Desember 29, 1906.]
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that we should in our haste rush on to greater difficulties. A practical method of condensing our present constituencies so as to render them more representative of the nation at large, it is true, has yet to be found; but this should render us all the more careful not to clog the present machine with still more adherent foreign matter than at present clings to it. No one could con- sistently claim that the "Mrs. JELLABYS" of the present, who neglect their families, and permit their children to grow up u-trained and useless members of society, in their zeal for whitewashing little niggers on the banks of the Niger, are fair repre- sentatives of the womanhood of the country, The ladies who inaugurate unfeminine struggles with the police, which would disgrace their sisters of the gutter, can scarcely be looked upon as fair specimens of the women of the land, yet it is our Misses PANKHURST and their fellow workers who claim to be their representatives, and who, as the loudest tongued amongst the others, would scramble to the polls. Such a denouement would altogether destroy the basis of representative government, and be indeed a coutradiction in terms. The women of the country have not authorized such abnormal specimens of their sex to pose as their representatives, and would be the last to give them their suffrages. Unfortunately their disinclination to be confounded with them would lead them to adopt the usual feminine method of express ing their lack of sympathy by refraining altogether from the polls. This occurs to us as being really the one practical objection against woman suffrage as at present possible It may be that the millennium is already on the way, but it has not as yet shown any immediate symptom of its early arrival. Under all the circumstances. it would be better to wait for it, than to intrust the suffrage to such ineligible and inappropriate representatives of our mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters.
THE KAISER'S OPTIMISM
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THE SHIPPING COMMISSION.
监督
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. and without the laudable motives inspiring his latest lay sermon, would probably acknowledge the folly which makes men
(Daily Press, 28th December.) label themselves one or the other. It may Those who study the list of the names of be expedient and practical for men to be the members of the Royal Commission whole-hoggers in politics, to be out and out which has been appointed to investigate the Radicals or out and out Tories, but it complicated subject of shipping “rings is certainly unwise and unnecessary for at it appears elsewhere in this issue, "will them to profess optimism or pessimism, and admit to begin with that it is fairly strong antitheses germane or analogous. Life is a and representative. It needs to be so, for mixture of complementary opposites, and the involved nature of the enquiry these! the true philosopher emulates the boy at gentlemen have to make becomes at once the picnic, who was asked whether he would apparent when we come to reckon up the take pickles or jam, and answered "a little wide and varied interest that will come of both, please". In the homely phraseo. under their purview. To the disinterested logy of the least assailable philosopher we reader the composition of the Commission know, there is a time to laugh and a time will seem fairly balanced, the shipping to cry; a time to be optimistic and a time interests concerned having efficient repre to be pessimistic; a time to be happy, and sentatives in Lord Inverclyde, of the Cunard a time to be sad; and whichever time we Line, Mr. PHILLIPS, of the Royal Mall may like less, we must not overlook its Steain Packet Company, and others, also function, which is like that of the discord well known to the shipping world, traders deliberately inserted in certain harmonies. including Sir HUGH BELL and Sir WILLIAM Drab is dreary, but all purple would soon Lewis, and the inevitable official element. have an equally fatal monotony, The But even assuming there be room for some KAISER, however, has hit upon the time discontent on one or other of those heads, when more optimism seems greatly needed. we take it for granted that the Chairmen For his advocacy of optimism is at bottom nominated will be welcomed by all concern. merely a timely plea for a revival of faith. Mr. ARTHUR COBEN is in effort, and Germany has no monopoly of Counsel and Judge of the Cinque Ports, and a King's that form of slackness at the plough his judgment ought to be mature, iu view handles for which they have, in their so of his years and experience. Boru seventy- convenient language, coined the word six years ago, and standing Counsel for "reichsverdrossenheit ". What is the good Cambridge University for the last twenty- of disgust, in effect asks the Kaiser; better eight years, Mr. COHEN has bad great work and look ahead. Quite 80. It is opportunities of acquiring the peculiar fit. very human and painfully easy for a worker ness with which he is credited.
He was to feel discouraged, disgusted, weary; even one of the Counsel engaged in the Alabama the KAISER's optimism could not save him Arbitration, a member of the Royal Com. from the pangs that are obvious in this mission for Unseaworthy Ships and of the latest outery; but who can refuse to admire Royal Commission on Trade Unions, and the courage with which he utters his retro has figured at the Hague international me to the subtle devil of reichsverdrossenheit? court of Arbitration. Judicial im- What really saves him, more than courage partiality and competent opinion may -for courage is one of those things, like therefore be confidently counted án mislaid paper cutters or can-openers, that } far as the Chairman's share in this are not always at command when wanted awkward enquiry goes. We say awkward, -is his sense of humour. His un-
because the matter bristles with opposing friends have dubbed him the reise-Kaiser, points of view, und in every case the issues the globe-trotting monarch", and he and interests are large. British trade and quite enjoys the juke. His only regret is colonial trade are affected, and trade of that he cannot do more to deserve the course means both shipping and shippers, nickname. The queer morsels of philosophy cargo-carriers and consignors and cous gnees. that have enshrined themselves in the The practice of giving rebates to special British vernacular have had what we classes of customer is not the only serious believe to be a recent addition to their matter for debate. Though so far the number. "All the same a hundred years agitation bas originated in other colonies hence ". chirrups the sort of person who and in other parts of the world, Hongkong giggles at " opea confession is good for the and the Far East generally are keenly soul""it will be all the same a hundred interested, and will look forward to possible years heuce; we shall be a long time dead".results very anxiously. We have already That is harmless when used as a subsidiary suggested where the real difficulty lies, in coin of the currency of resignation; but the multiplicity of points of view. The decidedly mischievous if recalled at the front Times fancies the greatest difficulty will be of effort. There is not a single thing for
to come at an agreement on material facta, human doing or attempting of which the but the Commission would have a com. pessimist cannot demand "what's the paratively easy task of it were its duty good?" so that poor human nature has to merely to decide which it believes, certain fight against discouragement both before statements or certain contradictions. The and during the race. Our world needs such real trouble is that two or more conflicting reminders as the German Emperor has just sides may be simultaneously in the right. given; and as it is fond of beginning each The mau in the street nowadays readily new year with a watchword, we do not think condemus all "trusts from the first it amiss to recommend the KAISER'S mention of the word, and certainly the contribution-let us all, in or out of this ruthless operations of mighty organizations Colony, "work and look abead ".
have done much to make the world cling to the old-fashioned ways of fair competition. Every now and again we hear murmurs from patriotic alarmists that the British mercantile flag is losing the
(Daily Press, 27th December.) That is a very noteworthy conversation by His Majesty WILLIAM II of Germany, a condensed translation of which from the Münchener eueste Nachrichten we give elsewhere. It is interesting as coining from one of the must interesting monarchs in modern history; but we regard it also as a useful New Year message from a man of undoubted ability, a man who (let his critics say what they like) takes lue seriously as becomes his responsible position. There is a lack of sympathy about modern journalism for which news- papermen are not exclusively to blame, and we are not surprised to find many papers dwelling on features of the Imperial observations which can obviously be taken less worthily in isolation than they should in relation to their coutext. It is easy to suggest that a man who can be goaded to complain of his critics has not the strength of character conventionally desiderated, if we forget that the strongest haruess has its joiuts, and that the greatest hero cannot be expected to be superhunan. In this instance the KAISER has not copied MARIE CORELLI; he has not merely eased his human heart by girding at those who misunderstand him. He seems to have spoken for more thau himself; and if the world will only ponder the points raised, he will not have spoken altogether in vain. Without being able to approve altogether of extreme optimism, we can envy his Majesty his faith. He is too able an intellect to be wholly sincere in declaring himself "an out and out optimist,"
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M. and Mme. Portier. the two most able amateur Thespians at Shanghai, have gone Home, both having been seriously ill, but both now happily convalescent. M. Portier consular. ly represented France and latterly Portugal also at the Settlement. The English. French and German A D.C.'s made presentations to M. and Mme. them at a public meeting. The departure of Portier must cause agap in Shanghai Society which will take long to fill.
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pre-eminence it одсе enjoyed; a combine of British shipping could con- veivably soon settle that fear. But then immediately there would be a cry that British trade was being choked by high rates, and the shipping people would retort that they could not be expected to keep the