Evening star., 1903-09-18
Colonial Secretary Leaves the
Cabinet Of King Edward.
HIS LETTER TO BALFOUR
NAME OF LORD MILNER MEN
TONED AS HIS SUCCESSOR.
Trglish People Amazed st Result Of
the Colonial PrefeIment Agitation
and Il Bread Is5ue.

To flowing dispatch was received asst
n'git -roT: Lon,!on. The Official announce
L,nt os the res;gn atoms of Mr.. Chamber
| in and two other members of the cab
met. which were announced by the Asso-
tist"d Press earlier in the day. WAS made
late tonight at Downing street in the fol-
luwinS communication;
The following ministers have rendered
their designations which have been accept
C by the king: Right Hon. Joseph Cham
lo-liin. secretary for the colonies: Right
Hon. {. T. Ritchie. chancellor of the ex
,arIue- and Lord George Hamilton. secre
trry FOR India"
In a letter from Mr.. Chamberlain to
Premier Balfour dated Birmingham, Sep
Z Cber 2. the then secretary set forth his
iSors for intending to leave the cabinet.
/ Ec letter is most friendly in tone and re-
itCS thIt the preferential tariff to the col
,.nicS cannot be acceptable to the various
constituencies. and that the question cannot
at this time he further pressed with any
hope of success.
The letter concludes:
II think that with absolute loyalty to
your government and with no fear of en-
E1rr4 sSing it in any way can best promote
tine ciuSs | have at heart from the outside,
and cannot but hope that IN perfectly
Independent position my arguments may be
received with less prejudice than would at
taCh to those of party leader. Accord
1n2:N I would suggest tnat you Hiilll tHe
present policy of the government to an as
sertion of our freedom in the case of all
commercial relations with foreign countries.
aud that you should agree to my rendering
my resignation of my present Office to his
majesty and devoting myself to the work of
explaining and populariztnS these princi-
Ties Of imperial union, which experience has
convinced me are essential to our future
welfare and prosperity.
Yours, very sincerely.
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN
Balfour's Reply.
Mr. Ralfour in letter to Mr.. Chamber
lain. dated September 16. explains that he
did not reply earlier because he knew he
would soon have an opportunity of talking
over the important issues with which the
letter deals therefore, this reply rather
ernbod!es the results of our conversations
than adds anything new to them. Mr.
Bdlfour continues:
Agreeing as do with you that the time
has come when change should be made
in the fiscal canons by which We bound
ourselves In our commercial dealings with
other governments. 1t seems paradoxical IN
deed that you should leave the cabinet at
the same time that others of my colleagues
leaving It who disagree the very
point with US both Yet cannot but admit
that there Is some force in your arguments
in support of that course, based as they
upon your special and personal relation
with that portion of the controversy which
deals with colonial preference. You have
done more than any man living or dead to
bring home to the citizens of the empire
the consciousness of imperial obliga ton and
interdependence between the various frag
ments into which the empire is geograph-
ically divided. l believe you to be right in
holding that this interdependence should
hnd expression in our commercial we'll
as in our political and military relation. 1
believe with you that closer fiscal union
hor ryx-na tha thnr tLa
nies would benefit the trade of both, and il
such closer union could be established on
fitting terms its advantage to both parties
would increase with years and as the colo
MES grew In wealth and population.
If there has ever been any difference be-
tween US in connection with this matter, 1t
has only been with regard to the practical
bility of the proposal which would seem to
require on the part of the colonies limi-
tation in the all-round development of
protective policy. and on the part of this
country the establishment of a preference
in favor of important colonial products.
On the first of these requirements l say
nothing, but II the second involves. it
most certainly does a taxation however
light, upon food stuffs. / am convinced
with you that public opinion is not ripe for
such an arrangement The reasons may
easily be found in past political ba titles and
present political Misrepresentation If.
then, this branch of fiscal reform is not
at present within the limits of practical
politics, you are surely right in your ad-
vice not to treat ii as indisSoiubly con-
nected with that other branch of fiscal
reform to which both attach impor-
tance, and which we believe the country Is
prepared TO consider without prejudice
II feel. however. deeply concerned that
you should regard this conclusion however
well founded, as one making it difficult
In your very special circumstances for you
TO remain member of the government.
Yet do not venture In matter so strict
ly personal to raise any objection IL you
think you can best serve the interests of
imperial unity for which you have done
50 much by pressing your views on CO.
lonia1 preference with the freedom which
Is possible IN an independent position but
hardly compatible with Office. How can L
criticise your determination? The loss to
the government is great indeed. but the
gain TO the cause you have at heart may
be greater still. IL so, what can do but
acquiesce;
Yours. very sincerely.
"A ]. BALFOUR.
'.P. s.-May l say with what gratification.
both on personal and public grounds 1
learn that Austen Chamberlain is ready
to remain a member of the government?
There could be no more conclusive evidence
that In your Judgment. as In mine. the ex-
clusion OF the taxation of food from the
party program is in the existing circum-
stances course best fitted practically to
further the cause OF fiscal reform"
Astonishment Prevails.
LONDON. September Reconsideration
and excitement. caused by the dramatic
announcement of Joseph ChamberIatn.s
resignation Of the secretaryship for the
colonies. prevails among all classes In the
united Kingdom. to the exclusion of every
other topic The great majority Of the
public only learned the news from the
morning papers. and their astonishment In
many cases was so great as to prevent the
expression of any coherent opinion. The
Pail Mall Gazette this afternoon aptiy sums
up the general feeling by describing the
present crisis as the most extraordinarv
in the whole history of constitutional gov
ernment.'' adding that what will happen
next no one can forecast with any degree
OF absolute certainly.
Balfour Will Lead,
The Pail Mall Gazette states that Premier
Balfour will fill up the vacancies and carry
on the government until he meets parlia-
ment In 1904 Mr.. Chamberlain Also does
not look for an Immediate general election.
expecting a. least a twelve months propa-
papda haf.va ha alartNra 70 oon