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conceptions of commercial ethics as applied to tlie relatione 

 of States, there can be no question that the interests of all 

 parties concerned would be greatly promoted. A miserable 

 example of the contrary we have in the mode adopted of 

 dealing with the subject of the border duties as between New 

 South Wales and Victoria ; and, in a less degree, in the war 

 of tariffs between the colonies generally. The only remedy 

 for such a state of things is to observe in affairs of State 

 the same rule as all men of high morality consider themselves 

 bound to observe to individuals — that is, to treat them as they 

 would themselves wish to be treated. A thorough, intelligent 

 study of the principles of political economy will demonstrate 

 that the commercial intercourse of individuals and nations is 

 quite as much promoted by the practice of the great Law of 

 Love as is their moral welfare. It is an old idea that com- 

 merce is the handmaid or pioneer of civilisation ; and 

 Livingstone wisely made it a part of his scheme to establish 

 commercial relations with the natives before he set about 

 the task of Christianising them. 



The older countries have had to work out through centuries 

 many a social and commercial problem, and have arrived 

 at a satisfactory solution only after many mistakes. The 

 facts thus gained often stand instead of principles, 

 " Till old experience do attain 

 To something like prophetic strain;" 



axioms become established ; opinions fixed ; and there is a 

 practical creed from which public men do not think it safe 

 to depart unless for well considered reasons. But in new 

 countries the case is different ; the circumstances are novel, 

 the conditions varied ; and the mind needs a special educa- 

 tion before it can realise the fact that there are certain funda- 

 mental principles at work deep down below the surface of 

 things, which are the same in all countries, in all ages, and 

 in all circumstances. In the old countries there is a large 

 sprinkling of men whose minds, even if they have had no 

 special training, are yet prepared by high cultivation to 

 appreciate the force of the abstract truths of philosophy; 

 but in the new, the number is much smaller, and the general 

 tendency is to superficiality, the result of veiy imperfect 

 acquaintance with first principles ; and it is therefore far more 

 necessary in the latter that a science of such vital importance 

 in Government and legislation as political economy, should 

 be made a part of the higher studies of youth. It has 

 always appeared to me, therefore, to be a serious defect in 

 our Tasmanian Council of Education and Scholarships Act, 

 and in the regulations made under it, that they do not include 

 Political Economy in the subjects of examination prescribed 



