ing
alternative...

"So long as no force appeared to improve the trade relations between
England and this country Canada sought in vain to make commercial
bargains with the United States. They would have none of us or our
produce; they kept their wall just as high against us as against the
rest of the world: not a pine plank or a bushel of barley could we get
over under a reciprocal arrangement. But the imperial trade idea has
changed the attitude of our friends to the south. They have small
liking for any scheme which will improve trade between Great Britain and
Canada, because trade between Great Britain and Canada must be improved
at their expense. And now you cannot take up an American paper without
finding the report of some commercial association demanding closer trade
relations with Canada, or an American magazine in which some far-sighted
economist is not urging the same thing. They see us thinking about
keeping the business in the family; with that hard American common sense
that has made them what they are, they accept the situation; and at this
moment they are ready to offer us better terms to keep our trade."

Bingham, Horace Williams, and Mr Farquharson applauded loudly. Their
young man frowned a little and squared his chin. He was past hints of
that kind.

"And that," he went on to say, "is, on the surface, a very satisfactory
state of things. No doubt a bargain between the Americans and ourselves
could be devised which would be a very good bargain on both sides. In
the absence of certain pressing family affairs, it might be as well
worth our consideration as we used to think it before we were invited
to the family council. But if anyone imagines that any degree of
reciprocity with the United States could be entered upon without killing
the idea of British preference trade for all time, let him consider what
Canada's attitude toward that idea would be today if the Americans had
consented to our proposals twenty-five years ago, and we were invited to
make an imperial sacrifice of the American trade that had prospered, as
it would have prospered, for a quarter of a century! I doubt whether the
proposition would even be made to us...

"But the alternative before Canada is not a mere choice of markets; we
are confronted with a much graver issue. In this matter of dealing
with our neighbour our very existence is involved. If we would preserve
ourselves as a nation, it has become our business, not only to re