68 CANADA AND THE EMPIRE.

to decry a policy which, as interpreted on insufficient
 knowledge, may have some good to
offer the people of Canada. Any wild Protectionist
statement is faithfully copied, but its refutation
never arrives; and the figures, so important to the
proper understanding of the subject, have not
reached Canada.
There is,—and every Free Trader should know
it,—a grave danger that the judgment of Canada
may go by default against British Free Trade.
In a progressive country like Canada, always
sympathetic to the Liberal party in this country,
and always acquainted with the careers of leading
Liberals, and especially those of them who have
shown most interest in Imperial questions, such a
thing should never be allowed to occur. But it calls
for energy on the part of the Free Traders, and the
time is favourable. A change is coming as the
campaign goes on. Doubt is replacing certainty,
and a desire to wait is replacing enthusiasm. It
wants but more knowledge and work to create a
well-informed and correct view. In the face of
the activity of Mr. Chamberlain and his organisations
 in occupying the public view, we have every
stimulus to undertake this branch of the fight.
It is not sufficient to rebuff the opposing forces.
We must gain a permanent victory and if we can
enlist the sympathy of the colonies by propagating
the cause in which we have faith at least as widely
as Mr. Chamberlain has propagated his, we should
he able to secure one. Why cannot our statesmen