that this was one reason why we could not have a parliament or
council in London; we can talk cabinet to cabinet, but cannot send
Canadians or Australians as permanent residents to London, to debate
and act on their own discretion."

Still more enlightening is this observation:

"Sir Joseph Ward was given prominence in 1911 through the exigencies
of imperialist politics. At each imperial conference some colonial
leader was put forward by the imperialists to champion their cause.
In 1897 it was obvious that they looked to me to act the bell-wether,
but I fear they were disappointed. In 1902 it was Seddon; in 1907,
Deakin; in 1911, Ward. He had not Deakin's ability or Seddon's
force. His London friends stuffed him for his conference speeches;
he came each day with a carefully typewritten speech, but when once
off that, he was at sea."

What was the intention of this "unrelenting imperialist campaign"?
It took many forms, wore many disguises, but in its secret purposes
it was unchangeable and unwearying. It was a conscious, determined
attempt to recover what Disraeli lamented that Great Britain had
thrown away. Twenty years after Disraeli had referred to the
colonies as "wretched millstones hung about our neck," he changed
his mind and in 1872 he made an address as to the proper relations
between the Mother Land and the colonies which is the very
corner-stone of imperialistic doctrine. His declaration was in these
words:

"Self-government, in my opinion, when it was conceded, ought to have
been conceded as part of a great policy of imperial consolidation.