The Cobden Club had its annual dinner on Saturday week,
-under the presidency of M. Michel Chevalier, to whom Lord Hartington afterwards awarded the gold medal of the Club for his achievements in spreading the doctrines of Free-trade. Mr. W. E. Forster, in proposing the toast of "Our foreign guests," indulged in a political reverie more fascinating than it seems to be probable :—"If we could in any way sebure Free-trade among the English-speaking nations—if we could say that there should be no Custom-house barring the intercourse of English-speaking people—we should give such a lesson of peace and prosperity to the countries of Europe that I believe they would disband their standing armies and follow our example. I shall be told that this is a dream—such a dream as could only be dreamed after dinner. But remember this : dreams are not impossible now-a-days in a free country. Directly the sentiment of the country becomes con- vinced, what appeared before to be wrong and foolish becomes immediately right ; and however wrong and foolish my ex- pectation may seem, I am confident that it will prove right, and that it will be realised. I believe it is one of those dreams of the present which are the shadows of the future." "No Custom-house barring the intercourse of English-speaking people" means, unfortunately, no tax on tobacco, and even, we suppose, no tax on wine and spirits,—Australia being already a con- siderable wine-growing country. When those taxes are removed, we suppose all Customs duties will go with them ; and where is the colony which does not still lean heavily on Customs duties for its revenue? Mr. Forster's dream may be realised, but besides the universal conversion to Free-trade which it implies,, it implies also universal submission to direct taxation,—against which human nature as yet is found to revolt.
Previous page
