CANADIAN CONDITIONS. 14

nor was her fiscal independence in any way compromised.
 The programme was hotly opposed
by the Conservative party, on the ground that
Laurier had not obtained a quid pro quo from
Britain, but the vigour of their opposition was
undoubtedly inspired by alarm as High Protectionists
 at the reduction of the tariff.
In 1902 Britain imposed a tax on corn, and then
for the first time it became possible to give Canada
a preference in the British market. It is Canada’s
policy to make commercial treaties when and where
shecan. Therefore it was that at the Colonial Con.
ference of 1902 she asked for preferential treatment,
and it must be remembered that it was only because
the corn tax was in existence that ske did so.
At the conference Mr. Chamberlain stated that
Britain derived no substantial advantage from the
preference, a view he has since abandoned, It
was his protest that led to the remark that the
preference, if of no value, might be withdrawn or
modified. The Canadian Government may well
have welcomed this excuse for heeding the outcry
of the cotton-spinner. At the same time, an
increase in the preference was offered in return for
a preference on corn. All that was meant by
this is, “ If you will give us a preference on our corn,
we will see that the preference you get in return
will be a real preference of some substantial
advantage, and seeing that we would like it as large
as we can give it you, on behalf of the consumer in
Canada, we will go as far as our opponents and the
C. *