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PREFACE.

each self-governing part of it to shape its
own fiscal policy by its own interests and
its own methods. This fiscal independence
these parts have long enjoyed, and are determined
 to preserve; but it is precisely that
fiscal independence which it would be one of
the main objects or results of Mr. Chamberlain’s
 policy to restrict. Specially then to
be commended to hesitating Imperialists is
the chapter entitled *“ Results of the Policy”;
and chiefly that part of it which is headed
“ The Gain to the Empire.”
For the danger of this policy lies in the
fatal fact that people will not think for themselves.
 There is a laudable attraction about
the label Imperial’ ;—people dislike to be
dissociated from anything so ticketed, and
they are right. But they should learn to
distinguish between what aims at Empire
and what makes for Empire. For this
reason they should visit the Colonies and
understand Colonial feeling and conditions
on the spot before they pronounce on problems
 of this kind. And, when they cannot
visit the Colonies themselves, the best they
can do is to read the experiences of those