Sir Wilfrid Laurier, speaking to the Canadian Manufac- turers' Association
on Thursday week, used some words which have attracted much attention. " Our diplomatic relations carried on by the British Government have not been so successful as we could have wished them to be. If we take the record of the diplomacy of Great Britain so far as Canada is concerned, it has been a sacrifice of Canadian interests." We quote from the report sent by the Times correspondent at Toronto, who says that Sir W. Laurier added : "-In regard to the Japanese-problem in the West, to denounce the Treaty
would be to act in panic. I want to look about, to think, to reflect, to inquire, before I make up my mind. It is the duty of the Canadian Government to do the same, and, if necessary, to send a Commissioner to get more information." An interesting note from Reuter tells us that Sir W. Laurier explained " that Canada had, become a party to the Japanese Treaty because she thought that Japan had prohibited a general emigration to foreign shores, and especially to Canadian shores." As to Sir W. Laurier's criticism of British diplomacy, he has a perfect right to make it, and we see no reason in the world why we should not listen respectfully, even though we cannot endorse it, to any opinion deliberately offered by one on the spot who has so great a knowledge of the results of our diplomacy as Sir W. Laurier has.
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