BRITISH EMPIRE DEVOLUTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 125, 18 May 1908, Page 3

BRITISH EMPIRE DEVOLUTION.

CARDINAL LOGUES ALLEGED STATEMENTS. DENIED BY THE COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT. Melbourne, -May !«'• In the Federal House of KcprccMatives, the Premier, Mr. A. Deakiii. referring to Cardinal Logue's statement, said the assertion that Australia was practically independent was only true in so far' as they enjoyed the amplest 1 power of self-government. This had drawn tin- Mother CountH and the Commonwealth together instead of thrusting them asunder. He undertook to see that a denial of Cardinal Logue's statement should be cabled to London. I

Cardinal Logue, interviewed at New York, said he saw signs of Britain's certain dissolution, as the colonies were restive. Australia to-day was practically independent, and the "trend of every movement was more and more in tlndirection of absolute rebellion. New Zealand was indifferent, but Canada was legislating in a manner showing a desire to conduct he r business in her own way. The lires of rebellion had swept India. and men and wtmien had been haiigen for daring to advocate a doctrine'ol never-dying freedom. 'When England tits alone," said the Cardinal, -as the result of misgoverninent. it will be a I day of reckoning for the children of Ireland." [

It is difficult to believe, says the New Zealand Times, speaking editorally re garding Cardinal Logue's statements, that Cardinal Logue did rcallv say the things imputed to him bv the New "York reporter. It is, to begin with, hard to understand how an ecclesiastic, knowing the fitness of things, and possessing a sense of responsibility, could venture lo speak dogmatically 'about the send-,

liK'ui.s of countries unknown to him except geographically. Of Australian loyalty, the Cardinal, who is said to have spoken so glibly and with an air o[ infallibility, cannot possibly have acknowledge whatever. As to the sentiments of this Dominion toward-- the throne, the only feeling the Cardinal's reference is likely to cause ia the Dominion is one of disgust at his impertinence in speaking on our behalf at all The worst of lib alleged statements, however, is euough to dispose of the case. Whether the statements lire the views of the interviewer Or the opinions of the interviewed, they are stamped .1equally worthless. A man who pretends to think that men and women are handed in India for a-king independence 7a standing warning against th.- truth of anything he may choose to sav about any subject whatsoever. If Cardinal Logue said that, we should U- .som- for his Eminence, and lor the Church'that lias the misfortune to number such a man in its hierarchy. We prefer to he angry with yellow joiiriiali-iu which has gone beyond its worst record of unscrupulous invention; and until the matter is cleared up we prefer to leave it at that.

FIGMENT OF "YELLOW " JOURNALISM. ! REPLY OF A CATHOLIC CLKRdYMAN. Received 17th. 4.14 p.m. Melbourne, Jlav Hi. Dean Phelan, addressing the Catholic doling Men's Society, said the eable ines. sage regarding Cardinal Logue was a gross imputation again-t a prince of the Church and a prominent Iri-liman. Taking the character of Cardinal Logue. and the character of the American Press, the people would be -low to believe what they had read. The lovaltv of Australia to the Motherland was beyond o,ue,tion. Enjoying such a measure of home rule as they did. if the Australians were not loyal to the Em pirc they would lie a suicidal race.

CANADA'S DESTINY. New York. May IS. At a meeting of the Canadian Club in New York, Mr Justice Longlcv, of Halifax, predicted that Canada would ultimately Ix-come an independent I-tate in alliance with Britain.

The British Ambassador strongly disented from this view, and Judge l.ongley l'ft the room during hispeech.

THE FLAG OF UNITY. Ottawa, May l.">. Replying lu Senator Doniville*. Mr. It. W. Scott, Canadian Secretary of State, said that if. owing to Mr. As•|Uitli"< recent declaration, the Union Jack was not flown on English public building on Kmpire Day, the only effect would be that it would be flown even more generally in Canada.

The British Premier considers that as the Irish National Party is opposed to the continuance of the union with Britain, they may rightly take olfenee at the Hying of the Union -lack, the symbol of unionism, on public buildings such as State sehools.

A BRITISH ZOLLVEREIN. MR. WALKER LONG'S IDEAL. Received 17th, 4.14 p.m. London, May 111. At the Mayor of Westminster's banquet, the Rt. Hon. Walter Long said he hoped soon to 9ee representatives of the colonies sitting in the House of Common*, in the interests of the Kmpire which they had made, as much as ourselves.