New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-26
INTERCOLONIAL FREE TRADE
Mr. CHAMBERLAIN RIDES HIS HOBBY
HARD AT THE CANADA CLUB.

HOW HE WOULD ESTABLISH THE PRINCIPLE OF
RECIPROCITY THROUGHOUT THE EMPIRE
HE HINTS AT THE GREAT AID
vANTAGEs TO THE COLONIES
Iondon March 25-The Right Hon. Joseph Cham
berlan Secretary Of State for the Colonies, was
the guest Of honor the annual dinner OF the oai
ada Club In London this evening. Among those pres
ent were Admiral Sir Francis Leopold McChntoch,
the Hon. W. H. Montague, Canadian Minister Oh
Agriculture Joseph q. Colmer Secretary OF the
Canadian Office in London: Sir Charles Rivers Will
son Messrs Alexander Staveley Hill. NJ. p. w. T..
NJ Tomnson, NJ. p, and sydney Gedge, NJ r. anu
many other prominent personages. Inc pres'oe"'
of the club Sir Robert Gillespie, proposed oas' ~
the Governor General of Canada and the Domihon'
coupling the names OF Mr. Chamberlain and Mr.
Montague
Upon Mr. Chamberlains rising to respond ne was
Ioudly cheered He declared that. whatever test
gagged her greatness, Canada stood to-day i'''
among the group of kindred nations WHICH, 'oset"o'
with the United Kingdom. formed the fr'''sn I'm
pIre He had often visited Canada ne saio anu
knew men on both sides of the Atlantic. VINO ones
assumed that the manifest destiny Of CANADA was
20 no absorbed bv the great republic upon her
southern frontier That ancient controversy MI
Chamberlain declared, was in contrast with '"e
present determination of Canada to MAINTAIN her
local institutions and draw closer the Dohus "h'
her the parent STEM iHc TWIN '"~N
of the United Kingdom and the dangers "hich
seemed TO threaten had evoked from all the coiomes
and especially from Canada, outburst OF loyalty
and affection To none of Her Majestys SUBJECTS
was the recent shadow OF war more omihous Una"
to Canada; yet there was no hesitation ." "e'
mart and unanimous voice was made III coiilio"
cause with the United Kingdom. Wheers) ms
sneakers of the Dominion Parliament STRUCK i"o
right note when they spoke or our empire
..Could an expression Of loyalty from all the COLO
MES he asked pass without serious enort OH '"e
mart of both colonial and imperial statesmen "
transform these high sentiments into prac'c"' ,o
suits? We must seek the line of least resistance
Mr. Chamberlain declared that the greatest OF inc
colonies common obligations was imperial defenco
and the greatest Of their common interests IN
marital trade II was dlficult TO deal with the SUD-
iect Of defence without first dealing with the matter
OF trade They had great example III 'iie o'e"''o'
of the German Empire which was leu up "
through the union of the States now forming IL ia
a commercial zo.lveren. At the great conference III
Ottawa in 1894 the principal resolution adopteo De
clared in favor OF a customs arrangement oe'"ee"
Great Britain and her colonies ,.,.rrsa 70 III. mo-
/ Mr. Chamberlain, continuing. referred 10 the ny ~
ton offered in the Canadian House Of commons hS
Mr. McNeall that small ddIy DC sorern PRODUCTS
imported by them. and that the proceeds rom such
dulles be devoted DS to .s Mr. Of
posal he said entitled to respectful aht "a
pT Un an me Alternative But this proposal he con-
sidered very startling one for free-trade coun,
try and he feared that Ii would be impossip,c Vi
adoption in It's present form. He stated In oetH
his reason for regarding Its adoption as
dwelling especially upon the fact that tne Dri.'sn
foreign trade is so much more gigantic nan that OF
the Colonies that the taxation would fa iar more
heavily upon the United Kingdom than upon 'nen m
Mir Chamberlain suggested that the true zo on.
yerein of the Empire VIZ free trade throughout tnc
Empire despite the involving Of duties against loi
might be nd TT the epooes
willing 10 consider IT, (Cheers) ~. 49,. oo,o
1t had been assumed he continues una, t,e s,U
gestion, but he was not convinced that they 0nr
mously advantageous to them that me coiolies
would be bound to consider II: between the various
parts OF the Empire protection ought 10 d,sappea az
any duties imposed being merely FOR revenue ho'
protection. (Cheers) 80, ,,a ,ho, ~.
smoke only for himself and was not Initiating a
course of policy He wished he said. to provoke
discussion upon the subject. 80 ,,, . no
MIR Montague followed Mr. Chamberlain. whom ne
upon fully appreciating me ldea OF
Greater Britain. He urged the adoption OF some
such suggestion as that made by MI Chainperialn
He realized that there difficulties IN the way
and that mutual sacrifices would be necessary, Dut
the opportunity great and he undertook 10 say
that Canada would not refuse TO consider any prac
fical proposition which she could possibly accept
She had hitherto led the way as much as possible
mon this subject and willing 10 discuss IL In
the future.