Australian democracy on the platform and in the press with a flourish of inaccurate vituperation, which, although it is intended exclusively for home consumption, is apt to mislead those who are not familiar with such methods of party warfare.
Whatever the explanation, the result is bad. Mutual understanding of each other's aims being the first essential of good feeling between nations, nothing is more likely to create differences than want of sympathy and knowledge. A young country, which is at present in the raw stage, but which is conscious of a great future, is always rather oversensitive to criticism. Dickens's 'American Notes' kept England and America apart for many years; and English criticism of Australia may be equally mischievous, if it does not change its tone and realize that Australian policy is neither selfish nor perverse, but is designed—however imperfectly the plan may be carried out—to give effect to definite ideas of social well-being, in furtherance of what Australia believes to be the best interests of the Empire.
It may not, therefore, be useless to examine very briefly what the Commonwealth, which was born with this century, has already done to justify itself, and what is likely to be its future. In the course of the inquiry we may find that a combination of circumstances has for a time somewhat discredited Australian Federation in the eyes of the public, who cannot follow its affairs closely, yet there will also be shown a solid basis of achievement; while only those who knew Australia in the old provincial days can realize how many dangers Union has averted, and what seeds of promise it has already planted.
It must be recognised at the outset that the Commonwealth is not only at present unpopular, but that it was never popular. For although it was established by a plebiscite, yet the impulse to it came from politicians, who were somewhat aloof from the party organization of their several States, and its provincial opponents were able, rancorous, and determined. Even of the
