1150 ADMINISTRATION AND LEGISLATION [part V little the Canadian Government saw any inconsistency between the preferential tariff and reciprocity with the United States. This position is shown in speech after speech by responsible Canadian ministers ever since. It may suffice one to quote some remarks made on December 11, 1903, by Sir Richard Cartwright in reviewing the fiscal situation in a speech made at Toronto. I may be pardoned for saying what my own position is. I have held it long; 1 have advocated the formation of a friendly alliance by any possible means between Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. With that view I advocated reciprocity with the United States. Largely with that view I have advocated the British Preference. It is for that reason I would welcome an English Zollverein in that direction, and if Britain and Canada desire to bring about that realization, then I would heartily bid them God-speed. In the same year, on January 15, at a banquet, Sir Frederick Borden, Minister of Militia in the Laurier Govern- ment, spoke as follows :—2 We have heard, all of us, a great deal about the question of reciprocity. Some of us, perhaps, in times past thought that the United States were unfriendly, were disposed at any rate not to be as friendly towards us on questions of trade as they might be. Iam bound to say that at one time I took that view myself, but even if 1 held that view to-day, I would feel that the account was pretty nearly squared ; because as a result of their refusal to trade with us, they have made us self-reliant, and have made us the greatest rival they have in the one free market of the world. It would be a most desirable thing that trade between these two countries should flow as freely as possible. And when the time comes, and the United States are prepared to trade with us, I would hold both hands for a fair and honourable arrange- ment for the exchange of commodities between these two countries. In introducing his proposals on January 26, 1911, in the Canadian Annual Review, 1903, p. 383. * Ibid., p. 379. Accounts of the movement will be found in each of the issues of this valuable Review for 1904-10. See especially, 1909. pp. 622-4; 1910, pp. 267 seq., 330 seq., 621 seq.