the canadian dominion-第37部分

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t　always　clearly　or　consciously　held　in　the　Empire　itself　and　was　wholly　ignored　or　misunderstood　in　Europe　and　even　in　the　United　States。　Yet　in　twenty　years'　space　it　had　become　dominant　in　practice　and　theory　and　had　built　up　a　new　type　of　political　organization；　a　virtual　league　of　nations；　fruitful　for　the　future　ordering　of　the　world。

The　three　fields　in　which　this　new　policy　was　worked　out　were　trade；　defense；　and　political　organization。　Canada　had　asserted　her　right　to　control　her　tariff　and　commercial　treaty　relations　as　she　pleased。　Now　she　used　this　freedom　to　offer；　without　asking　any　return　in　kind；　tariff　privileges　to　the　mother　country。　In　the　first　budget　brought　down　by　the　Minister　of　Finance　in　the　Laurier　Cabinet；　William　S。　Fielding；　a　reduction；　by　instalments；　of　twenty…five　per　cent　in　tariff　duties　was　offered　to　all　countries　with　rates　as　low　as　Canada'sthat　is；　to　the　United　Kingdom　and　possibly　to　the　Netherlands　and　New　South　Wales。　The　reduction　was　meant　both　as　a　fulfilment　of　the　Liberal　party's　free　trade　pledges　and　as　a　token　of　filial　good　will　to　Britain。　It　was　soon　found　that　Belgium　and　Germany；　by　virtue　of　their　special　treaty　rights；　would　claim　the　same　privileges　as　Britain；　and　that　all　other　countries　with　most　favored　nation　clauses　could　then　demand　the　same　rates。　This　might　serve　the　free　trade　aims　of　the　Fielding　tariff　but　would　block　its　imperial　purpose。　If　this　purpose　was　to　be　achieved；　these　treaties　must　be　denounced。　To　effect　this　was　one　of　the　tasks　Laurier　undertook　in　his　first　visit　to　England　in　1897。

The　Diamond　Jubilee　of　Queen　Victoria；　celebrating　the　sixtieth　anniversary　of　her　reign；　was　made　the　occasion　for　holding　the　third　Colonial　Conference。　It　was　attended　by　the　Premiers　of　all　the　colonies。　Among　them　Wilfrid　Laurier；　or　Sir　Wilfrid　as　he　now　became；　stood　easily　preeminent。　In　the　Jubilee　festivities；　among　the　crowds　in　London　streets　and　the　gatherings　in　court　and　council；　his　picturesque　and　courtly　figure；　his　unmistakable　note　of　distinction；　his　silvery　eloquence；　and；　not　least；　the　fact　that　this　ruler　of　the　greatest　of　England's　colonies　was　wholly　of　French　blood；　made　him　the　lion　of　the　hour。　In　the　Colonial　Conference；　presided　over　by　Joseph　Chamberlain；　the　new　Colonial　Secretary；　Laurier　achieved　his　immediate　purpose。　The　British　Government　agreed　to　denounce　the　Belgian　and　German　treaties；　now　that　the　preference　granted　her　came　as　a　free　gift　and　not　as　part　of　a　bargain　which　involved　Britain's　abandonment　of　free　trade。　The　other　Premiers　agreed　to　consider　whether　Canada's　preferential　tariff　policy　could　be　followed。　Chamberlain　in　vain　urged　defense　and　political　policies　designed　to　centralize　power　in　London。　He　praised　the　action　of　the　Australian　colonies　in　contributing　money　to　the　British　navy　but　could　get　no　promise　of　similar　action　from　the　others。　He　urged　the　need　of　setting　up　in　London　an　imperial　council；　with　power　somewhat　more　than　advisory　and　likely　〃to　develop　into　something　still　greater；〃　but　for　this　scheme　he　elicited　little　support。　After　the　Conference　Sir　Wilfrid　visited　France　and　in　ringing　speeches　in　Paris　did　much　to　pave　the　way　for　the　good　understanding　which　later　developed　into　the　entente　cordiale。

The　glitter　and　parade　of　the　Jubilee　festivities　soon　gave　way　to　a　sterner　phase　of　empire。　For　years　South　Africa　had　been　in　ferment　owing　to　the　conflicting　interests　of　narrow；　fanatical；　often　corrupt　Boer　leaders；　greedy　Anglo…Jewish　mining　magnates；　and　British　statesmen…Rhodes；　Milner；　Chamberlaindominated　by　the　imperial　idea　and　eager　for　an　〃all…red〃　South　Africa。　Eventually　an　impasse　was　reached　over　the　question　of　the　rights　and　privileges　of　British　subjects　in　the　Transvaal　Republic。　On　October　9；　1899；　President　Kruger　issued　his　fateful　ultimatum　and　war　began。

What　would　be　Canada's　attitude　toward　this　imperial　problem？　She　had　never　before　taken　part　in　an　overseas　war。　Neither　her　own　safety　nor　the　safety　of　the　mother　country　was　considered　to　be　at　stake。　Yet　war　had　not　been　formally　declared　before　a　demand　arose　among　Canadians　that　their　country　should　take　a　hand　in　rescuing　the　victims　of　Boer　tyranny。　The　Venezuela　incident　and　the　recent　Jubilee　ceremonies　had　fanned　imperialist　sentiment。　The　growing　prosperity　was　increasing　national　pride　and　making　many　eager　to　abandon　the　attitude　of　colonial　dependence　in　foreign　affairs。　The　desire　to　emulate　the　United　States；　which　had　just　won　more　or　less　glory　in　its　little　war　with　Spain；　had　its　influence　in　some　quarters。　Belief　in　the　justice　of　the　British　cause　was　practically　universal；　thanks　to　the　skillful　manipulation　of　the　press　by　the　war　party　in　South　Africa。　Leading　newspapers　encouraged　the　campaign　for　participation。　Parliament　was　not　in　session；　and　the　Government　hesitated　to　intervene；　but　the　swelling　tide　of　public　opinion　soon　warranted　immediate　action。　Three　days　after　the　declaration　of　war　an　order　in　council　was　passed　providing　for　a　contingent　of　one　thousand　men。　Other　infantry　battalions；　Mounted　Rifles；　and　batteries　of　artillery　were　dispatched　later。　Lord　Strathcona；　formerly　Donald　Smith　of　the　Canadian　Pacific　syndicate；　by　a　deed　recalling　feudal　days；　provided　the　funds　to　send　overseas　the　Strathcona　Horse；　roughriders　from　the　Canadian　West。　In　the　last　years　of　the　war　the　South　African　Constabulary　drew　many　recruits　from　Canada。　All　told；　over　seven　thousand　Canadians　crossed　half　the　world　to　share　in　the　struggle　on　the　South　African　veldt。

The　Canadian　forces　held　their　own　with　any　in　the　campaign。　The　first　contingent　fought　under　Lord　Roberts　in　the　campaign　for　the　relief　of　Kimberley；　and　it　was　two　charges　by　Canadian　troops；　charges　that　cost　heavily　in　killed　and　wounded；　that　forced　the　surrender　of　General　Cronje；　brought　to　bay　at　Paardeberg。　One　Canadian　battery　shared　in　the　honor　of　raising　the　siege　of　Mafeking；　where　Baden…Powell　was　besieged；　and　both　contingents　marched　with　Lord　Roberts　from　Bloemfontein　to　Pretoria　and　fought　hard　and　well　at　Doornkop　and　in　many　a　skirmish。　Perhaps　the　politic　generosity　of　the　British　leaders　and　the　patriotic　bias　of　correspondents　exaggerated　the　importance　of　the　share　of　the　Canadian　troops　in　the　whole　campaign；　but　their　courage；　initiative；　and　endurance　were　tested　and　proved　beyond　all　question。　Paardeberg　sent　a　thrill　of　pride　and　of　sorrow　through　Canada。

The　only　province　which　stood　aloof　from　wholehearted　participation　in　the　war　was　Quebec。　Many　French　Canadians　had　been　growing　nervous　over　the　persistent　campaign　of　the　imperialists。　They　exhibited　a　certain　unwillingness　to　take　on　responsibilities；　perhaps　a　survival　of　the　dependence　which　colonialism　had　bred；　a　dawning　aspiration　toward　an　independent　place　in　the　world's　work；　and　a　disposition　to　draw　tighter　racial　and　religious　lines　in　order　to　offset　the　emphasis　which　imperialists　placed　on　Anglo…Saxon　ties。　Now　their　sympathies　went　out　to　a　people；　like　themselves　an　alien　minority　brought　under　British　rule；　and　in　this　attitude　they　were　strengthened　by　the　almost　unanimous　verdict　of　the　neutral