Page:Speech by Sir John Forrest - Western Australia - 1900.pdf/8

 any real ground, I think, that my views are different from the view I expressed in 1898. I am not at all ashamed of that address for it expresses my general opinions, and I may tell hon. members I am rather proud of that speech—I do not mean to say that with every word of it I am in accord to-day, because I do not suppose it ever happens that if a person reads a speech two years afterwards he will agree with every sentiment expressed at the time, but, generally speaking, that address of the 27th of May, 1898, in St. George's Hall, represents my views in regard to Federation. If I had to make that speech again to-night the only particulars in which I would amend it would be in regard to alterations of a temporary character, which I submit in no way affect the great general question." (Applause.) On documentary evidence the foregoing shows the position I occupied in connection with Federation, and I have referred to it in order to show that I have been a consistent federalist throughout. (Applause.)

Because during last year, during the last sitting of Parliament, I desired to get what I considered very necessary and better terms for this colony, can anyone say for that reason that I am an anti-Federalist? (Cries of "No, no," and applause.) I was only doing my best to protect the interests of the country. (Applause.) I thought we would be safer and better protected if we could get a little alteration in the terms. (Applause.) As you all know, I was not successful in getting what has been called better terms. I tried my best, and there is no one in this room, and very few people in the colony, who know how hard I tried to obtain the alteration desired by the Joint Select Committee, and afterward the one alteration of five years of full fiscal freedom. After all, most people were willing to take five years' full fiscal freedom about two months ago, and now the full fiscal freedom we are offered by this Bill equals three and a half to four years. The uniform tariff will not come into existence for a year at least, so it is from three and a half to four years as against six years.

The reason I was not successful with the other colonies is not hard to seek. The colony was divided about it. If the colony had been united I would have won without any trouble at all. I had no Parliamentary mandate, I had no authority to show for any alteration, except the report of the Joint Select Committee, and when they were led to believe in the other colonies that the people of this colony did not want the alteration, that I and a few others alone wanted it, it was hardly possible to succeed? But I nearly did succeed for all that. I had the support of Queensland and Tasmania, and almost the support of Victoria, and a considerable section of the Press of the Eastern colonies on my side. The principal reason however why we did not succeed was that the cry "The whole Bill, and nothing but the Bill," was insisted on by the delegates of the Eastern colonies, in London. With all these forces arrayed against me outside the colony and in it, it is very easy to see the reason why the concession, which ought to have been granted, and which I think would have been accepted by most people in this colony, was not granted. But after all I may tell you the concession would not have been very much good if we had obtained it. (Applause.) I will tell you the reason why. There would have been a large section of the people who would not have accepted it, and would have demanded that the existing customs duties on local produce should be abolished. After all, when we come to carefully examine the question, in the light of existing conditions, what we required was only six years' fiscal freedom instead of the four years' fiscal freedom which we will have under the Bill, by the operation of the sliding scale.

Finding no better terms could be obtained I had no hesitation, with the full concurrence of my colleagues, in deciding that no time should be lost in sending the Bill to the people in order that they