Page:The empire and the century.djvu/866

, may be no less valuable than reserves of raw material in enabling us to maintain our industrial position against competition of a very different character from any to which we are now exposed. The ascendancy of Japan in that new theatre of the world's action which lies round the Pacific Ocean suggests other reflections besides those concerning military and naval efficiency. We are forced to recognise that we shall have some day to face in the markets of the world the industrial development of a people actively intelligent as the Japanese, with a body of the best manual labour in the world lying ready to their hand in China. Against the competition of white labour we may well be able to hold our own; but it seems likely that in the industrial future the most dangerous competition which we may be forced to face will not be white. Our Imperial position permits us, if we will realize it, to face even this contingency without fear.

The future of native races, and the place which they are to take in the making of the Empire, has rightly been regarded as one of the most interesting that the extension of Empire involves. Our fathers were passionate abolitionists; but is it enough that natives in the less-civilized portions of the tropics should have been relieved of the necessity of labouring for others? Is it not desirable that they should take the further step of learning to labour for themselves? We speak very proudly of the unity of the Empire. In the matter of its labour supply it has not yet been regarded as one. The self-governing Colonies generally dislike the idea of so regarding it. They have not been able to face the fact that we are not a white Empire, but a white and coloured Empire. They prefer in those parts of the Empire for which they are responsible to exclude the coloured and to preserve the white element alone. For purposes of self-government this is easily comprehensible. It may be wise or unwise; but in the Crown Colonies, where there can be no question of self-government in the white man's sense, this barrier does not