The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-07-09
A HARDHEADEp- STATESMAN

wise.
A HARDHEADED- STATESMAN
The British colonial secretary, Mr..
Joseph Chamberlain, was recently pro-
PEELED through the glass door of cab,
his head striking the street pavement
with great force and, in consequence the
secretary is laid up with stitched
wound, no doubt thankful, that he escaped
death from an accident which would have
been Tor most men a preliminary OF
funeral. The colonial secretary, however.
is very shardheaded gentleman, and, one
who can stand the torrents Of abuse
heaped upon his head during the war in
South Africa Is fully able to stand an
unceremonious election from cab, even
If he barely escaped the infliction of
cracked skull.
The mishap Of Mr.. Chamberlain will
arrest the progress of the conference of
the colonial premiers which, to-day, was
to consider the colonial secretarys hobby,
imperial defense. Before the conference
met, Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, the chan
cellor- Of the exchequer, speaking in the
house of commons, in reply to liberal
questionfngs, knocked .Chamberlain's i'm
perial zollverein project on the head, by
declaring that the government had no
idea of adopting any such combination
and had not gone further than to con-
slider the subject of an interchange of
rroforonfiol 1Iyfi oos ~3,,r iol I.
verein" scheme was part and parcel of
the imperial federation plan. To-day the
phase Of imperial defense was to have
been taken up, and pending Mr.. Cham
berlain's convalescence the colonial pre-
miers will have time to ruminate upon
the subject.
The only premier who has thus far
stood boldly for the whole Chamberlain
scheme Of imperial federation is Seldom
Of New Zealand. = Imperial defense, ac-
cording to the Chamberlain scheme, will
give the imperial government the power
to order troops from the colonies accord
ing to it's needs for the defense Of the
empire when 1t sees fit. The two power
full colonies Of Australia and Canada,
which are practically Independent, and
did very effective service during the late
war In South Africa, are not willing to
bind themselves to a rigid rule Of quota
furnishing.
The political career Of Mr.. Chamber
lain is remarkable Before he came into
the conservative party after his break
with Gladstone over the latter's> Irish
policy, which included the restoration Of
the Irish parliament. Chamberlain was a
radical of the radicals, who believed that
every tory statesman was eonspiring to
overthrow the liberties of Britain. He
was always trying to bring out pro
gram which would dazzle the masses.
He REGARDS himself 'Has the Hercules
ready t arsespond .t6sAhe partys cali to
drag them out Of hole. He was far
more radical than - Grand Old Man"
Gladstone. About twenty years ago, the
Scottish liberals, at time when their
party was discouraged and Gladstone
talked Of retiring, presented Chamberlain
with a shepherds crook, picturesque
method Of calling upon him to lead and
solidify the liberal party. This had the
effect Of stimulating Gladstone, who re-
.sumed the leadership after delivering an
address which required three or four
hours in delivery. : Chamberlain was so
rapidly developing into a radical socialist
that the sober element of his party were
afraid Of him. He: detained against
landed property. He declared that talk
about economic laws and the sanctity of
private rights was only the convenient
cant of selfish wealth. He wanted to
divide up the great estates for the bene-
fit OF the landless.
Finally this radical socialist Topped
into the tory or conservative party,
which he had antagonized all his public
life, when Gladstone pushed his Irish
government bill, and has now become the
most active leader %of imperial policies
and goes beyond that ancient and expert
enced imperialist, Lord Salisbury, who
has found it necessary to suggest to his
party to go slowly in the matter Of i'm
perial federation.
Nevertheless, Mr.. Chamberlain Is rec
ognized as an aspirant for the premier
ship in case Salisbury retires.- A good
many people in the United Kingdom,
however, remember that the billion dol
lar war in South Africa was due largely
to the political ambition of Joseph Cham
berlain.