The amendment to the Address censuring the Government's fiscal policy
was moved in the House of Commons on Wednes- day by Mr. Austen Chamberlain. He declared that the policy of negation was imperilling the advantages derived from the preferences granted by the Dominions overseas; that it had deferred the closer union of the Empire, and had deprived us of a means of bargaining with foreign countries. He was careful to make the reservation that the Opposition did not presume to dictate to Canada as to the Reciprocity Agree- ment with the United States. He blamed the British Government alone for neglecting opportunities of making fiscal arrangements with Canada. As a result Canada had not unnaturally looked elsewhere. Mr. Chamberlain said he had not abated by one jot his belief in Imperial Preference, "for which," he declared, "we shall fight in good times and bad until we bring it to a triumphant conclusion." As to the effects of the Reciprocity Agreement, he predicted that less wheat would be grown in the United States, that there would he a greater drain on the Canadian supply, and that the price in England would increase. He said that Mr. Fielding had not ceased to believe in the practicability of Imperial Preference.
