THE PASSING OF PREFERENCE.
ITO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Si,—So far as we at this distance are able to judge, the agitation in England for a return to a policy of Protection had its origin largely in the idea that a preference in favour of the Colonies could be given thereby. In the progress of time the importance of this idea appears to have diminished until it has now apparently reached the vanishing-point. Is this a correct statement ? Is it the fact that the Protectionists have definitely and positively discarded the idea of a Colonial preference ? While there has been no direct renunciation, there does appear to be on their part a silent adoption of a policy, to be hereafter placed on the statute-book, which will impose a tariff on imports from the whole world, Colonies and all. Recent events seem to show the enactment of such a tariff to be within the range of probabilities. Au the Colonies have had for many years free and unrestricted access to the British markets, the possible political effect of such a radical commercial change invites and demands immediate attention.
[The point raised by our Canadian correspondent is interest- ing and important. In our opinion, the Preference side of the Tariff Reform movement is most certainly suffering eclipse. The proof of this is to be found in the fact that the Tariff Reformers more and more insist that their policy will put an end to unemployment. But the grant of Colonial Preference, which means the encouragement of Colonial produce, cannot possibly, according to the Protection theory, make more work at home. In a word, Preference is receding and Protection is coming to the front. Preference and Protection are, in truth, contradictory propositions.—En. Spectator.]
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