The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-07

actual Increase was E20 1000 900, with free
trade. In the same time the increase II
the United States was e110 900 900 and II
Germany CSC, 900 900. In the United King
dom trade has been practically stagnan'
for thirty years. Meanwhile the protected
countries, which he himself. once believed
were going rapidly to wreck and ruin, have
progressed infinitely better than Great
Britain.
Not only has trade remained stagnant
but its character has changed. Cobden
belief that Great Britain would remain tht
workshop Of the world has not been real
ised. Mr.. Chamberlain elaborated THU
point with statistics, and then proceeded te
show that British trade with the colonies
had been much larger than the total trade
with protected and neutral countries
Imperial trade was absolutely essential &C
the country's prosperity. II Imperial traoe
declined or did not increase IN proportion
to the population Great Britain's fate would
be the fate Of the empires and Kingdoms
Of tho past.
IN THE CASE OF THE COLONIES.
Mr.. Chamberlain drew attention to the
trade position Of the Colonies. A vast ma
jority Of the workingmen there, he said
were protectionists, but that did not argue
that they were all fools. Why was 1t sup
posed that intelligent men leaving free trade
England became idiots on arriving In Aus
traIia. The fact was that when they went
there they rid themselves Of NUMBER OF
old world prejudices and superstitions
and became protectionists.
Fit was desired to intervene in the growth
Of protection In the colonies it could De
done now, but twenty years hence 1t Woulo
be impossible; If it were now declared t Iha
Great Britain sympathized with the
determination not to become one horse
countries, dependent solely upon foreign
supplies for the necessities Of life, and apc-.
pealed to them to pull down their tarlfi
walls to their kinsmen and exchange their
own products for those OF this country;
II they were asked to do that, and
to rely upon Great Britain's patriot
ism, kinship and gratitude that they
should not be losers thereby, he thought
the appeal would not be in vain: If Great
Britain had made similar application to
Germany and America some years ago
and given some reciprocal advantage she
would have kept a great deal Of what she
had irrevocably lost.
OUR TARIFF AN ABoMINATIoN.
Continuing, Mr. Chamberlain said;
America Is the strictest protective nation
It has tariff which to me Is an abomination.
1t Is immoderate, unreasonable and IN
Necessary, and although America has
proflted enormously under it,, I think 1t
has been carried to excessive lengths;
even this immoderate tariff left us great
trade. It left us the tin plate trade, which
amounted to millions Of pounds yearly
and gave employment to thousands or
British work people. II We had gone to
America ten or twenty years ago and said
II you leave the tin plate trade as it is and
put no duty on tin plates We will give. you
some advantage on some article you produce,
We would have kept the tin plate trade.
II we had gone to Germany In the same
sense. there are hundreds Of articles now
made in Germany and sent to this country
where they are taking the places of goods
the manufacture Of which employed British
return for our concession to them.
we did not take that course, but al
lowed the matter to drift Are we going
to let It drift now? Are we going to lose
our Colonies as we lost foreign conn
tries? This is the parting OF the ways:
You have the opportunity. If you will
d dist M ats ossn M tha. csnaa ana
and South Africa will fall to the level OF the
United States, and that that will be only
the beginning OF g general decline, which
will deprive you OF your most important
customers
WHAT THE COLONIES WILL DO.
Mr.. Chamberlain further said he had
reason to believe that the Colonies were
prepared, for very moderate preference,
to give substantial advantage. They would
in the first place, reserve to the British
the trade they already enjoyed.
They would also arrange their tariffs
In the future in order not to start industries
In competition with those already in ex-
istence in the mother country. The colonial
trade, which would thus be secured with
the prospective advantage Of preference
against the foreigner, would be sufficient
N a RI
at thirty shillings week, and, calculating
their families. give subsistence to 3,O75. 600
persons.
That was squalid argument he would
appeal to them on the higher one that the
privileges Of empire brought great re-
probabilities. What might be the future Of
an empire entirely self-eustained' He
had spoken with many prominent Colonlsts.
but had found none who wished for separa-
ton.
He had found very many who believed
that the present colonial relations could
not be permanent and that they must either
draw closer together or DRIFT further apart,
Whatever sacrifice might be necessary to
bring closer connection he would ask the
country to make it. but in the present case
he believed no sacrifice WAS necessary. He
believed that an arrangement was possible
under which both sides would gain and
neither lose,
WON'T ADD TO COST OF LIVING.
He said he desired TO repeat explicitly
that he did not wish to tax raw material
used in the manufacturing trade. There
fore II was evident that IL they wanted
to prevent separation there must he a
preferential. tax on food.
That was the great cry Of his opponents,
and it was true. But It was only half the
truth, because his opponents forgot to add
his explanation that nothing he proposed
would add farthing to the cost OF living
OF any working man or any family in the
country. He then set forth the plan Of
taxation outlined at the beginning of this
despatch.
PREFERENCE FOR COLONIAL WINES AND
FRUITS
He added that he proposed a substantial
preference for colonial wines and fruits.
Against the increases he proposed con-
siderable remissions, namely, three-quar-
tiers on the tea duty, half on sugar and cor
responding reductions on the coffee and
cocoa duties.
BY detailed calculations he showed that
hls own artisans food would thus cost
than now, and agricultural workers food
four cents less even If, as It was believed
would be the case. the food taxes We're not
paid by the foreigner.
The loss to the Exchequer might be es-
timated at E2, 100000, but he proposed to
balance that by what was sometimes call d
reciprocity and sometimes retaliation A
duty Of 10 per cent. on foreign manu-
featured goods would bring $4,000 900
yearly, which could be used in the remission
of taxation.
Reiterating his belief that the Colonies
would treat any offer generously, Mr..
Chamberlain concluded as follows: