The Wider Patriotism

Gentlemen:

I think it would be interesting if the President of this Club should, at the conclusion of. each year's work, indicate briefly the progress, or otherwise, of the principles and policy of Imperialism during the year. Whether he does so or not I may be permitted, perhaps, to lay the basis for such action by reviewing in a few short phrases what it seems to me personally-without making the Club responsible for my views-are the influences now working in this country toward closer and better relations or which in recent years have aided in that direction.

1. The personal influence of the Sovereign in promoting loyalty and appreciation of the Throne as the pivot upon which rests the constitution and unity of the Empire; the effect of the visits paid by successive Princes of Wales to Canada or of such an appointment as the Duke of Connaught as Governor-General.

2. The influence wielded by the Governor-Generalship when that office is embodied in such a personality as Earl Grey's, strengthened by such speeches as he has delivered in Canada, and affected by such incidents as the Quebec Tercentenary.

3. The holding of Colonial Conferences (1887, 1897, 1902, 1907, 1909) and the better personal knowledge and relationships thus created together with a naturally increased perception of Empire responsibilities and conditions amongst the statesmen concerned; the pending and obvious evolution of that body into a permanent Imperial Council; the gathering together of commercial interests by means of the Congresses of Chambers of Commerce of the Empire in 1886, 1892, 1900, 1906 and 1909; the meeting of special conferences in London, such as those on Education, and Mercantile Shipping regulations in 1907, and the Conference of Canadian and British journalists in 1909.

4. The increasing number of visits to Canada by distinguished men such as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Mr. Kipling, Lord Morley, Mr. Bryce, the Bishop of London and Lord Milner together with the large increase visible in Canadian individual visits to Britain.

5. The evolution of a new sense of responsibility in foreign affairs as indicated by the Japanese incident and the recent Hague Tribunal decision and by fuller knowledge of Britain's sympathetic and powerful support in the conduct and result of diplomatic negotiations both now and in the past.

6. The reform of the postal rates by which an "intellectual preference" is becoming possible, correspondence increasing by leaps and bounds between the two countries, and British newspaper and periodical literature finding its natural place in Canadian homes.

7. The Canadian preferential tariff, whether much or little in degree, and the Chamberlain fiscal movement in Britain-whatever its ultimate measure of success or the details of the British and Canadian tariff negotiations which would follow.

8. The increasing investment of British money in Canada; the fact that the total in 1897 was $583,000,000, in 1907 $1,312,000,000, in 1911 about $2,000,000,000; the additional fact that a complete change has come in the trend of British capital being toward Canada instead of the United States.

9. The growing number of joint Imperial undertakings, such as the Pacific cable, the inception of schemes such as the All-Red route, the co-operation in various -natters of current legislation, and developments in unity such as the Imperial General Staff.

10. The large emigration of people from the United Kingdom to Canada totaling since 1897, 600,000, as against 529,000 from the United States, and the fact that this should counterbalance any special trend of thought in the minds of foreign settlers who have been pouring into the Canadian West.

11. The influence of the South African War and its memories in promoting a general understanding-if not undertaking-that Canada will stand by the Mother country in any future struggle and the reiterated assertion of Canadian statesmen that in any serious conflict every resource of Canada will be at the Empire's service.

12. The function of such organizations as the Canathan Clubs; which by educating the people in Imperial and general issues of a public character, without taking sides or holding any brief for any cause, can hardly help but make clear-thinking men understand better the position of Canada within or without the Empire, and appreciate more fully .the national duties and Imperial responsibilities of the Dominion. In the past three years there have been, approximately, 600 addresses before these Clubs in Canada, of which 200 have been devoted to British or Imperial topics.

13. The work of such bodies as the Daughters of the Empire, the British Empire League, the Canadian Defence League, and the Empire Club of Canada.

So far as the latter is concerned we have in the past eight years had 218 speakers, of whom 117 dealt with Imperial topics. In this past year our speakers numbered twenty-nine, and it may interest some to know that eight of these were Liberals, nine of Independent or unknown political views, and ten Conservatives.

May I add in conclusion, and again speaking personally, that there are two things of an Imperial character which might well be carried out in this the Coronation year: (1) the inclusion of Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand-the four Dominions of the Empire-with the United Kingdom in the Royal title; (2) a contribution from each of these Dominions toward the maintenance of the Monarchy which is the Empire's greatest link of unity and pivot of government.