Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-22
On a Motion Offered by Sir Henry
 James
REGARDING COTTON DUTIES
In the House of Comm ons, Wtach Was Overwhelm-
 Ingly Defeated.

LONDON, Feb. 21.--In the house of com mons this afternoon Sr Francis Evans, liberal member for Southampton, asked that the papers in references to the recent crisis in Newfoundland be submitted 10 the house.
 Mir. Sydney Buxton, under colonial sec retary, declined to produce the papers at the present time, and stated further that they would not be submitted until the com muuications between lhe home govern ment and that of the colony should have been completed.
 Mr. Evans said; "That implies that nothing will be communicated 10 the house until the present grave distress has been passed. This hope will not be the case, as many members are desirous of getting information on the snbject.''
 Mir. Evans then asked if MT. Buxton would not reconsider his decision in the matter. Mir. Buxton said he would in- uuire whether it would be advisable in the Interim to supply the information asked for.
 Mir. Balfour was not present at this evenings sitting and efforts were made to postpone consideration of Sir Henry James, motion. Sir William Harcourt was approached on the subject and hatly re- fused 10 delay matters, the government. he said, desiring an immediate decision of the house upon the question.
 Sir Henry James introduced his motion to adjourn tho house for the purpose of calling attention to the Indian cotton duties.
 In support of the motion he sand there had always been feeling in Lancashire that an import duty in India was lead weight to the trade. He then proceeded to review the history of Indian tariffs since an early period of the present century. Prior to tue introduction of the motion Sir Ed ward Grey, replying to MT. Labouchere, said the government had recently sounded the governments of the powers and the United States in regard to bringing about peace between China and Japan, and has received replies which were generally fa- vorable. The communication could not be published, however, in view of the exist ing situation.
 Sir Henry James, continuing, said that since 1882, when the Indian import duties were abolished, her markets had remained open. Under the free markets lndia's trade had gone on increasing, driving Lan- cashire out into the markets of Japan and ChinR.s The new duty which had been levied upon cotton would further embar- E rass Lancashire. The government, he said, had been influenced by the agitation of Anglo Indian officials not so much in fa- vpr of India as against Lancashire. It was an agitation against 8 trade which had lost more through the fall in price of rupee than any other interest in the country. These officials had misled the secretary of state for India, who no doubt had the best in- tentions, but had not consulted the prin- cipal merchants and manufacturers. The result was that the home trade had been ignored. The duties imposed in India had dislocated the Lancashire trade. The counteracting excise duty which had been no protection to British producers, while 1t had created intense dissatisfaction in India.
 MT. Henry Fowler, secretary of state for India, said that before Sir Henry James charged him with having sacrificed the interests of England to India he ought to have obtained better proof of the correct ness of anything he had metioned in his speech. The censure of India in regard to the excise duty was equally severe with the censure of Lancashire. Both had accused him of sacrificing their interests, India's to Lancashire and the latter's to India. Both could not be accurate. He had done what he thought was justice to both. A serious financial difficulty existed in India and large deficiency must be faced. Therefore when the import duty WIS post poned, in fairness to both countries, 1t was met with an offsetting excise duty.
 Mir. Goschen, chancellor of the exchequer in the Salisbury cabinet, advised the house to think twice what effect the division about to be made would have in India. He felt, he said, that there had not been sufficient CO., operation between India and the home government. The debate ought to be followed by an earnest and persistent effort to bring Lancashire and Indian opin- one of tariff, compromise certainly could be obtained.
 Sir William Harcourt, chancellor of the exchequer, said the government would not hesitate for a moment to support the de. cision required by the best interests of India regardless of the effect upon the liberal party. He could only regret that the house had been forced in this matter to consider 8 motion rendering necessary what must assume the character of party vote. The government was ready to meet the issue fairly and squarely and without delay. If defeated they would feel that there was no cause for which they could fall more worthily. It would be pity, however, if the vote should leave on the minds of the people of India the lasting i'm pression that they could not hope for Justice from England.
 Sir Henry James, motion regarding In- dia's cotton duties was defeated by vote of BOA to 109.