St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-27
other case Of great cry and httie wool.
1t was intended as a sham, and it so
proved ITSELF
AN EMPTY OFFER.

The speech of Mr. Chamberlain, sug-
gesting the idea of an imperial trade
union between Great Britain and her
colonies, is an adroit move on the part
OF the sharpest political tactician in
the United Kingdom today Any one
who reads closely will see that it COM
mits neither England nor the Con-
servative party to any definite act or
policy. II is simply soothing prom
ise to the colonies, to infiame their en-
thusiasm and strengthen their loyalty,
about on par kith, that of the mother
who told her child that if he would
be good boy he SHOULD be allowed to
visit his grandmother's grave. Great
Britain is anxiaus to keep strong the
ties that bind the colonies to her. She
has realized recently, when war ru-
mors were rife. how necessary it might
be, at any moment, for her to find them
ready to defend themselves, and to
come to her succor. Something
is necessary in the way of a
sop to hold these people faithful.
Mr.. Chamberlain has hit upon an ex-
pedient which is identical, almost with
his governments attitude on bimetal-
lism.
1t says that bimetallism is a good
thing when the world gets ready
for it, but that Great Britain could
not possibly move toward it before
hot iato
trade between Great Britain and her
colonies is good thing, and that i'm
perial federation would be worth while
even if it involved a small duty on food
and raw material brought into the
United Kingdom. How much this
amounts to appears in his closing SEN
tence: ''It is a dream, if you like" he
said; nothing can be done, however, in
any direction until Great Britain and
her colonies have decided upon i'm
perial unity founded on the common
| veal"
1t seems foolish to discuss such an
utterance as this, as the British pa
pers are doing, as having any bear
the future of government No one
knows better than Mr.. Chamberlain
that the party which should propose to
place upon food imports into Great
would be thrown out of power not to
return again for a. generation. No
member Of cabinet less securely for
titled than this, one, by an impreg-
nable majority and six-year tenure
of Office, would even dare to hint at
| such thing as possible. It seems to
Mr.. Chamberlain, however, good idea,
| in order to prevent, the colonies from
| increasing their tariffs on British inn
ports, and to stir in them an enthusi-
| asm for the country's defense.
1t is a purely political move, and one
not particularly creditable to it's au-
| thor. The idea OF an imperial fedora
ton for Great Britain has been dis
cussed freely and frequently, and it
| has always been shattered upon the
rock of impossibility of constituting
customs union. AS long as the COL
onies are committed or a large share
Of them. to high tariff duties, and the
| imperial government requires free
| trade as one of the absolute conditions
Of maintaining her manufacturing in
dustries, no compromise is possible. Mr.
| Chamberlain has simply set loose a
! gaudy toy balloon with which he in
tends to amuse the colonies as to the
advantages of a mythical condition OF
| imperial unity, while he exacts from
them in the immediate present, all the
burdens and responsibilities Of that
| state. - -.. o. ..-..se