Show but it to Is not in the granting of a measure of home rule to ireland that signs of a striking revolution in ln british affairs is manifested lord salisbury was reported a few days ago aap as entirely in sympathy with a federation of all the different portions of the british empire by this federation to is meant a union of the scattered colonies with the foe home government this scheme must he be surprising to the average conservative serva tive Mt isher yet it is being actively prosecuted in england there to already established an imperial fedoration federation league and at its meeting in london a few days ago lord salis sails burys bury Is attitude on federation was favorably commented on this idea has been agitated for years in trade circles the obstacles to a commercial federation were not considered serious while those presenting the themselves melves in the way of political union seemed to many insurmountable As to the australian and american colonies and even the cape settlements there seems no great hindrance t to their going in the union but with india the case to is different how would such a vast empire be represented in the imperial parliament it could not be on a basis of population as the other states would expect to stand there is another another difficulty in the case of french canadians it is doubtful whether they would willingly enter a union of this kind however the scheme is earnestly considered and it looks as if some definite plan for agreement will be prepared and then a conference of colonial statesmen will be called to consider it Vs dispatches patches from berlin state that a gigantic commercial union uhlon has been formed by germany austria hungary italy and switzerland A conference will be held in berne on july next and a constitution adopted by which the league will be governed how bow far this union will affect france england fin glaud the united states and other countries can not well be deter until the result of the berne mn conference frence has been published it looks as if the trust craze had taken possession of the nations ot of the world in place of individuals forming combines to control trade and industry we have the powerful acu atri europe entering into colver e orations and alliances the situa s I 1 it 16 not much different in america mr blaines reciprocity scheme has in it the idea of commercial unity among the republics of this continent per baas it was this enterprise on the part of our secretary of state that has set got the european ball rolling |