But if they
commit themselves to a zollverein with us and the rest
of the family you won't hear much more about the need to
foster communications. Communications will foster
themselves."
"Just so," remarked John Murchison. "They'll save their
money."
"I wouldn't think so before--I couldn't," Lorne went on,
"but I'm afraid it's rather futile, the kind of thing
we've been trying to do. It's fiddling at a superstructure
without a foundation. What we want is the common interest.
Common interest, common taxation for defence, common
representation, domestic management of domestic affairs,
and you've got a working Empire."
"Just as easy as slippin' off a log," remarked Horace
Williams.
"Common interest, yes," said his father; "common taxation,
no, for defence or any other purpose. The colonies will
never send money to be squandered by the London War
Office. We'll defend ourselves, as soon as we can manage
it, and buy our own guns and our own cruisers. We're
better business people than they are, and we know it."
"I guess that's right, Mr Murchison," said Horace Williams.
"Our own army and navy--in the sweet bye-and-bye. And
let 'em understand they'll be welcome to the use of it,
but quite in a family way--no sort of compulsion."
"Well," said Lorne, "that's compatible enough.
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