138 THE MORAL ASPECT OF 



fused and dazed. But once quiet comes, and more sober 

 reflection on the larger and forgotten issues, the dust of the 

 battle will settle down and we shall see with a new clearness 

 and pronounce with a new conviction that no dreams of 

 gain shall lead us to risk our loyalty to those permanent 

 conditions of our welfare which lie in the national character. 

 Our present methods have, amongst other causes, been 

 instrumental in extending the Empire beyond the dreams 

 of patriotism ; and yet the accumulated responsibilities have 

 not broken our strength, nor left us bankrupt at home. As 

 yet, at least, we hold a place of honour amongst the great 

 nations of the earth ; and though we should stand alone 

 for years yet to come in guarding by the freedom of our 

 marts and our open ports the purity and strength of our 

 political life, we shall hold it no cause for shame nor source 

 of weakness. 



But I must pass on to the still wider question that of 

 the manner in which the new fiscal policy concerns the 

 relation of the British Empire to other independent states. 

 It is not possible for me to deal exhaustively with this 

 aspect of our problem ; but I shall try to make clear one 

 fact that seems to me of cardinal importance, namely, that 

 the decisive and dominant conceptions do not belong to the 

 province of_pure^ or^ mere, economics. If any reasons 

 exist at all for departing from our free-trade methods, these 

 spring from the political province. 



This becomes evident when it is considered that there 

 is no economic difference between international and any 

 other trade. In strictness there is nosuch 



national trade. All trade is between individuals (or their 

 business equivalents), and, apart from political considera- 

 tions, it is a matter of perfect indifference whether these 



