A CANADIAN ON BRITISH POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1978, 14 January 1907, Page 3

A CANADIAN ON BRITISH POLITICS.

“It would bo well,” writes Mr Wilfred Campbell (tlio Canadian poet), in tlio Outlook (November Iv), “if tlio citizens of Britain could only realise, ero it be too late, that it is tlio spirit of freedom and of responsibility to the community and the State in a people, and not tho form of government, that constitutes a truly emancipated nation, and that only otornal vigilance on tho part of tho- people can produce a genuine liberty. . . . The people of Britain leave their national affairs too much in the hands of professed poli-ticians—-a nd forgot that to-day tlio tyrant is not the King or tlio Lords, but the Commons, and that where the most power is there is tho great dangor of tyranny. The British middle classes appear to be dormant, and arc allowing too much power to get into tho hands of the mere laboring classes. In a true government, all classes should have an influence, hut should work together, not against eacli other. When a people descend to a class war, they have to that extent ceased to be a nation. Ho who puts class aganist class may be a politician, but lie is no statesman and is tho greatest enemy of tlio people as a whole. Tho people of Britain leave national and social affairs too much in tho hands of such men. There is a sad lack of education of tho people in tlie • direction of a common patriotism. For this lack the Parliament and the churches are to blame. Herein lies a groat danger to true citizenship. Love for tlie hag is taught ill all other countries. But in Britain it is sadly neglected. Surely those who speak so much of the rights of man should teach the responsibilities of citizenship. In this matter Britain is setting a bad example. ... If Britain would oulv uso lier churches, universities, her press, and her Parliamentary and municipal government to educate her people to a sense of citizenship and loyalty and responsibility, she would do far more good to the outside world than slie is doing now. She must get back to tlie sane idea that it is only ns a nation and through the national ideal that she can help humanity. . Meanwhile tho British people at Homo possess so much of the past which wo of the outer lands lack. It is only by standing under the dome of St. Paul’s or in the nave of Westminster that the thoughtful man can truly realise jhq greatness and possibility of the British Empire. We are proud of our Canada. Her vast coal and cornfields will no doubt do much for the coming man. But in these great piles man’s history becomes divine, effort become inspiriting, and the selfish clamour for the rghts of man is constrained to silence before the tremendous sense of our responsibility to tho past, tho present, and tho future. My hist word is: “Teach man his responsibilities, and his rights wll take care of themselves.”