New-York tribune., 1911-01-29
QUESTIONS OF THE EMPIRE
Colonial Premiers to Discuss
Change in Government.
CANADIAN AGREEMENT
Conference Expected to Settle
Preference in View OF
Recent Terms.
r,sarooo, Aerograrn TO The Tribune J

rMarcont Aerogrsn 20 The tribune
Tondop. Jan. 2S.--while court olnclaiS
ara striving to make the colonies more
.orsnicuous at the coronation, the MN
isters are seeking 10 pad out tne p'o-
yramme for the imperial conference so
that tariff reform and preference VIII
rot be missed. Military and naval mat
,ers ware discussed exhaustively at tne
last conference. and imperial tederauon
remains a bafiing problem. Ike the
souaring Of the circle. The new SUBJECT
,s the reconstruction Of the Colonial Ornce
by diferentiating the crown coIoh'es
from the self governing dominions ana
nIaoins the Prime Minister at the heao
of q special department dealing with the
second class The crown is already
link binding together the overseas
doun,nions, and the Prime Minister would
be the Kings right hand In protecting
their interests.
Another question will be the expedi-
ency of ratifying the Declaration OF Lon
don, and this Will require prolonged DIS
russ!on when Sir Edward Grey's de-
tailed statement Is produced. Even more
.,rne will be needed If Gibson bowless
proposals are considered. with a rever-
sion to the principles Of Chatham and
Pitt and the practice of Midshipman
Easy, and with the remuneration OF the
Declaration Of Paris and the doctrine
that q neutral flag covers an enemy
goods which are not contraband. Tne
xovernment, apart from giving the colo
n,al premiers something to talk about
will probably prefer to have them take
up the Declaration Of London IN ad-
vance Of Parliament. Neutral rights VIII
mean more TO the colonies than bellig-
aren't rights, and the acceptance OF the
declaration by the conference may In
sure it's ratification without critical
division in the Commons.
Fiscal preferences will be an awkward
theme for a free trade government al
the conference, but II cannot be avoided
after the reciprocity arrangements made
between Canada and the United states
even If Canada extends to Great Britain
and the empire the same terms accorded
70 imports from the United States The
WASHINGTON government will not grant
equality Of treatment to certain classes
If Canadian products. and goods Will
have lower rates ON preferential terms
n the American market over the same
classes from the mother country or any
rthe- section OF the empire.
The agreement will certainly be dis
cr.:ei by the Imperial Conference, since
T. lakes the existing British prefer
,.15 in favor Of Canada and arms the
dominion with the superior benefits Of
american preference.
Tariff reformers are supplied With
iresh arguments for change in the
gscal system. vet they DO not succeed
in explaining how England can grant
preference to Canadian foodstuffs II the
American and Dominion markets are
united under the Washington trade
arrancenent, nor how the superior forces
~ continentalism and gravitation tow
srd the nearest market can be counter
acted by the sentimental considerations
II loyalty and the half-measures pro-
posed. There are signs of confusion and
tewilderment, but the 'ree lrade rress IS
fairly we'll satisfied since It assumes
that the Washington agreement. If rau-
ned by Congress and the Ottawa Parlta-
ment. will postpone indefinitely the adop-
ton Of Mr. Cham berlain's policy Of pref
srential trade with the colonies.
From this point Of view President Taft
l. credited here with having done great
stroke CT business for the trade interests
OF the American Continent. as we'll as
Increasing his own popularity with the
main body Of consumers and obtaining
strong advantages of position for the
Republican party in meeting the attack
from the next Democratic House and
clearing the ground for a Presidential
election