When this Canadian tariff was first made the other nations smiled at it
as a meaningless piece of legislation, but as they thought over it they
saw its true meaning, and at once denounced it as an attempt to make
England false to her agreement with Germany and Belgium.
England saw the force of this herself, and did not attempt to take
advantage of the reduced rates of the Canadian tariff.
This did not disconcert Sir Wilfrid Laurier in the least. He had put the
new law through for a certain purpose, and he was willing to wait
patiently until he could secure the desired end.
His opportunity came at the Conference.
After the Colonial Secretary had answered the premiers that he thought
it better to wait a while before federating, the Canadian Prime Minister
made a very earnest speech.
Having first stated that the time had come to take some decided action,
he said that he and all the other premiers were of one mind that Great
Britain should make an end of all her treaties with foreign countries
which hampered her trade with her colonies.
He added that if this were done the various governments would see if
some arrangement could not be made by which a preference would be given
to British manufactures.
These remarks met with the most enthusiastic indorsement from the other
prime ministers, who requested that they be embodied in a resolution,
and presented to the Colonial Secretary for parliamentary consideration.
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