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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
19
with
80
many, peus writing the same story of imperial and colonial obligations, and with so many orators preaching the same gospel of mutual goodwill, it follows that the Empire should enter on a new era, It is of interest to note in this connection that, instead of the Mother Country regard. that final judgment has quite recently been ing the Colonies as so many encumbrances, rendered in the United States Circuit Court she will recognise in them so many supports, in an action started six years ago against and become proud of their growing strength the South African "Shipping Ring" by a and maturity, and the Colonies, instead of firm of exporters who shipped goods by out- regarding the Homeland as having no side steamers as well as by those of the interests in them beyond the financial, will "Ring," and consequently disqualified them cultivate a better feeling which should selves to claim deferred commission in re-ult in greater happiness, not because of respect of their shipments by "Conference the agreeable sentimental relationships steamers. They sued the lines concerned which have been established but because of for damages sustained, claiming that they the sound business associations which have had been deprived of $5.560. The final been developed and which contribute in no court of appeal has now held that the little degree to the happy result attained. Conference system is, in restraint of com- We do not exaggerate the power of the petition in foreign commerce and con- Press when we suggest these eminently travenes the Federal Anti-Trust Statute, satisfactory results. It has only to be and under section 7 of that statute the stated to evoke acknowledgment that the plaintiffs are entitled to recover treble the Press exercises a great influence in such damages sustained. A verdict was given in questions as commercial policy and organis. their favour for $25,180. We cite this❘ation for defence. These are now the very judgment as adding force to the finding in kernel of Imperial politics, and the better the Minority Report that the Conference those who form opinion on them under- system " gives a country, such as the stand them and each other, whether they United States, in which the system is be statesmen or journalists, or both, the more illegal, an advantage as compared with the rapid and sure must be the advance towards United Kingdom.”
that co-operation on which the future of the Empire depends. While we do minimise but rather emphasise the power of the Press in this direction, we must admit that it has another function. Its raison d'étre is not the advocacy of policies, but the provision of authentic news. Hardly a week passes without some instance of the danger and difficulties to which the limitations of our present news services expose imperial statesmen, and in advocating and perhaps securing a cheaper service of cablegrams the Press of the Empire show that they appreciate the necessity for a greater knowledge and better understanding between the Mother Country and Dominion and Colony and Dependency. The opinion that all honest journalistic enterprise is vain which is not directed before all things to the provision of sound and accurate news, which we endorse, and if the starting point of a wider and sounder system of Imperial intelligence be traced to the Conference its place in history will be a proud one indeed.
MISSIONARIES OF EMPIRE.
It the
not
[July 5, 1909. description of the operations of the "rings," | itself strongly on whoever reads the recom- | gospel. In other words, they will be and suggest systems of control, short of mendatious which the Commissioners have Missionaries of Empire. With
80 many legislation, to check the admitted disadvan-made. It now remains for the Government voices breathing expressions of affection, tages which are inherent in monopolies of all to take some action on these Reports, and kinds. Even the Majority could not avoid the publication of the regulations which the conclusion that a Shipping Conference must result from the presentation of these making use of a system of deferred rebates Reports will be awaited with eager interest does possess, so far as the shipper of general ia shipping and mercantile circies. merchandise is concerned, a limited mono- poly; but they considered that where a regular and organised service is required, the Conference system, fortified by some tie upon the shipper, is, as a general rule, neces. sary. They attribute to the system the advantages" which are usually associated with monopoly, viz. organisation, economy in production, avoidance of wasteful competi- tion owing to duplication &c.," but they are constrained to mention that the system also has its disadvantages, which they do not specify but refer to as "those which are usually separable from a monopoly not subject to control." The Majority adopt as their main recommendation the suggestion that "all that is required to check abuses of the Conference system is that the shippers and merchants in a given trade should form themselves into an associa- tion, so that they might be able to present a united front to the Conference when any controversy arises." Verily, the mountain in labour has brought forth a mouse! Substantially such associations have existed, and in the very nature of the circumstances, must always exist. The Minority Report differs from the Majority Report in that it dissents from the findings of the former as to the advantages claimed for the Shipping Conference and the deferred rebate system. The Commissioners who form the minority say that the Majority Report "overrates such advantages, er roneously attributes some of them to that system and does not give sufficient weight to the disadvantages resulting therefrom or to the dangers incident to the system." Among the conclusions at which the Miuo- rity arrive are these: that the Conference system was introduced in the first instance with the object of raising rates or preventing their fall, and diminishing competition; that it has been successful in raising or keeping up rates; that the public have, as a rule, to pay higher rates of freight than they would pay in the open market; that the system has been injurious to "tramps," the strongest element in the British mer cantile marine; and it leads, as to them, to waste and to higher rates of freight; and they declare also that there is no evidence that the system has appreciably increased regularity of sailing or greatly improved the quality of steamers, "but it has tended to bring about equality and stability of rates." Though the Minority thus flatly declares against the results arising out of the Shipping Conference they are not prepared at present to recommend legislation on the lines of the Sherman Act, and consider that any legisla- tion short of that would be ineffectual.' Consequently their recommendations much on the lines of the Majority Report, but with largely increased powers to the Board of Trade ensuring the results of official inquiries being promptly brought to the notice of Parliament. In short, the Minority rely strongly on the effect of fuli publicity, which has not hitherto existed, as to the working of the Conferences. Sir
· DAVID BARBOUR, one of the Commissioners, it is interesting to note, is of opinion that no check could be applied sufficient to protect the public interests without at the same time involving such an amount of inter- ference with the business of the shipowners as to make the continuance of the Rings imposs. ible, and that is a view which must fores
are
(Daily Press, July 1st.)
Imperial Press Conference, concluded rather more than a week ago, has accomplished nothing more than the concentration of thought upon the difficult problem of imperial defence, it has justified its being. But it has done more. It has roused the Mother Country and the Colonies to a greater sense of their mutual obligations. It has thrilled the whole Empire with a patriotic fervour, perhaps felt just as keenly before, but whatis of even greater value, it his helped to a better understanding between the people of the United Kingdom, and people_of the Dominions
The Conference
was
over the seas.
no ordinary gathering of newspaper men met to discuss matters affecting their own interest. It was an assembly unique in the annals of Empire. The Conference was Imperial. Its consider- ations were questions of Empire, questions of policy, questions of developing trade, and kindred considerations. And its discussion
and
That
80
men
ON THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHESY.
(Daily Press, 2nd July.) It is somewhere about sixty years ago that wrote Locksley Hall," in which the following lines occur:-
Men, my brothers, men the workers, ever
reaping something new;
That which they have done but earnest of
the things that they shall do ; For I dipt into the future, far as human
eye could see
Saw the Vision of the world, and all the wonder
that would be;
conclusions were perhaps of even greater weight then if its members had been representative politicians, because, without TENNYSON 1
belittling the profession of the politician, it be said that he has not the same may opportunities for gauging public opinion and for forming it as the journa- list.
these many of should be brought to the seat of Empire and enabled to revive associations which naturally grow dim with the passing years, enabled to see the difficulties which barass the Home Government, enabled to under- stand what could only be obscure and in- appreciable from the distance of their colonial homes, is without doubt an epoch in the history of empire, and the value of its All these results cannot be minimised. men, having their patriotism stirred, having arrived at a better understanding them- selves and ready therefore to promote a better feeling between the Mother Country and the Colonies, and having realised the dangers which best the Empire, will return to their homes with a new light, with a new
Saw the heavens fill with commerce, argosies
of magic sails,
Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping
down with costly bales. Heard the heavens fill with shouting and
there rain'd a ghastly dew From the nations' airy navies grappling
in the central blue.
As far back as 1800 experiments in artificial flight were made in England, but the prophetic lines we have quoted were apparently written before the first flying machine had been brought to public notice, for "* Lockaley Hall" was published in