to consider the tariff. The uncertainty of the outlook under complete Democratic rule, according to the Speaker, is damaging trade; This is likely enough, for although the Democrats stand for downward revision, it has hover been made quite clear where they will mako thoir revisions or how far downward thoy will bring the duties. The Presidentelect has not been so clear and. precise that it is impossible for people to quarrel over whether he is a Freetrader or not. A few weeks ago tho Pall Mall Gazette and the Daily News were in controversy on the point, and each was able to quote passages from Dr. Wilson's speeches in . support of its argument—the News declaring that ho was a Freetrader, and the Gazette denying it. The News relied upon'this statement by tho President-elect: Our own clear conviction as Democrats is that in the last analysis tho only safe and legitimate 1 object of tariff duties is to raise revenue for tho support of tho Government. . . . There Bhould be an. immediate rovision downward, unhesitatingly and steadily downward. On tho other hand, in a speech at Hartford Dr. Wilson said: Do you suppose halt the population of the TJnited States is going to destroy the very foundations of our economic life by running amok among tariff schedules? That is not our programme, and anybody who says it is, simply, (loos not understand the situation in the United States at all. There' should be no fear of tho Free-trade bugaboo, because tho Democrats do not propose to reviso tho tariff in any, other way than will consorvo the. real business interests of tho country. Wo' propose to revise those schedules which givo unfair private advantage to certain interests without affecting business which is sound and legitimate, and which wo all wish to sos promoted. Neither I nor tho Democratic party stands for Free-trade. Read together, theso two extracts make it clear enough that if he docs not stand for Free-trade, Dr. Wilson equally docs not stand for Protection. His policy would seem to be to convert the protective tariff gradually into a revenue tariff. There is very little data upon which to decide where the sympathies of New Zealanders lie in the war in the Balkans, but we fancy that this is, if anything, an antiTurkish country. The last two or three English mails to hand (tho latest left London just after Montenegro had declared war)'appear to show that most English observers anticipated the usual Turkish success. Perhaps their opinions were coloured by politic considerations: it has' for long been Britain's policy to dis-

courage a break-up of the Ottoman Empire. Yet wc cannot but think that the wonderful triumphs of tho Christian Allies have been grateful to the English people, who must always have held the Gladstone view. Tho Spectator, least rash of all British journals, found not tho least difficulty in tossing aside the "politic" attitude. On the declaration of war it answered the question: "On which side should British sympathies be?" Britain should not (it urged) be vindictively anti-Turkish or antiMohammedan, but tho merits of the quarrel were with tho Allies and the rule of the Ottoman Turk over Christians should not be permanently upheld : That is an anomaly which must sooner or later como to an end, and, in our opinion, tho soonor the better. We admit that from many points of view tho Balkan States are very , little .better in regard to tho nso of massacre and outrago for political purposes than tho Turks, and that, tried by a high standard of civilisation, they must do condemned. At the same time wo must not forget that they have in them a progressive element, ovon though it be of small dimensions, and that apparently, and despite her many good qualities in other respects, Turkey has not. ... In. tho last resort, and making every allowance for Bulgarian cynicism, Servian bloodthirstiness, Grecian perfidy, and Montenegrin' savagery, no ono shall ever persuade us not to desire that the Christian provincos of Turkey shall bo freed from tho yoke under which they have suffered so long, and which has brought with it ills so many and so great. Tho Balkan States have a bad record, but considering their terrible history the wonder is that their record is not far worse rather than better. After all, where would our civilisation and good morals be if we had been under the dominion of the Ottoman Turks for four or five centuries.'' There are signs that peace may be arranged very quickly, on tho terms of tho Allicsv and it will be a happy circumstance if Britain's diplomacy is used towards securing to the Balkan States the full fruits of their most marvellous campaign against tho old onemy. The vigorous, statement by Mr. William O'Brien (which is summarised in one of to-day's cable messages) that Mr. Lloyd-George has dono more damage to Ireland's cause than anyone since Cromwell, will doubtless Bhock and puzzle a good many Now Zealand friends of Home Rule. It should surprise nobody who has any real knowledge of British relations with Ireland during the last decade. Mr. O'Brien differs from Mr. Redmond in this, that he never forgets, in . his. fight .for Home Rule, the real welfare of Ireland.- His statement that Mr. Lloyd-George hates' Home Rule and Irish land purchase, and has brought the Bill and the Government to the verge of ruin, may or may not be literally true, but Mr. O'Brien is quite right in his opinion that the British Radicals care for Ireland only as it may aid British Radicalism, and have actually, done Ireland great damage. It is obvious enough that the Radicals are getting the best of their bargain with Mr. Redmond. Had the Nationalists been free the 1909-10 Budget would not have passed. But Mr. Redmond's followers must faithfully support whatever is put before them. Mr. O'Brien's main grievance is the killing of the land-purchase scheme. It was the Balfour Government which passed the; Act of 1903 which, according to an article written by Mr. O'Brien for 'the Nineteenth' Century ,of March,' 1910, placed_ 300,000 tenants in possession of their farms 'in five years. A few more years of . this beneficent Act, aided by the work of Sir Horace Plunketts Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, would have created a new, rich, happy, and contented Ireland. The killing of the land-purchase movement is ascribed directly by Mr. O'Brien to tho legislation of the Liberals since 1906. No wonder ho is bitter. In his heart, Mr. Redmond knows that between Ireland and English Radicalism there is no affinity, and no real friendship.