Page:Speech by Sir John Forrest - Western Australia - 1900.pdf/7

 should be established between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In a similar manner Federation in Australia would require, as an indispensable condition, daily communication by railway between the colonies of the continent. To be an Australian will then be a prouder title than to be a New South Welshman, a Queenslander, a Victorian, a South Australian, or a Western Australian—and so much is this even now felt that it is becoming the practice for persons hailing from any of the colonies to call themselves Australians, feeling, no doubt, that the title of continental Australia sinks all other minor divisions. If we are to become a nation, to be the great power in the Southern Hemisphere, it can only be by being federated, to be allied to one another, not only by the ties of nationality and kindred, but also by those material bonds which operated so strongly in our dealing with one another. Our aim should be to make Australia another Britain—another home for the Anglo-Saxon race." I concluded by being very patriotic, as I am proud to say I always am. (Laughter.) I said this: "In our prosperity, however, I trust we will never forget the land of our fathers, the dear old mother country—to which we owe our existence as a people, from which we derive our laws and our liberties, and from which we have a right to a glorious heritage." I am sorry to have had to read so much, but it is necessary in order to show you what I thought 12 years ago. Those were my views in 1888. Reading them to-day—12 years afterwards—they seem to me like an inspiration, as they represent practically the views I hold on this question at the present time. (Applause.)

Since 1888 many of you know what has happened. I have attended all the Federal Conventions as a representative of this colony; in 1891 at Sydney; in 1897, one in Adelaide and one in Sydney; and I attended another convention early in 1898 in Melbourne, when the Federal Constitution was completed. And on May 27, 1898, a month or two after I returned from the Convention, I made the St. George's Hall speech, so often referred to during the last few months with a view of showing that my present action is inconsistent with the speech I then made. That speech was full of good federal sentiments. (Applause.) Having delivered that speech, I went to the Premiers' Conference held in Melbourne in February, 1899, and on my return the Mayor and Corporation of Perth gave me a friendly reception. We are getting nearer home now. Only a little over a year ago, I said to the Mayor and Corporation this amongst other things:—"I do not for a moment tell you that it is all plain sailing before you. The path is beset with difficulties, but on looking at it broadly, I cannot believe, as a patriotic Australian, that it can be to our disadvantage to become part of a great and united nation, and one of far greater importance than we can ever hope to be separately." Again said, continuing: "We will retain possession of our lands, our railways, and our gold mines, and they will be absolutely our own, and under our own control. And again, Unity is strength, and the more united we are the more able we shall be to fulfil our destiny." That was on February 15, 1899.

Parliament met, and on October 5, 1899, after the Joint Select Committee had considered the Federal Bill, and brought up their report, I moved in the Legislative Assembly that the Bill as passed by the Premiers' Conference, and the Bill with the amendments proposed by the Joint Select Committee, should be both referred to the people of the colony, in order that they might judge which of those two Bills best safeguarded the interests of the country. In introducing the matter on October 5, about eight months ago only, I said: "I have spoken on Federation on many occasions outside the colony and in it, and notably, I spoke in St. George's Hall, in Perth, on the 27th of May, 1898. A great deal has been made, or tried to be made, out of what I then said. An attempt has been made to show,