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400 ECONOMIC INQUIRIES AND STUD'lES
political union. We ought to see, at any rate, ,what
can really be done, and walk warily, avoiding' above
all any obsolete fiscal ideas such as are involved in
Protection. •
The initial step should be, I think, the recognition
by the colonies of the immense aid that has been given
to commercial union throughout the Empire by the
Free-trade policy of the mother country itself. Just
as our Free-trade policy ha's undoubtedly benefited
the whole world because trade with the British Empire
is the main part of the foreign trade of every country,
and, however Protectionist other countries may be,
their foreign trade on one side at least has been car-
ried on under ,conditions of freedom; so we may con-
tend that the colonies of the United Kingdom which
do so much of their business with the mother country
have specially gained. The most natural channels for
their business have not been interrupted in any way
by the policy of the mother country, but mutual trade
has been facilitated in the highest possible degree.
Colonists may think that the mother country in addi-
tion should have given them some bonus or premium
to trade more with them, but at least they have not
done badly. There is no colonising country in the
world, as they must admit, with which they would
have done half so well.
From this to the further admission that Free Trade
must inevitably be the policy of the British Empire
ought not to be a long step. If the United Kingdom
is for Free Trade, surely it is a great mistake for self-
governing colonies, having only a fifth of the popu-
lation of the V nited Kingdom, to try to force the
mother country into their way, and drag the rest of
the Empire with them. Whatever else may be said
for Free Trade, it is at least a uniting force. It does
not promote political by means of commercial diS-'
union. It may. not promote peace and harmony to the
extent Cobden anticipated, but it does help towards
these ends. As the hope of the world must still be in