New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-05
"FIGIITING JOE"
All. CHAMBERLAIN AND THE COM
PLETE REVERSAL OF HIS VIEWS IN
REGARD TO ENGLAND'S FOR
ETCN POLICY
EIGN POLICY.

Just at present there is no statesman III the
Old World whose uttcrances on the SUBJECT Oh
international politics arc exciting so ruc' At
tention as those Of Joseph Charnberlain Al
though he IS the Secretary OF state !of ile
Colonies in the Unionst Cabinet, yet his indi-
viduality is SO strong and his influence so pre-
dominating that people both at home ana
abroad pay much more attention to his renaik KS
upon foreign matters than they DO u those 81
Lord Salisbury himself although the latter IS
Secretary of state for Foreign Affairs. Thc
question Of peace or war between Great Britain
and France is regarded as depending far more
upon him than upon the Premier. while his re-
cent assertion that The Power which treats with
Russia must. like the man eating with the
devil, ong-handled spoon" has struck
popular fancy and bids fair to become as
memorable phrase as some Of those Of Prince
Gortchakoff and Of Prince Bismarck
Yet 1t is not many years ago that Mr..
Chamberlain professed and manifested the most
complete and contemptuous indifference for for
eiEn politics, and instead OF advocating the
growth Of the colonial empire of Great Britain
he condemned in the strongest fashion the In
crease OF English interests abroad At the worst
phase Of the Egyptian imbrogio ] remember
his remarking to me- IF have lost single
vote among my constituents since the last gen
eral election attribute ii entirely to our un-
fortunate interference in Egypt which has not
only augmented our responsibilities and diff
cultes in the East. but has also cost US vast
sums Of money. thereby increasing the income
tax. Now, the income tax which is heavier at
present than at any time since the Crmean
War is the bette noire Of the ordinary taxpayer,
who is exceedingly sensitive to any augmcnta-
ton thereof. With the exception Of n section OF
the Tory party and Of the Haute Banque and
finance in the City there is no doubt that the
people at large, particularly in the great in
dustrial cites north OF London, which consti-
tute the backbone of the Liberal party. pro-
foundy Indifferent to foreign politics. They are
far more easily touched BY a reduction of a
penny in the pound in the income tax than by
any grand victories achieved by British arms
or diplomacy abroad"
The truth Of Mr.. Chamberlain's assertion was
proved a short time aftcrward, when the people.
who had stocally submitted to the abandon
ment Of General Gordon at Khartoum and had
remained Indifferent to disaster and retreat in
South Africa and Afghanistan rose like one man
to turn the Government out because Mr. Glad
stone proposed to increase the tax on their
beer.
AS a further proof Of his extraordinary indif-
ference to foreign matters in those days may
add that when subsequently ! asked him what
position NJ himself and his party. who were then
in opposition, would take up with regard 10 n
certain important phase Of Oriental politics ne
lightly replied, "Oh, we must wait and see what
course the Government proposes to take in the
matter, and then go in for directly the opposite
as hard as we can"
The last ten twelve years have, however,
worked a marvellous change in the views Of
both the English people at large and OF Mr.. |
Chamberlain. Much as he condemned the Occu- |
patton Of Egypt at the time when It took place |
he Is to-day one Of the most determined advo-
Gates Of the policy Of retaining possession Of the
land Of the Nile, and of holding it against all |
foreign Powers: while far from opposing the |
growth Of the Empire or the increase of British !
responsibilities abroad. ne is the strongest cham
pion Of this policy, which is thoroughly in accord |
With the present sentiments of his country
men. Indeed, Joe" Chamberlain is probably
the most thoroughly and typcaIly British Of !
English statesmen Of the present day, a man
after John Bulls own heart. who is never more
happy or more entirely at his best than when in
a fight even with the odds against him.
Indeed. ne has been frequently nicknamed
Fighting Joe" on account Of his pugnacty and
there is doubt that If today plebiscite
we've taken both in England and in her colonies
he would be chosen by an overwhelming ma
jority to the position Of both Premier and For
egl Secretary as the statesman best qualified
TO direct the foreign policy Of the Empire in ac-
cordance with the true British sentiment which
has sometimes been described as damn your