We wish we could give more of Lord Goschen's admirable
speech, but must be content to put up a sign-post to it, and to express the hope that it will soon be published in pamphlet form. We must, however, mention Lord Goschen's spirited and dignified reproof levelled against those who tried to urge that unless we adopted Mr. Chamberlain's schemes we should lose the Empire,—i.e., "No preference, no Empire." "With- out commercial bargains the Colonies shave lavished their blood in South Africa, and without commercial bargains we have lavished our millions in the protection of the Empire, which includes the Colonies, asking but little in return ; and, under these circumstances, I am not to be told that if we cannot accept this plan we are to accept the fate of a dying Empire. The resources of statesmanship, I think, are not exhausted. Before this idea was mooted many and many were the plans by which it was hoped the Colonies might draw closer to us, and we retain our hold over the Colonies. On that road the statesmen of both hemispheres must continue to work, undiscouraged if the result should be against the plan, undiscouraged by failure. Forward this Empire must go, not as a dying Empire, but as a living Empire in the world, and our statesmen must endeavour to realise the fair dream of a cemented Empire without the nightmare of tampering with the people's food."
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