The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-11-22
STEPS TOWARD UNITY.

At the time of the conference of CO.
lonial premiers with Colonial Secretary
Chamberlain last summer the cabled
reports did not indicate that much of
Importance or definiteness was being
accomplished, but the official summary
of the proceedings, now published in a.
blue book and republished in the Lon
don papers, puts the conference in q
new light. The premiers- and Mr..
Chamberlain, it appears, did reach
some decisions that must have a ma
terial effect on the commercial rela-.
lions of the various colonies with one
another and with other countries.
For example, Canada, Australia, New
Zealand, the Cape and Natal, have
agreed to grant preferential rates to
British goods; Australia, New Zealand,
the Cape, Natal and Newfoundland will
contribute million and quarters
of dollars each year to the support of
the British navy; in awarding con-
tracts preference will be given to Colo
NAL products: the mail service between
England and the colonies will be re-
viewed and the coasting> trade laws re-
yised ito promote imperial trade in
British yessels;" the colonies will be
consulted before treaties affecting them
are made fifth foreign countries; a pa
tent law to run through the whole en-
pire will be formulated; postage be-.
tween parts Of the empire will be
cheapened, and all the colonies will
contribute to the Queen Victoria me-
mortal in London.
Really this is not meagre record Of
accomplishment for merely tentative
conference; we may fairly say that
some rather long steps have been taken
toward imperial unity of a closer sort.
Furthermore, it was also decided that
the conference shall reassemble every
four years, with the object of consider
ing the common interests of the empire
as affected by current conditions at the
time. There is at least the promise in
this arrangement of the promotion of
political and commercial union and the
gradual working out Of the problem OF
imperial defence. Now each Of the
premiers has to persuade the colonial
parliament which he represents to rat
ify the pledges made in its behalf, and
some of thenl-those fom Canada and
Australia, for example-may find diff
Guilty in that task. But they doubtless
fixed the limit Of the obligations they
could assume at London by their esti-
mate of popular feeling at home; and
the fact that they felt at liberty to
promise so much is decidedly notewor-
thy.
Beside the tariff favors substantial
annual contribution to imperial ex-
penses is agreed to, with the half
promise of more later on. In the mat
ter of tariff rates Canada, in addition
to the present preference of thirty
thee and a third per. cent. for British
goods. is further to reduce duties In
favor of the United Kingdom and levy
higher duties on foreign imports. Aus
tralia will give similar preferential
teatment, though the extent and ma
ture of it is not specified. New Zea-
land will reduce duties on British goods
ten per cent, and the Cape and Natal
will give a preference Of twenty-five
per cent. These tariff arrangements, if
carried out, must go far to inccease
tade between the different parts of the
empire and to make it measurably in
| dependent of foreign markets. That
there will be some effect on the trade
of the United States is obvious.
In matter of contribution to imperial
Defence Cape Colony has already voted
to increase it's annual payment to the
navy to a quarter, Of million dollars;
Natal is to give a hundred and seven
| ty-five thousand dollars; New found
\ land fifteen thousand! New Zealand
| two hundred thousand, and Australia a
million. Canada will consider the con-
struction of a navy of her own. Mr.
Chamberlain complains that these sums