The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-06-10

Scheme For Free Trade Between
All English Colonies and the
Mother Country.

LONDON. June lO-The third con.
gress of the chambers of commerce of
the British empire opened at 9 o'clock
a. m. in the Hall Grocers company,
Princess street. this city, with Mr..
Joseph Chamberlain, the secretary of
state for the colonies. and honorary
president Of the congress, in the chair.
The splendid hall was filed with del
egates from all parts of the empire,
those of each colony being grouped un.
der their own banner. Canada had two
tables, and the others had one. The
Canadian delegation was headed by Sir
Mackenzie Bowel and Sir Sanford
Fleming. The gallery was filled with
ladies.
Sir Albert K. Rollitt, NJ P, president
of the London chamber of commerce
welcomed the delegates at the head of
the staircase.
Mr. Chamberlain was accompanied
by a number of notable colonists and
agents general. including Sir Henry
Brougham Loeb, Lord Knutsford, the
earl of Jersey, Sir George Baden.
Powell and many others.
Mr. Chamberlain was enthusiastically
cheered as he officially welcomed the
delegates. Among other things he said
he was rejoiced at every fresh indica-
tion of the essential unity of the empire,
upon which was founded all their hopes.
The Omens. he added, were never more
favorable and he trusted their delibera-
tions would result in an advance
towards the goal to which all patriotic
aspirations tended.
Continuing, Mr.. Chamberlain re-
marked: THE existence Of this congress
is evidence that we have to q great ex-
tent annihilated space and that further
knowledge must tend to a complete
agreement between the colonies and the
mother country. The same note for
closer union rings i'll all the resolutions,
but all the proposals are dwarfed into
insignificance in comparison with the
proposals to secure the commercial
union of the empire.
Such commercial union will neces-
state a council Of the empire, to which
will be remitted all questions Of com.
mercial law in which the whole nation is
interested"
But this is not all. Imperial de-
fense vii. also come within the deliber-
ations of the council of the empire, and
this question is the root Of problem
with which we have to deal.
80 far, however, there has been q
deadlock. The proposal of the British
free traders has been rejected by the
colonies, and the proposal of the colonial
protectionists has been rejected by
Great Britain. Consequently, we must
dnd third course, and in give and take
on both sides will be found the terms
for such proposal"
Resolution OF the Toronto Board.
Mr.. Chamberlain then dwelt upon the
resolution of the Toronto board of trade,
which urges that the advantages to be
obtained by a closer union between the
various portions of the British empire
are so great as to justify an arrange
ment as nearly as possible of the nature
Of a zolleverein, based upon principles of
the freest exchange of commodities
within the empire, consistent with the
tariff requirements incident to the main
tenance of the local government of each
kingdom, dominion, province or colony,
now forming part of the British family
of nations
Would Practically BE Free Trade.
Mr.. Chamberlain said that the adop-
ton of this plan would establish inme-
diately and practically free trade
throughout the empire. while leaving
the contracting parties free to make,
their own arrangements in regard 10
duties on foreign goods, except that the