dea of an
imperial _zollverein_ was rhetorically mooted as an alternative to
reciprocity with the United States. Three years later still (1894) the
second Colonial Conference met at Ottawa, on the invitation of the
Dominion Government. The object was to arrange treaties of reciprocity
in trade between the various colonies, to serve until such time as the
mother country should renounce her free-trade errors. There were many
forceful and eloquent speeches, notably one by Mr, now Sir George,
Foster, and a resolution was {151} passed in favour of an Imperial
Customs Union. But, save for a limited arrangement with New Zealand in
1895, no definite result followed.

The policy of the Liberal Opposition in Canada in respect to
inter-imperial trade may be briefly stated. Mr Laurier's first speech,
as leader of the party, at Somerset, in 1887, has already been
mentioned. There he declared that if commercial union with Great
Britain were feasible, he would favour it. But he had more hope of
commercial union with other British colonies, which had protective
tariffs. Two years later, speaking at Toronto, he referred to the
obvious difficulties in the way of commercial union with Britain
itself. 'I would favour with all my soul,' he said, 'a more close
commercial alliance of Canada with Great Britain. But, sir, if there
is any man who believes that any such an alliance between Canada and
Great Britain can be formed upon any other basis than that of free
trade, which prevails in England, that man is a Rip Van Winkle, who has
been sleeping not only for the last seven but for the last forty-four
years. The British people will not to-day go back upon the policy of
free trade, and Canada is not in a position at the moment, {152} with
the large revenue which she has to collect, to adopt any other tariff
than a revenue tariff at best.' That free trade among all the British
communities would some day be to their advantage, and that it would
come in time, he stated elsewhere, but added that it could not for many
years be a practical issue.

A notable step forward was taken in 1892. Hitherto Liberal and
Conservative alike had been considering the trade question chiefly from
the standpoint of the producer, seeking fresh markets by offering in
return concessions in the Canadian tariff. Now the Liberals, and the
M'Carthy wing of the Conservatives, began to speak of the consumer's
interests. The reduction of the tariff would be mo