Lord Rosebery on Thursday made to the Trades Union Con-
gress at Aberdeen a long and strong speech in favour of the federation of the Empire. He thought that in 1783 the old organisation, which was really the organisation of the whole Empire in one Trades Union, was too tight, and therefore we lost America ; but now it was so loose as to be almost im- perceptible. Almost the only function left to the central power was that of appointing Governors, often not very wisely chosen. He could not think mere patriotism or affection a sufficient bond, any more than he thought affection a sufficient bond in marriage, and wanted a legal and stronger tie. He, wanted it not only in the interest of the Empire, but in that of the working-men, who annually sent out a cityful of people, who might, if the tie were not strengthened, one day become foreigners. Lord Rosebery showed how greatly a closer union might increase the prestige of Great Britain, but he did not show how it would gratify the Colonies, which at present have all the benefit of union with a first-class Power, yet are practically independent. Will they give up that position ? It seems to us that the first datum for a project of federation should be the desire of some great Colony to accept the position of a Federal State. That granted, means could be readily found, and the House of Lords transmuted into a Senate. Whether even then the ,English people would respect federal decisions, such, for example, as that the Empire must protect each Colony in war, but that no Colony can be held responsible for the resulting National Debt—an inevitable condition of federation—will remain dubious.
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