lihood of the major part of the relief going not to the distressed tenant, but to the landlord, who would possess himself of it by the simple process of raising the rent. The opposition to the measure was not confined to the opposers of the government.

The bill was carried through its report stage in a session which began on Monday, July 6, at 3 P. M., and continued all night-the

vote being reached at 8:20 the next morning. It awaits its third reading.

Irish Land Bill.Any measure applying to the Irish land question must now deal with a subject compliIcated with abuses of long standing, and made still more confused and perplexing by successive acts of opposite political parties administrating their reforms or their palliatives. The government therefore could plead excellent excuse for adding, on April 17, one more to the list of long and complex bills which they have introduced

at this session. Mr. Gerald Balfour, chief secretary for Ireland, explained it to the house in a portentous speech of three hours' length, said to be the most technical and complicated on record in that presence.

It

The measure was spoken of as one not fully understood in all its parts by anybody in the house, not even by the man who was reading its explanation. Its chief aim is certainly to be commended: it is to nduce and to help tenants to become freeholders. It facilitates pur chase of lands by extending the term of payment of borrowed money from forty-nine years (as under present law) to seventy years. also does a good work by abolishing a great variety of technical obsticles between tenancy and ownership. To an unprejudiced mind it may indicate that the conservatives of to-day are quite as ready to help Ireland in practical ways-non-political ways-as were the liberals of recent years. In some of its points it agrees with Mr. John Morley's measure set forth by the last liberal government.

The support of the bill by the Irish members in parliament was not very cordial. Many amendments were offered, and the government withdrew some portions of it to placate the landlords. On June 8 it passed its second reading. The quarter ended leaving its fate undecided.

Deceased Wife's Sister Bill.-The bill legalizing marriage with the sister of a deceased wife, unexpectedly passed the house of lords, where it has met defeat year after year. It was opposed, as always, by the bishops, but was favored by the Prince of Wales and others of the royal group. It is not expected to become a law this year, because of the pressure of business in the lower house. The Budget. The chancellor of the exchequer, Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, introduced the budget in the commons on April 16.

It showed a more successful development of Sir William Harcourt's "democratic" revenue-producing system than even he had anticipated when last year he bequeathed it to his successor. At first condemned by the opposite party as a "system for confiscation," it had finally in its main principles been adopted and continued by them. Though the expenditure of the last fiscal year, "a wonderful year," was larger than in any previous year since the last great war, yet the present surplus in the treasury was with two exceptions the largest known for fifty years; the reserve fund in the Bank of England was the highest on record-the bullion amounting to £49,000,000; a larger sum than in any similar period before had been applied to reduction of the national debt. The prospective surplus for the cur rent year is to be largely reduced by the prospective increase in the navy estimates; and the remainder is hypothecated to two main ob jects to which the government considers itself pledged-the relief of agricultural distress as aimed at in the Agricultural Rates measure, and the preservation and larger sustenance of voluntary (i. e., denominational) schools, as was contemplated in the now abandoned Educa tion bill.

The prospective revenue for the year is estimated at £101,755,000, of which sum taxation is expected to yield £84,345,000; postoffice, telegraph, and other non-tax sources, $17,410,000. The prospective expenditure is set at £100,047,030; leaving surplus £1,708,000, to be applied as indicated above. The chancellor in his speech spoke of trade as having continuously expanded, as shown by the increase in values of exports, imports, railway earnings, and banking returns. The revenue for the fiscal year 1895 had been £101,974,000, mainly from customs, excise, death duties, and stamps-showing increase of £7,290,000. The increase in the customs arose mainly from tobacco, tea, and wine. The increased consumption of luxuries indicated growing prosperity, and accumulation of capital. The condition of workingmen, Sir Michael thought, had never been so satisfactory as at present; the shadow on his picture was that he feared that the condition of agriculturists was worse.

The Political Situation.-The surprising failure of the administration in its program of legislation has greatly comforted the liberals, and has weakened its hold on

popular support, though as yet there is scarcely any sign of party disintegration in parliament. Public criticism has been sharp and general, but thus far the blame has been cast on the leadership. Mr. Arthur Balfour has wofully failed to meet expectations; yet he has resources for recovery. Lord Salisbury's foreign policy cannot be said to be satisfactory in its appeal to British sentiment: the management in Egypt is questioned; the dallying with the Venezuelan affair is criticised perhaps without good reason; and Armenia, like a bloody ghost, if it do not haunt the foreign office, somewhat disquiets the public mind. The awkward and dangerous incident in South Africa has been so well handled at the colonial office that the government is now generally held blameless. Increased prosperity at home gives strength to the party in power. Thus the situation is mixed.

One element in the relation of parties is new. Irish home rule has ceased to be a practical question. The field is thus cleared for a possibly new political alignment. The definite liberal loss of the Irish vote in parliamentfor that vote, largely Roman Catholic and under clerical influence, went with the conservatives for the Education bill and the denominational schools-seemed at first a frightful reduction of the already reduced liberal strength. Now, it appears to have been really the loss of a burden. Fundamental liberal principles may now be at liberty to make a less hampered appeal to the great British public.

It is to be remembered, too-and this explains in part the failure of the Education bill-that the conservatives have among the voters no such excess of power over the opposition as their huge majority of 150 in parliament. might indicate. If the parliamentary membership represented accurately the voters, the majority would probably be not more than fifteen. Conservative tenure therefore requires proper management for its continuance.

Intra-Imperial Free Trade. This title might equally be Imperial Tariff Federation, or Colonial Commercial Union. It stands for a recent movement, simultaneous in Britain and several British colonies, for a closer unity of all parts of the vast empire-a union for outward defense, for inward stability, and for business prosperity. It marks an awakening of patriotic spirit. Its plans are as yet tentative and inchoate. Its most prominent prac tical suggestion thus far-though the practicalness is not yet in evidence-is that offered by Mr. Chamberlain at the annual meeting of the Canada Club, in London, on March 25.

It is a proposal of an imperial customs union, ending the present protective tariffs in all parts of the empire as against one another, and bringing Britain and all her colonies, with India, under a tariff "for revenue" as against all the world beside (p. 181).

It is remarked that such a tariff "for revenue" would naturally be expected to work some practical "protection' to the business of the countries fenced within its limits,

PROFESSOR MAX MULLER,

DISTINGUISHED ORIENTAL SCHOLAR.

and that thus Cobdenism and a high idealistic free trade would be driven from its last stronghold on earth. Britain, dropping thus from her lofty ethical standard of forty years in economics, would become even like unto the United States.

Wide discussion has been aroused by this interesting revolutionary suggestion. The stage of practical proposals has not yet come. The Cobden Club, at its annual dinner at Greenwich on June 28, assailed Mr. Chamberlain's scheme, and rejoiced in the recent Canadian election as

auspicious of continued Cobdenism.

At the third congress of the Chambers of Commerce of the empire, which opened at London, June 8, Mr. Chamberlain delivered the speech of welcome, in which he presented with somewhat more definiteness his scheme.

He declared as a paramount necessity the commercial union of the empire. Not only British prosperity, but also imperial integrity, is at stake. To commercial union three ways were conceivable: 1. The colonies to abandon their tariffs and adopt English free trade; 2. England to renounce free trade and adopt the colonial tariff system; 3. England and the colonies to adopt free trade among themselves, with the separate contracting parties free to arrange compromise tariffs on certain foreign imports of articles largely produced in the colonies. It was essential to the last plan, which he deemed the only one feasible, that Great Britain should lay a tariff on foreign imports

of wheat, meat, wool, sugar, and other great colonial products which have enormous consumption in England, and which thus might be produced wholly by British labor.

After lively discussion it was unanimously resolved to suggest to the British government that, if the colonies asked such action, it should call a conference to formulate a plan for closer commercial union. Thus a proposal is definitely made from the highest quarter, which includes a re-enactment of the corn laws, which were the chief object of Cobden's victorious attack. It is not denied, however, that very great difficulties will attend any practical attempt to frame and set in motion so revolutionary a system.

Pacific Cable Conference. This conference, which opened at the colonial office in London, June 5, was addressed by Mr. Chamberlain. It marks one of the steps in the path of imperial federation. Its first efforts were given toward procuring and arranging for a telegraphic cable across the Pacific from the western shore of Canada to the British colonies in Australia. Thus a girdle round the globe is to be completed for British commercial and military communication (Vol. 5, p. 921).

Miscellaneous.-British trade with Japan has increased immensely since the war ended. The British minister in that country calls the attention of British manufacturers to the recent enormous growth of Japanese commercial activity and development of foreign trade, with the sudden increase of wealth. There has been rapid enlargement of manufacturing industries, and there is in near prospect a heavy demand for all kinds of metals, war material, and ships, together with the ordinary staples. Wages have advanced, prices have risen, and higher standards of living prevail among all classes.

Of the total value of Japanese foreign trade last year, £28,150,735 (imports £13,526,710, exports £14,624,025), the British share was £10,609,167; United States, £6,819,422 (chiefly in Japanese products); China, £3,283,921; France, £3,218,452; Germany, £1,636,121. In steel rails, thus far supplied from England, there is now beginning an American and German competition.

The copyright question as presented by the Treloar bill has been under discussion, but without action by the associated bodies of authors or publishers.

The bill is regarded as revoking the copyright act of 1891, but is not expected to become law. At present, the American author obtains copyright in England for forty-two years by sale there of a few copies of his work simultaneously with its publication in his own country. For the English author to obtain copyright in the United States it is requisite that his book be manufactured there as well as published simultaneously there and in Britain. The Treloar