has ever ruled Canada than Sir Wilfrid Laurier, who proclaims his wish, whenever he speaks, to be the Minister of peace, not of war. Laudable as is

this ambition, he would do well sometimes to remind his countrymen that Empire has duties as well as possibilities, and that the first duty of every self-respecting citizen is to defend his hearth and home, not by paying someone else to do this for him, but by placing his personal services at the disposal of the State, with a view to organized co-operative effort for the purpose of national defence.

CHAPTER XIX

CONCLUDING REMARKS

'Dis te minorem quod geris imperas ;

Hinc omne principium, huc refer exitum.'

NOTHING more impressed the writer of the foregoing chapters during his tour round the Empire than the latent strength of the movement which is everywhere showing itself in favour of Imperial union. This movement is not the manufactured product of political combination, but the spontaneous growth of a democratic sentiment which is deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of the people of Great and Greater Britain. Politicians who aspire to be leaders must take count of this sentiment, which requires recognition and demands direction. Imperial policy is happily removed from the narrow domain of local party politics. The clock has been set going from below by the people themselves, and no Minister, to whatever political party he may or may not belong, can put back its hands. From every quarter of the Empire the cry is going up for union-political, defensive, commercial unionas close as is consistent with the full development

of all-round self-government, which is the bed-rock of our Imperial power. It becomes the statesman's duty to guide this rising spirit of democratic patriotism by wise counsel and by prudent action. 'We are British, but with British concerns we have nothing to do. We are in an Empire, but not

of an Empire.' This is the cry which has just reached us from the Far West town of Vancouver, and which gives expression to the prevailing sentiment of British people of all classes of society throughout the Empire.

'The British Empire,' said Sir Wilfrid Laurier, speaking during the course of last year at Toronto, 'means freedom, decentralization, and autonomy. It will live, and live for ever.' These were the words of an Imperial statesman who comprehends, as strongly as leading English statesmen do, the problem of the Empire. Federation, as that term is usually understood in its application to political combination, is unsuited to the conditions of Great Britain and her Colonies. The solution of the problem is not federation under a central Government, but confederation of groups of autonomous States under the British flag. The British Empire differs from the Roman not only in the size of its population, but in the geographical circumstances of its existence. The Roman colonies were concentrated within easy reach of the Mediterranean Sea, while those of Great Britain are scattered over the world. Roman government was directed as well as dictated from the Roman

capital. The tendency of British policy is more and more to decentralize authority, and at the same time to strengthen union. Once a powerful autocracy, the Roman Empire eventually broke up through the internal weakness of its bureaucratic government. The British Empire, deriving strength from political freedom, is gradually becoming-the words are those of Mr. Winston Churchill-a 'solid league of free democratic countries,' drawn together by ties of kinship, and united by the common sentiment of Imperial patriotism. It will live, and live for ever.'

Reciprocity in commerce and defence will do more than anything else towards that political consolidation which is necessary for the high purposes of our world-wide dominion. The dust of a belated creed of political economy must not blind our eyes to the demands of Imperial citizenship. Patriotism is not an academical cult, but a self-respecting duty. Far from being selfish, commercial reciprocity will teach Mother Country and Colonies both how to take and how to give.1 Not in the spirit of self

1 A good move in the direction indicated has just been made by Mr. Sydney Buxton in correspondence with Mr. Lemieux, the Canadian Postmaster-General, with a view to cheapening the rates of postage between the United Kingdom and Canada. In common with other English visitors to Canada, the writer found a scarcity of newspapers and periodicals from the United Kingdom, while, especially in the west, and at large towns like Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Toronto, there was a superabundance of American printed matter. The practical exclusion of English literature, due

interest must this lesson be learnt by responsible statesmen, but with the sole ambition of doing what is best for all communities living under the ægis of the Imperial flag. So, too, in matters of defence there must be better co-ordination of system, and more practical interchange of assistance. In return for naval protection afforded by the Imperial fleet, the Colonies can be reasonably required to provide safe harbours, docks, refitting stations, provision depots, and territorial communications. Behind these ever-developing material resources the manhood of each colony, organized on the basis of militia service, will act as a reserve for oversea use in time of Imperial danger. For such organization to be effective, a corresponding sacrifice of individual will, time, and liberty is indispensable; but, as has been pointed out in a previous chapter of this volume, Empire has its duties as well as its possibilities. What,' we may ask with Mr. Kipling, 'is your boasting worth, if ye grudge a year of service to the lordliest life on earth?'

to the high rates of postage in the United Kingdom, has had an undoubted Americanizing effect on the public mind of Canada to the detriment of the Old Country connection. Any loss to the home revenue caused by reduction of postage rates will find compensation in the increased facilities which such reduction will afford for the dissemination of English ideas, and in bringing Mother Country and colony nearer together, not only in heart and thought, but in business relations also. The conditions of the agreement between the two Postmasters-General are still under consideration as this volume is being prepared for the press.