The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-12
THE PlREM1ERs' ,CoFFERENcE Ci5E

The program, SO far outlined for the
discussions of the British colonial prem
iers in London during July, presents some
interesting features. .---
Of course, Colonial Secretary Joseph
Chamberlain naturally takes the lead
at the conference as his official position
requires, and also as the pronounced
advocate of imperial federation as the
solution of Britains trade problem, the
problem of the unity Of the British en-
pire and the defense Of imperial inter-
ests. Secretary Chamberlain will intro
duce the most. itnporta Mt, topics of dis
cussion, as the Pacific islands and the
Australian colonies, imperial defense by
= sea and land, and the methods of securing
1t, together with the question Of political
relations of the imperial government and
the colonies.
The power of some of the premiers is
limited as to committing their colonies
to any course, the Australian premier
being obliged to report to his parliament
before agreeing to anything, while the
Natal and New Zealand premiers can
The Cape Colony premier has publicly
announced that he favors free trade or
q customs. union within the empire, but
the proposition was not very we'll re-
ceived and, besides, the legislature has
not met for some time and it's disposi-
tion toward the question is not known
accurately. ~.
AS to Canada the recent commercial
convention at Toronto met. for the ex-
press purpose Of giving the premier, Sir
Wilfred Laurier, some hints as to what
he should advocate at the London con-
ference, and the convention adopted reso-
lutions favoring preferential trade within
the British EMPIRE. high protective
tariff on goods from countries which dc
not have reciprocity treaties with Canada
and reduction of the preferential tariff
with Great Britain to 25 per cent on
goods not. entering Canada at Canadian
seaports This policy is aimed largely
at our own country as a threat to bring
about reciprocity 'and do away with the
big balance of trade against Canada, In
her dealings with this country, of some
$50, 600, 600. In tne consluelatlou oI IAe
Chamberlain imperial federation idea, il
is noticeable that only the customs union
mart of it is discussed with any promise
in the. colonies The Chamberlain, idea
has only been boldly discussed by Secre-
+ary Chamberlain himself in England in
his public speeches What Is the Cham
berlain program?
He proposes federal union; an i'm
perial parliament to which the colonies
shall send trepresentati tives; central juris-
diction of the imperial parliament over
the whole vast empire and the PROPOSE
tion for an imperial British zollverein Is
nut forward with animation, just as Bis
marck. utilized his north German confed-
GRAFTON as the stepping stone to the unfit
cation of the German states, the original
basis of the confederation being Gus
toms union under the leadership of Prus-
sia The war with France came to the
help of Bismarck's unihcation program
and the North. German confederation was
followed by pact with the leading south
German states establishing customs
union of which Prussia was the head, they
agreeing to. give Prussia military support
In time Of war. The war with France
awakened the German national spirit and and