New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-10
cTRJKING AT COBDENISM.
49,, cuAMBERLAIN'S SPEECH BEFORE THE
british CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.


IBY CABLE To THE TRIBUNE.l
,c.,vrtoht 1895: bv The Tribuns AssociationJ
,ordon. June 9-Mr Chamberlain in his
lining address to-day before the Chambers Of
r.onerce Of the Empire. drove several add-
~, nails into the coffin of Cobdenism. He re-
lated the main ideas of his recent speech be-
,,s the Canada Club. but more definite in
..r,ng ND common schedule of dutiable goods
=, England In discussing the problem of COM
-,rcial union within the Empire he considered
,,se solutions: First, that the colonies should
.,.ndon their fiscal system and adopt English
,,s trade; second. that Engls nj should re-
-ornce free trade and adopt the tariff system Of
-. colonies: third that England and the
..,,r,es should have free trade among them
'.,.0s with a compromise English tariff for GER
,o,n foreign imports.
u.v,ns pointed out the defects OF the first and
...,rd nroposals and declared that there was
:. ,bs slightest chance that either would be
,..,ea within a Reasonable time. he took up
49, ,h,rs nlan. which would establish free trade
,,A,r the Empire and leave the separate con-
...,ra narties free 10 arrange thei- own tariffs
On foreign imports
=, this noint ne reduced his proposal made at
sba
o. considered it ar essential condition that
c,sst Britain should consent 10 replace the i'm
sort duties on articles which were largely pro-
,s..a IN the colonies TIE schedule which he
.n.sested comprised wheat. meat wool, sugar
Ia other articles Of enormous cons umption IN
ISLAND which were produced on a large scale
~ the colonies and which might under the
.,,,,ons Of an Imperial Zollverein be wholly
olAx Thxar1 har "a
',,os,ne an English duty en- wool. seemed
,ho,,v unconscious that he was knocking the
,o,on, ont Of the Wilson tariff in America; like
wise. in including wheat meat and other food
...arots in the English schedule Of dutiable
eo,is he passed lightly over the fact that ne
was repudiating the fundac entail principles OF
rohden and Bright He also prop p)seo duty
IN sugar. without commenting upon the erect
which would be produced upon trade win Her-
many and the Continent His one coh'roiiiHs
idea was the necessity o, a compromise free-
trade system in order - brin6 ABOUT lnPeii'A
liberation and strength m the bona OF union oe-
tween the mother country anc the coio"ieS
,broughou. the world. This he consloered tne
greatest object which an Englishran could pur-
size IN what he believed was a critical stage oi
imperial history.
His sneech was loudly appauded by the dele
gates from Canada. the West Indies. Australia
South Africa and other colonies II can hardy
fall TO produce a profound impression III Eis
land and will cause more discussion than any
other speech made for many years Mr.. Cham-
berlain describes himself as conVinceA Tree
trader but his proposal 'or d British ZoHVereln
,nvoves the abandonment of CObdens prlncl-
raes II II be carried into effect. duties WIFE De
,sv,eA upon American wheat, pork and other
food products for the benefit Of Canada. wool
from the Argentine Republic and America Will
be taxed for the benefit OF Australia, and Ger
man beet sugar for the good Of the British sugar
islands In the East and West Indies. Incident
ally. the British farmer would be benefited also.
and the Agricultural interests Of the United
Kingdom relieved from the exhausting burdens
imposed during half century of free trade
ST. Henry Fowler. a consistent free trader.
perceves clearly that there is distinct pro
tectionist impulse underlying this movement for
an Imperial Zollverein He remarks in to-day 8
Graphic" that the spirit Of protection Is grow
ing in England. and that the battle Of free trade
will probably have 10 be fought over again lie
adds that he expressed this fear TO John Bright
shortly before his death. That Mr.. Chamber
lain the most powerful leader on the Cnionis'
side and a statesman who is known TO be am
bilious. even TO the point Of aspiring to the Of
fee Of Prime Minister should burn his boats
behind him and renounce Cobdenisn Is fact
Of the first Importance. J. y. +.