The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-09

dependently with foreign nations, but
was actually bound in the matter Of
trade and commerce by the treaties that
the British Government entered into
with the other countries. ~
AS late as 1852 and 1865 British
treaties with Belgium and the North
German Customs Union not merely
bound all the colonies, but. in addition.
provided for tho grant of national treat4
ment by them to the products of these
foreign countries Even after Confedi
eration-in the years 1867 and 1864
treaties Of trade and navigation entered
into between Britain and Austria4
Hungary were binding upon Canada and
the other overseas possessions. In 1855
the propriety of the British Government
concluding such treaties was raised, and
the British Secretary Of State for Ford
| eign Affairs agreed that commercial
treaties should not be applicable to the
| responsible government colonies. but
| that these colonies should be given an
option Of adherence and the first Britith
| treaty to contain such a clause was that
| with Montenegro of 1882. -
The right of separate withdrawal on
the part of any of the dominions FROM a
| British treaty to which it had formerly
| adhered was not even then granted, and
II appears first In a convention of 1898
with Uruguay, and in a proclamation %
1900 with Honduras. which enabled ant
of the self-governing colonies to withl
draw from British treaties upon sid
months notice, At various intervals ID
| the seventies eighties and ninetiet
| Canadian statesmen carried on separate
negotiations with the United States, but
| up to 1907 all trade treaties concluded
were supervised and signed by repre-
sentative Of the British Government, usut
ally the British Minister to the country
concerned.
In 1907 a change was made. Mi
Fielding, then Minister of Finance, emf
tered into a trade arrangement with
France through negotiations with thu
| French authorities alone, and few
years later the precedent was followed
in the case of an arrangement with
Germany and in the reciprocity pact en-,
| tered into with the United States.
But all these treaties were confined u
matters Of commerce and trade. In ths
sphere Of political action 1t continued q
be taken for granted that, under TIT
system Of empire organization, It wa
impossible for one part to be treated
politically different from another part
and the separate adherence to and with
drawal from political treaties was moi
regarded as feasible. This remained
true Of the most recent pre-war treaties
such as The Hague conventions Of 1891
and 1907, about which the Dominions
were not consulted.
Sir Robert Borden now claims the
right of an entirely new status At
Paris he insisted upon separate Cana
dian representation at the conferenSe
fought for and achieved recognition ~
the Dominion's delegates as Independent
plenipotentiaries with full power to stu,
the treaty for the right of separste
Canadian membership In the League III
Nations and for the maximum of recot
milton due to a second rate Power and
in submitting the treaty for ratification
he strongly resents the slightest sugges
ton that he is outside the pale OF con
stitutional right.
Does my honorable friend mean 10
suggest that the people OF Great Britain
can impose their will upon the people IT
Canada?" he asked Mr.. Fielding, adding
grimly, 'tf he does then desire to say
to him that he Is thinking In ancisrt
history"