tariffs, because we have declined to grant preferential tariffs, and
because we have done what all along we declared we were going to do,
and were returned to do, we are made the object of this vote of
censure.

It may be said, "We do not blame you for keeping your promise, but for
making the pledge." But what did the Leader of the Opposition promise?
He promised most emphatically before the election that if he were in
power as Prime Minister when this Colonial Conference took place, he
would not grant preference to the Colonies. On many occasions the
right hon. gentleman said that not one, but two elections would be
necessary before he would be entitled to take that tremendous step. I
have the right hon. gentleman's words here. Speaking at Manchester in
January 1905, the right hon. gentleman said: "If that scheme were
carried out, I do not see that we could be called on to decide the
colonial aspect of this question until not only one, but two elections
have passed." Yet the right hon. gentleman is prepared, I presume, to
join in a vote of censure on his Majesty's Government for not granting
that preference which he himself was prohibited from granting by the
most precise and particular engagement.

Is it a vote of censure on the Government at all? Is it not really a
vote of censure on the general election? Is it not a cry of petulant
vexation at the natural, ordinary, long-expected sequence of events?

The right hon. gentleman[4] who moved the Resolution made a very mild
and conciliatory speech. But he confined himself to generalities. He
avoided anything like a statement of concrete proposals which he
thinks the Government ought to adopt. Those who take part in this
controversy nowadays avoid any statement of the concrete proposals