18 CANADA AND THE EMPIRE.

Canadian manufacturers will let us.” How far itis
in the power of a Canadian Government to go in
fulfilment of this generous offer will be discussed
later. The granting of a preference would have
made the corn tax, which was imposed as a temporary
 war tax, permanent, and the Canadian
ministers were undoubtedly satisfied with the force
of this argument. The memorandum of the Canadian
 ministers containing their suggestions and
proposals still stands as the expression of the
Canadian Government's attitude with regard to
the question. Beyond this the Government has
absolutely refused to go. They feel very strongly
that it is for Britain alone to settle her own fiscal
system, and they wish to do nothing that can influence
 her decision!
We have said that in Canadian politics at the
oresent time there is no Free Trade party. This

I The resolution submitted at the Conference was i—
« That the Prime Ministers of the colonies respectfully
arge on His Majesty's Government the expediency of
granting in the United Kingdom preferential treatment to
the products and manufactures of the colonies, either by
exemption from or reduction of duties now or hereafter
imposed.”
It will be observed that this resolution does not suggest
the imposing of any duties with a view to reducing them
ior the benefit of the colonies, but merely that where any
duties existed, or may hereafter exist, an exemption from
or reduction of them should be granted in favour of colonial
products. Nor does it suggest that the preference granted
by some of the colonies is in any way contingent on the
action of the Mother Country.