The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-02
Chamberlain's Specific.

Chamberlain's Specific.
The October returns of the British
board Of trade as to British imports in
October show an increase of s4,519,29O
and an increase of exports aggregating
$3,631,745, as compared with last year
in the corresponding time. For the
ten months ending Oct. 81 imports i'm
creased $30,976,54O and exports in
creased S43,O22,415. There was a con-
siderable increase in imports Of grain,
flour and meat.
These figures do not indicate the
fearful decline of British trade in
sisted upon by Joseph Chamberlain.
They do show a steady increase Of the
dependence of the United Kingdom
upon the outside world for breadstuffs
and meat, which the colonies do not
Ebeginto meet.
Mr.. Chamberlain, a few days ago,
expressed his conviction that he has
convinced his fellow countrymen that
| it was to their advantage to adopt his
fiscal policy. If he has he has sue
ceeded after comparatively brief
period As,the. present English tariff
was not constructed with a view to
retaliatory action against hostile for
! eign tariffs, Mr.. Chamberlain has had
to show his fellow citizens that the
tariff must be revised so as to levy a
tax of As cents a quarter on foreign
wheat, exenpting wheat from all Brit
I ish possessions; a tax Of 5 per cent on,
foreign meat and dairy products, .ex-
/ empting bacon; preference to the col
onies on wines and fruits, 10 per cent
tax on imports of foreign manufac-
Etured goods and a reduction of the
duty on tea three-fourths ana on
sugar one-half duty, and the same
on cocoa and coffee. He has laid
stress OH the latter reduction features
in addressing the workingmen The
duties on manufactured products, ETC..
are designed to meet hostile tariffs
4 with retaliation. which the prests )
tariff does not provide for.
4 Colonial preference was in high
vogue during the high protective
period which was brought to close
about fifty years ago in England. The
system Of colonial preferences was
1 then condemned as d useless burden
imposed OH the consumer to favor col
onial produce in the English market
and English products in the colonial
market. 1t diverted business from its
natural channels as the duties on for
eign products We're near the prohibit
tive line and prices Of products were
very high in England, reducing the
consumption Of such essentials as
sugar.
( 1t is expected by Chamberlain that
the adoption Of his policy will vastly
increase English exports to the col
onies and supply the United Kingdom
with bread and meat from British ter
ritory.
The colonial contribution to the
English granary is now very insig-
nificant percentage of the supply
needed. The colonies are slow to
catch at the preferential policy. After
discussing the subject since the confer
ence of colonial pren1iers in London a
year and q half ago, the lower house
OF the New Zealand legislature has
just passed Premier Seddon's bill for
preferential trade between Great Brit
ain and New Zealand. The Australian n
commonwealth holds off. Mr. Cham
4 berlain may succeed in convincing his
fellow citizens of the necessity for the
4 adoption of his policy, but it will take
more than day or a year to do SO. !,
. -------
4 Dowie's great bubble seems to have
burst at last, but not before Dowie has
had a fine time, clothed i'll fine raiment
riding in luxurious state and living. On the
fat Of the land. The peculiar thine
is that Dowie did not manage to gel
away before lit happened Perhaps lie did
not expert the collapse so soon He has
been preparing to leave the country and
has already sent his family out. gl. ma,
= have thought the structure he has bull
would hold together till he was safely OH,
of reach of its falling walls. but the utter
5 failure of the New York crusade has
}. doubtless hastened the evil day and upse1
: his plans
There may be something in these
charges against General Wood. Some q
them look ugly. But the fact rema in.
that Wood has been culpably ca pa bic ant
= efficient in every place In which he hi.
been tried
+ It requires a heresy trial now and thel
. = 81 ~