The really important passage in Lord Salisbury's speech was that
at its close. With regard to the future there must, he said, be no doubt that the sovereign power of England is paramount; there must be no doubt that the white races will be put upon an equality, and that due precau- tion will be taken for the philanthropic and kindly and im- proving treatment of those countless indigenous races of whose destiny we had been too forgetful. " Those things must be insisted upon in the future. By what means they will be obtained I do not know; I hope they may be con- sistent with a very large autonomy on the part of that race which values its individual share in the government so much as the Dutch people do." Bnt with that question we had no concern at present. " We have only to make it clear that the great objects which are essential to the power of England in Africa, to the good government of the country, and to the rights of all races are the objects which the British Government, with the full support of the nation without distinction of party, are now pursuing, and which they will thoroughly pursue and preserve to the end." That is the right thing said in the right way. We have attempted else- where to deal with the problem of reconstruction, but we are moat heartily glad to know that the Government go into the war unfettered by any pledges. They must be absolutely free when the period of reconstruction arrives to treat the whole question on its merits and without prejudice.
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