Show AUSTRALASIA + The States of Australasia have ceased tobe separate colonTcs of the British tle empire They are united in one great confederation and while they have a GovernorGeneral appointee l by the Queen there Is little of British rule there except so far an theaffecllon of the people may cause them to hec1 the GovernorGeneral To all Intents and purposes they are free and Independent States A vast amount of interest attaches lo that new government I begins about I where the United States did when the Constitution was ratified I has Just about the same population am though not nearly somuch land that canbe cultivated it la the second goldproduc ing country in the world and that will give the country a more rapid growth than ours had at flrsi They are a strong andtSlubborn people over there I they are not like Englishmen not like Americans not even like the Canadians but have characteristics of all these They are progressive too No one need think that they are not thinkers The way ballots were cast did not suit them andthey invented the Australian Austra-lian ballot They grew weary of strikes and passed a law which has slopped all strikes since It was passed They were dissatisfied with the wny finances were carried on and so fixed it that Government loam with proper safeguards can he secured In their Isolation they organized art studies and one result is that some of tho very tin eat singers lu the world arc natives of those Islandn In the South seas There Is something apparently In the climate that gives to that people exquisite ex-quisite voices They have I strong I press and good schools hut naturally many of the people arc most provincial and as cl in their ways as ao uany donkeys The foundations for a great people and a great country arc there and we are glad to knoV hat i warm cordiality exists between them and the people of our own woHtcrn conslhele ought f to be for all time the Closest kind 1 of friendship bdtwccn Australia nnd the I Pacific coast of our country I in true that vh lit llu f Aupr n ilifint4 1 nrr > dead In lovo with the Queen and have sent a mighty contingent to help fight her battles In South ACl lca the averagg Australian had rather trade with this country especially the west coast than with England Tho growing trade Is shown In many ways The splendid new steamers that SpreckcJs has l ordered J or-dered for the Australian route one ot j which has reached San Francisco and Balled for Sydney arc proof and as the time la shortened and as the industries ot both countries enlarge there ought to be closer and closer business and I social relations between the two countries coun-tries at least up to the time Isthmus i i canal shall bo completed I Australia now raises the finest of j wools forty years ago magnificent horses were imported Into California I from Australia and the cattle of that country supplied the fresh beef which Admiral Dewey ate in Manila harbor and we presume the trade Is still con tinned The great drawback In the in i tfirlor of the vast country Is a lack of j water but the water will be utilized there better than In the arid belt of the I United States Hall lev the United 1 States of the South Pacific |