WHAT BRITAIN MIGHT DO. 123

oround of friction removed, and the Imperial
connection safeguarded and more firmly established.
 It is not foreign to, or inconsistent with,
her ideal of loyalty, or with desire for a permanent
 bond of the highest nature. But it is a
manifestation of a trend in direct opposition to
Mr. Chamberlain's policy, and its welcome in
Canada will be some indication of the possibility
of the latter scheme.
This extract from a speech of Sir W. Laurier's
clearly explains his aim :—
«What is the bond of our Empire? It is
effective, potent and powerful. It is the powers of
local autonomy and self-government given to all the
colonies. This principle was not known at the time
of the revolution of the thirteen colonies of the United
States, but it was left to the Baldwins and Lafontaines
to proclaim it in Canada, where it was known for the
first time.
«But our institutions may not remain always as
they are at present. More local autonomy may be
required. A few weeks ago I said that we might
request treaty-making powers, but I shall not discuss
this, as I] am sure my friend Mr. Borden would agree
that this subject might be saved for discussion when
we meet in the House of Commons a few weeks
hence. But I am sure that whatever power of selfgovernment
 may be granted to the colonies—to
Canada, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa—
they will serve only to bind them closer to the seat of
Empire rather than loosen the ties. Nobody would
have supposed in 1837 that in a few years the two
provinces of Canada would have been entrusted with
powers of self-government, but the result of the action
of the Imperial Government at that time was to turn
rebels into supporters of the Government. The