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THE PROPOSED NEW PEAK TRAMWAY.
(Daily Press, December 21st,) The practical result of the discussion which took place at the Legislative Coun. cil meeting last week on the proposed new Tramway to the Peak is that the project is to be considered de novo. His Excell-ney the Governor told the Council that the circumstances under which the Bill was introduced a few years ago are very different to those which exist to-day. We all know when the proposal was first made that the tramway was intended to be competitive with the one already existing. Since then there has been an almagamation and, moreover, it is now proposed that the Dew line abould traverse a different route to that at first suggested. The new route, like the old, meets with opposition. The old route was condemned because it threatened to mar the beauty of the Public Gardens. To meet this objection the route has been altered in a way which brings the line to Within 240 feet of the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Glenealy and the Catholic com-
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munity is up in rms against it. They have
[December 26, 1908:
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
vide the necessary funds for the construction | purely a test of the strength of the parties, of the line seems a sufficient answer to the each elector being pledged to vote for the question as to whether the line is needed or candidate previously selected by his party. not. It is too late in the day now to be Now, with the hoped for object of giving considering the general principle of the the College ample time for deliberation, its Bill. That ought to be regarded as having own election had been fixed some five been finally settled two or three years ago, months in advance of the expiry of the pre leaving the Council to decide which of the sidential term then current; it was also two routes in Glenealy is the least objection- hoped that the election of the President able. We can quite believe that the line taking place regularly a month or two in would prove a nuisance to the Roman advance of the vacation of the Chair, the Catholic Cathedral but it is worth pointing incoming and outgoing Presidents would be out that alongside the existing line stands a enabled to confer together regarding the Roman Catholic Church, a Protestant Church, needs of the country; and a continuity of a Hospital and large Hotel. Aesthetics bave effort and policy from one tenure to another bein sacrified in the interests of utility. be thus ensured. Naturally, as human The new line would probably have its advan- nature is constituted, this hope also was tage for the worshippers of the Roman abattered. Nothing was less likely in fact Catholic Cathedral as well as its disadvan. than that the nominee of his party come tages, but, in public estimation, we fanoy the straight from the poll should desire to con- sult his already effete predecessor, especially original route will gener..lly be regarded as the least objectional·le.
if the party had changed, or the "ticket" had been altered.
petitioned the Legislative Council to veto this proposed a teration and employed Sir HENEY BERKELEY, K.C., to argue the mater on their behalf and tendered expert evidence that cars passing over iron trestles at a di-tance of not more than 24 fect from the Cathedral door would rob the worshippers of that peace and quietness they now enjoy and woull, more ver, inconvenience residen's in the houses in the immediate vicinity of the Cathedral. All this is quite possible and obviously highly probable, but if the construction of the line is held to be desir- able in the interests of the general publie, the Council seems to have no op ion but to sanction its construction over one of those two routes. His Excellency the Governor suggested doubt as to whether any necessity exists for the line, but seemed to overlook the fact that it was chi Av intented not for residents at the Peak but to provide better facilities for reaching the roads on the higher levels. We do not k ow whether His Ex- bellency was entirely correct in believing that the institution of this new scheme interfered
We are
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MR. ROOSEVELT.
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The consequence accordingly is that there exists a sort of int rregnum between the efection of the new, and the retirement of the old, during which the country is ruled personally by the President actually in office who occupies the anomalous position for a constitutional ruler of being absolutely without responsibility. It is quite true that his powers are limited by the letter of the Constitution; he cannot declare war, and the Senate will not let him conclude peace, but he can place things in such a position, that one or other may have become a prac- tical necessity by the time he vacates the White House. One of the results of this curious position is that the outgoing Pre- sident has an opportunity, which he not unfrequently takes, of paying off old scores against the Senate or House, whichever may bave bec ime obnoxious. Even so capable and congenial a President as Mr. ROOSE- VELT has proved himself to be, has found it convenient to take advantage of the open- ing. With the natural instinct of a born administrator, Mr. ROOSEVELT during his term of office has been seeking to increase the efficiency of the means in his hand for
(Daily Press, 22nd December.} An apt illustration of the difficulty, or rather impossibility, of making a hard and fist constitution which would last through all time, and need no amendment, was afforded in the written Constitution of the Great Republic. There was nothing in the instrument on which its authors prided themselves so much ns on the provisions made for the quadrennial election of their President, without on each o'casion plun :- ing the country into what, to many minds, seemed to be the throes of a semi-revolution, In order to avoid this danger, which in the eyes of the framers loomed large, it was determined that the erection of the Chief Magistinte should be taken altogether ou: of the hands of the commonalty, and placed in those of a witenagemot denominated the Electoral College." These wise men ,no mere were, it was presumed, to be above party consideration, and intent only on making choice of the ideally best individual for the weighty post of Chief of the new pain, were to meet at a stated period, and then and there after due discussion elect
an equally instinctive dread of anything the President. Each member was to write the prevention of crime; and Congress, with the name of his choice, on a slip of paper, savouring of secrecy or concealment, has which he was to seal up: anl these votes been thwarting his efforts at every turn, were to be transmitted to the president of The subject is always a delicate one, and the Senate, who was to open them in the engaged as he was in the struggle against presence of both Houses; and the individual the too powerful trusts, who have been with most votes was to be forth with declared seriously obstructing a return to better President. The device spoke more for the things in the government of the States, Mr. heart than for the head of the constitution ROOSEVELT fou d it was wiser for the time makers, who, thoroughly honest themselves, being to preserve silence. Having now believed that future politicians would have arrived at the irresponsible period of his tenure of office, when all things are lawful no thoughts beyon the good of the country. The ratur 1 result, allowing fort a deprting President, Mr. ROOSEVELT
instinctive weakness the
of ordinary has spoken out. Soft words, says the humanity, followed; the witenagemt, when proverb, butter no parsnips, but on put to the test of their very first elec-uther hand trenchant words often cut deep- tiou proved to be merely a congregation ly, 80 Mr. ROOSEVELT has not minced his of delegat s
wherein each elector Was
with the extension of the existing tramway which, he said, would otherwise have been carried down to Qu eu's Road. under the impression that this was regarded rather as a maus of me ting the threated competition, because it was very evident that people would not walk up to St. John's Place to travel by the existing line if the station of the new line was situated iu Queen's Road. At all events the public would not gain much hy the exte: sio of the ex ating line. If additio al tramway sc mm. dation is necessary under pr. sent conditions the need would be greater it the existing line were extended t Queen's toad because the service at the busiest hours of the day wou'd necessarily te less frequent pledged to support a particular candidate than it is now. If the line were carried down for the Presidential chair Logically some method was needed for fixing on the name, to Queen's Road a ten-mi utes' service, we presume, would be impossible. The ques-able, and for this unexpected necessity o
or names, of candidate lik ly to be accept tion as to whether t'e propo-ed new line is a public nece-sity would seem to be answered affirmatively by the readiness of the Com pany to proceed with its construction. It does not seem fair to the Company that the Council, after having once approved the line 'on general principles, should turn round now after the Company has gone to the expenses candidate, for the Presidency and Vice- of amalgamation and say "We will again consider the proposal on general principles." Presidency respectively. This was done Opinion its doubtless divided concerning the efore the election of the Electoral College. necessity for the line; so it was when the which son cane, contrary to the desire of existing line was constructed. The fact the original framers, to be selected by the that private individuals are willing to pro-people at large, so that the struggle became
provision had been made, so the practice grew up that ach party that though itself strong enough, or, had Diorey enough to bear the expense, elected a party Conven- tion, and at this convention the party after much discussion, often heated, finally selected the individual to be put forward 88
the
language. Speaking of the obstructions plac d in the way of his proposed strength- ening of the confidential detective police at the service of the State he tells Congress plainly that the motive in their objection was not their unslike to a secret olice, but
the dread that too bright a light might be turned on their own questionable, if not criminal, connection with the trusts. The reception that this statement met with is an indication of what would have occurred while Mr. ROOSEVELT had the rod of responsibility impending over him. Disguise it bow they may, the best Americans are well aware in their inmost thoughts of the enormous damage that the misuse of acou- mulated wealth is inflicting, socially and
a position, and fewer still care to speak out politically, on their rountry, but few are in