QUESTION AS YET UNRIPE 173 



the part of foreign countries which now take so 

 large a proportion of Indian produce. To this 

 the advocates of preferential tariffs might possibly 

 reply that throughout the civilised world there is 

 an increasing tendency to regard preferential 

 tariffs within an empire, however widely scattered, 

 as matters of domestic concern; and that these 

 preferences in fact do not now bar Colonies from 

 participation in the advantages of treaties with 

 foreign countries on the ground of discrimination. 

 Furthermore the character of the exports of India 

 to foreign countries would make it difficult for 

 these foreign countries to retaliate unless the whole 

 construction of their tariffs were modified and they 

 were prepared to inflict damage on their own 

 industries, for India exports to European countries 

 and the United States nearly 50,000,000 worth 

 of merchandise which consists chiefly of raw 

 materials for manufactures, for the most part 

 admitted free of duty, and also of foodstuffs. 



The question is far from ripe for decision, and 

 in my reply I merely endeavour to state the pros 

 and cons as impartially as I can. 



It would be unfair to my successor to do more. 



