REFERENCE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13020, 8 February 1911, Page 3

REFERENCE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

MR BALFOUR'S MISGIVINGS,

(Received Feb 7, 10.50 p.m.) London, Feb 7

Speaking in thn House of Commons, Mr Balfour declared that the Empire was now on the point of a development where Britain was simply first among equals". As equals it was not our business to comment upon the actions and movements of the Dominions, but if the agreement between Canada and the United States were fully carried out it would have very dire results upon the future of the Empire. It could hardly fail to make Canada commercially and economically dependent upon America. For a generation Canadian statesmen had developed trade on Imperial lines, and millions had been spent in establishing a system of transport from East to West. If the policy of reciprocity with America was carried out it was the. result of the Govern.mcmt having refused to listen to the long pleading of Canadian statesmen.

Mr Asquith said it would be wise to defer criticism until they knenv whether the Canadian-United States agreement found favour in Canada. At present it was only an agreement ad referendum. He was certain Britain would have done nothing to prevent a natural trend of ovents, and there would he nothing in the long run which would be beneficial to Canada if for tho sake of preferential relations they put a tax on food from Russia, the 'Argentine, and other countries outside thci Empire. It was .as certain as the rising of the sun that the United States would sooner or later be forced to lower her tariff walls.