The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-19
COMMERCE AND THE COLONIES
SECRETARY CHAMBERLAIN MAKES
AN EFFECTIVE SPEECH.

Three Fold Duty of Great Britain De-
cIared TO Be Retention of What
RightfulIy Belongs to Her, Reten-
ton of HeF Possessions for Poster
ity and Generally to Prevent Any
One who Attempts to Rush Her
CIaims-Must Cultivate the Loyalty
and Good Will of the Colonies.
Liverpool, Jan. 1S.-The Liverpool Cham
Der of Commerce gave a banquet tonight
to Rt. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, Secre-
tary of State for the Colonies. Mr..
Chamberlain was greeted with an ova-
ton.
In the course of a vigorous and import
ant speech, the secretary referred to the
great changes in commerce during the last
twenty years. Until the great powers were
bitten with the megalmania with which
the Germans are accustomed to taunt us,
as if it were our exclusive property, the
German empire has increased six-fold and
the French four-fold while England" he
said, has only added a modest third to
her colonial empire"
Answering the argument that it is use
less to colonize barren wastes, he pointed
to the magnificent enterprise of the Ca
madam Pacific Railway that had opened
up vast country with the greatest wheat
fields, and was about to open up what
was perhaps the greatest gold fields in the
world.
Looking to the certainty" he said chat
We are likely to be excluded by the hostile
tariffs from any country where the British
flag does not float, our present policy is to
take a very firm attitude and to maintain
free markets. What the foresight of our
ancestors has done for us in building a
great empire we must continue to do for
our successors. This is not the policy of
aggression or lawlessness.
1--WE has a three-fold duty: First. to
keep what rightly belongs to us; second, in
Lord Roseberys admirable words keep
ing our claims for posterty, and any one
who tries to rush those claims generally to
prevent them" daughter and cheerS.
Referring to the fact that 'our sacrifice
of territory and our general forbearance
and Difference to the sensipilities of our al
lies have only resulted in our being told
that we are the best-hated nation of Eu-
rope" ne REPEATED Lord Salisbury's warn
ing. there is limit to this forbearance."
AlleG ItBCllllOl VI the OlQ Ap4lNGlIiti
aspirations, which he describes as less as
sured than some have supposed. MI .
Chamberlain said: 1--WE must seek in our
family the strength and support we shall
never find from foreign nations; and with
this in view we must be ready to respond
to any colonial overtures without seeking
pecunary recompense, but looking TO the
wider interests of the future"
Mr. Chamberlain reviewed at length the
and tho pf
the royal commission thereon and empha-
sized the great injury of the bounty sys-
TEN, which, while running the West In
dies brings a gain estimated at e, 100000
yearly to Great Britain"
Then he came to the West Indies sugar
portion of his speech. The government.
he said, believed the country generous
and just enough to remedy the crying in
justice"
He was glad. he said that Belgium
had anticipated Great Britain in calling
for a conference on the subject and he
hoped that this might succeed better than
former conferences.
There were many objections, he said,
to countervailing duties, which would in
volve US in complex treaty questions with
European nations. Therefore" he said,
1.-THE government has decided to exhaust
every alternative before having recourse
to such drastic measures, and feeling that
the recommends tons of the commission
ers. though good, would not work quickly
enough the chancellor of the oxchequer
has consented TO propose to parliament
very large grant in aid of the West Indies.
The grant will not be so large as the in
cidental gain to be derived from the
bounty system; but il will be large enough
to enable the industry and the population
to tide over a crisis, until continental ma
tions recognize the policy Of the bounty
system"
Mr. Chamberlain expressed his conviction
that the immediate relief measure 70 be
proDosed in addition which he said he
could not as yet explain in detail, would
"stimulate the sugar industry and enable
well managed estates to hold their own
while tending TO the ultimate prosperity
of the colony.
London, Jan. 1S-Mr. Chamlerlain's
West Indian scheme, outlined last even
ing at Liverpool meets with scant appro-
val.
The Times says: 1--WE are not greatly
epamored Of the system Of doles to which,
by some fatality. the present government
has resorted with unusual frequency. Per-
hans for this urgent case It was the most
expedient device, but it ought 70 be very
clearly recognized as purely a temporary
measure and as in no way absolvine
the government from dealing With the
matter on a sound. permanent footing"
The Standard warns Mr. Chamberlain