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329.
question; it is a national issue, for which both parties in
Parliament are responsible, and in the treatment of which$ the
continuity of our Imperial policy is involved. "
ooze way Randolph Churchill in the 1894 Commons debate
could say "The. extension of the Empire was not the work
of any particular Party, but the expression of an inward
force, and tendency on the part of the British people to
extend the boundaries of their Empire. "
(2)
(1)
This view
In the
implied that there was little opposition left to Imperialism,
and also that the Empire,, irreopcctivo of the foibles of
political parties had reached a stage where it continued
to increase almost of its own volition.
There are a number of reasons why the anti.
Imperialists failed to act of this occasions They may have
boon taken off guard by the humanitarian arguments used
for retention, which were not easy to refute. Thora was no
Parliamentary lead given by the Radicals during tho October-
December agitation, There was also a lack of information in
the local perms. The Government had made no sudden dramatic
decision in favour of annexation around which opposition
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(1)_ tTineteanth Couturvjj July 1394, ppc. 23-27s Arthur Silva
White, "Tho Partition of Afrika. "
{2) Iian snrd1y Op cit, col 2110