The Daily News. FRIDAY, MAY 12, 1911. 1775

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 299, 12 May 1911, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, MAY 12, 1911. 1775

Away iij) in Alaska Umde Sam lias planted his Hag on territory that might have belonged to Canada if Canadians had got to that part of their own country soon enough; ajid.in these days when annexation is talked about, it is interesting to examine a small international matter that could, in the light of historical precedent, have an important hearing imperially. The Alaskan coalfields dispute is unsettled, and Alaska is wroth. Hundreds of tons of Canadian coal have been thrown into the harbor at Cordova, because Alaska has coal of its own, and cannot mine it until the dispute as to territory and mining right is settled. The cable tells us that 'the party which ha.s sworn\ death to Canadian coal is emulating the action of the Boston harbor tea party of 1775. The Boston harbor tea party gjive the United States its independence, initiatingit by exactly the same course that the Alaskan coal party, is now taking. Curiously enough, many of the tremendous happenings that have changed the world have arisen from apparently minor causes, and there never was any doubt that the great war of independence was caused by a stubbornness that would not concede the right of British colonies to transact their own business in their own way. Every schoolboy has read of the Boston tea incident. The Grenville Ministry insisted that the British Parliament had a right to tax the American colonies. The American colonies were iiot represented in Parliament, and the colonists held staunchly that they could not be forced against their own consent to pay Imperial taxes. With th'e 1 reigning king in opposition, aided by Lord Xortli, Imperial taxation was forced on the American colonies. When in 1775 tea-laden ships, taxed by the British government, arrived in Boston harbor, a mob of colonials simply emptied the cargoes into the sea. Taxes could not be paid on tea at the bottom of the harbor. Lord Nortn closed Boston against all commerce, and deprived Massachusetts of its rights as a self-govern-ing state. Quite naturally the American colonists were incensed at this tyranny. One of the most remarkable events in British history ensued, for on July 4, 177 C. a handful of colonists, whose pride would not permit them to wear so galling a .voice, declared their independence. Thereafter, for seven dreadful years, two peoples of the same blood fought violently because of an initial lack of sympathetic understanding, official harshness. and unconquerable pride. The lesson of that campaign, as of most others, is that the existinc conditions produced the man to face them, and so the name of fleorce Washington, the rebel, is revered in all lands because of the inspiring patriotism that made him the mighty hero he was. The initial act. therefore, of the Bostonians lost the American colonies to the British Crown, produced Washington, and in reality energised a war-worn people for the pursuit of the peaceful arts that have made the resulting republic one of the world's wonders. The fortunes of the American rebels were watched with intense svmpathr by their British "enemies" at home. The great Pitt, in his memorable appeal for peace, counselled war in these words: "If

I were an American, as I am an Englishman, I would never lay down my arms—never, never, nevor!" It is indicative of the admiration of a great nation for a people who had properly rebelled, that later the great Pitt was called upon to form his famous ministry. In the year 1778 Pitt died, and Britain became involved in war with all Europe. There is no question that the action in America and the European war were related, nor any doubt that the latter aided greatly the attainment of American independence. The aggressive action of Alaskan coal people suffering tinder what they feel to be as great an injustice as was thrust on the American people in 1775, aids what feeling of antipathy exists between United States citizens and Canadians. Unfortunately, with the passing of the centuries official understanding and common sense do not grow at the same rate as antipathies, officialism generally failing to see the personal and intimate side of initial quarrels. Necessarily, in 1911, as in 1775, the use of troops to patch up quarrels initiated by officials, is as useful as trying to quench fire with kerosene. If without bloodshed the action of the Alaskan coal party hastens a definition of rights in Alaska, their work will not have been in vain. It is easy to imagine that feeling might arise in New Zealand should, for instance, mineral wealth of any kind be allowed to remain idle while New Zealand got its supplies of such utilities from outside, paying heavy taxes. The hesitation of local officialism to recognise local rights could only be met by action. Although the days of palaver are with us. overstrained human nature takes the same methods of settlement as the Boston tea party took in 1775.