8 JOHN GEOEGB BOUEESTOT 



character, and show how necessary it is for our statesmen and publicists to make them- 

 selves thoroughly acquainted with the rules and principles that govern communities in 

 their dealings with one another. Though Canada is still a dependent state, yet her 

 importance entitles her, as her recent history will show you, to be consulted and 

 represented on every occasion when her interests are immediately affected by a ]3roposed 

 treaty. Consequently, every year that passes gives greater scope to the abilities and 

 learning of her public men. The relations of Canada to other peoples, and especially to 

 aliens who are domiciled or mere temporary residents in the country, and the necessity 

 of observing the great moral elements that lie at the basis of international law — the 

 duties of humanity, comity and intercourse — entail responsibilities on our people which 

 must be enlarged with the increase of the wealth and population of the Dominion. 



Some of you who now hear my words may see the relations between the parent 

 state and its different dependencies undergo a very important change, which may give 

 our statesmen a direct and larger influence on the destinies of the whole Empire — when 

 a Canadian will have as potent a voice on imperial affairs as a dweller in Kent or Devon. 

 Higher conditions of national existence must be in store for a country like Canada, which 

 has expanded so remarkably in political greatness within a few decades. It may be that 

 the Imperial Federalists will eventually find a solution of the great problem they are 

 busy with in Great Britain and its dependencies, and Canadians will become citizens of 

 the Empire in reality, and as such able to negotiate directly with foreign nations. Bvit 

 in any case, as things are now, Canadians must necessarily find it to their advantage, 

 whether lawyers or politicians or ordinary citizens, to learn something of that public law 

 which governs the relations of sovereign peoples with one another throughout the 

 civilized world. 



Political Economy is another of those useful studies which are naturally allied with 

 others on this wide domain. Look around us, and do we not see how important it is for 

 Canadians to understand the principles or doctrines which have been laid down by 

 men like Adam Smith, Ricardo, Mill, Carey, and others I need not mention here, who 

 have devoted their lives in Europe and America to a branch of science so fruitful of dis- 

 cussion, and so intimately connected with the industrial and commercial development 

 and the material prosperity and social comforts of a people ? Every year that passes 

 sees questions connected with the health, and the improvement of the condition of the 

 labouring classes demanding the consideration of our legislatures. Only last session of 

 parliament we had laid on the table a number of bulky volumes representing the work 

 of a commission appointed by the Dominion Grovernment to enquire into subjects of deep 

 interest to labour. Or, when I refer to the fact that we have a " national policy" which 

 is practically a system of protection, I show you as Canadians how important it is to 

 understand the principles which recommend it to so large a body of people in the Dominion, 

 in preference to the principles of the opposing party who would have a system of indirect 

 taxation for revenue and would give a fuller expansion to free trade with other peoples. 

 With this study are intimately allied the questions of unrestricted reciprocity and com- 

 mercial union, which are of an economic character, requiring a large knowledge of the 

 economic conditions of Canada, and of the United States, and a thorough understanding 

 of the sound principles which should guide us in our international relations. An accur- 

 ate knowledge of statistics which are now a recognized branch of economic science, 



