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.
