Excerpt from The Early Federation Movement of Australia

It is especially appropriate that the nineteenth century, the history of which has been dominated by the spirit of nationalism, and which has witnessed the important federal unions of Switzer land, Canada and Germany, should also see its last days crowned by the unification of the segregated colonies of Australia into a strong federation under the flag of Great Britain. The federal state promises to be as distinctly the dominant type of modern governmental organization as the city state was of ancient Greece. For this reason alone, the Australian federation is especially worthy of study, ' as the latest product of the spirit of the age. Its history and its constitution are particularly valu able, as illustrative of the tendencies of the powerful social and economic forces of society, which enter so largely into the political life of the modern state. The Australian Common wealth Act is not only the most finished product of federal constitution making, embodying the experience of all previous federations, so far as they were found applicable to Australian conditions, but it is as well, one of the most democratic instru ments of government ever framed, expressive of the socialistic tendency of the rule of the working-man. The interest and significance of this event is intensified, if we judge of its im portance, not by theimpression it creates at the moment, but by the truer test of its potentiality in the political andjuristic world, in presenting to the nations of the East and West a new factor in international politics, and in offering to statesmen and jurists an unique model of constitution making. He would indeed be a bold political prophet who would venture to set definite limits to the future greatness and influence of the new federation under the Southern Cross.

The history of the evolution of a nation is always a fascin ating and instructive study, more especially so when the new born state is possessed of almost unlimited resources, is inhabited by a race of high intellectual attainments and of liberal culture, and when its citizens, moreover, are among the keenest students of political and of sociological problems. Australia, by reason of her situation, of her history, and of her homogeneous population is an exceptionally favorable fieldfor political experiments, and fortunately her leaders have not been afraid to endeavor to solve some of the. Complex questions of modern social relations, which have daunted the statesmen of the old world. The record of the early stages of the federal movement, when a few chosen spirits were vainly gropingafter some scheme of intercolonial co-operation and unity, is equally valuable if not so interesting as the history of its consummation, in revealing to us the source of the spirit of Australian national ism, which has made federation both possible and actual. It is only in the light of this early struggle which brought out all the forces and issues of nationalism and provincialism, that we can properly interpret the events of the last few years.

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