New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-18
CONFERENCE A SUCCESS
Meeting Of Premiers in London
JuStifies Its Existence.
LAURIER MOTION ADOPTED
Provides for Royal Commission
to Visit Overseas Dominions
and Report on Trade.

London. June 1.-THE Imperial Con-
ference, which at the outset many per-
sons feared would be failure, has COM
pletely justified It's existence. The cause
Of the pessimism in the early period OF
the conference was the rejection or the
domlnIons proposals for the establish
ment of a council of the empire, the mi
tial step Of imperial federation. which,
however, the dominions were AFRAID
would interfere with the autonomy so
iealously guarded by Premiers Laurier'
NJ Canada: Botha. OF the Transvaal, and
Fisher, Of Austrtlla.
Later. resolutions were introduced aimed
at the commercial and INDUSTRIAL oeVei-
opment of the British Empire and Tor
defence. subjects on which the domin-
ions and the home government were IN
agreement.
The home government was unaDie 10
support the scheme for n state owned
Atlantic cable, as the cost was CONSUL
cred prohibtive. but it hoped to secure
cheaper cable rates by negotiations WIN
the telegraph companies.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier is as strongly as
ever in favor OF preference WITHIN the
empire. but has not yet referred the
question to the Imperial Conference
Instead the Canadian Premier oroush'
forward a resolution, which was adop'eo
last night, providing for the appoint
ment Of royal commission to WISH the
overseas dominions and report on traue
and resources and the best methods lot
their development. This is regarded as
one of the most important actions OF the
conference, as practical results are eX-
pected from it,
Other practical results Of the confer
ence have been the action Of the British
Foreign Office in taking the dCmlniohs
into its confidence with regard to for
eign relations and the acceptance or
Premier Laurier's suggestion TO nego-
tate with foreign governments with
view to securing to the overseas do
uinions the right of withdrawal from
any commercial treaty without impairing
such treaty with respect to the remain
der of the empire.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier has been criticised
by the Unionist newspapers for his attl-
tude regarding commercial treaties and
for his insistence on the maintenance or
the autonomy of the dominions on the
question of defence and other matters.
The Premier has not uttered word
in reply, but his political supporters who
often speak for him, say that the Eng
lish expect too much from the con-
ference. There is no doubt, too, from
what his friends say, that Sir Wilfrid
has not taken kindly to the attack which
some papers have made on the United
States Canadian reciprocity agreement.
Canadian Liberals here are most out
spoken in protesting against what they
consider interference in the local affairs
of the dominions.
The criticism of the Canadian and the
Australian insistence Of the autonomy Of
their navies, which was decided on at
the Imperial Defence Conference held
two years ago, has been partly overcome
by the scheme adopted for the inter-
change of officers of the imperial and
dominion navies, thus establishing a
common standard of discipline and
training.