Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-18

which the letter deal. Therefore. this
reply rather embodies the results of
their conversations than addselnything
new TO them. Mr.. Balfour continues:
Agreeing as | do with you that the
time mas come when a change should
DE made i'll the fiscal canons by which
we bound ourselves in our commercial
dealings with other governments, it
seems paradoXical indeed that you
should leave the cabinet at the same
time that others of my colleagues are
ieaVing 1t who disagree on the very
point with us both. Yet, | cannot but
adnlt that tire is some force in your
arguments in support of that course,
pdSed as they are upon your special and
personal relation with that portion OF
the controversy which deals with Colo
mai preference. You have done more
than any man living or dead to bring
home to the citizens of the empire the
consciousness of imperial obligation
and inter-dependence between the va
rious fragments into which the empire
is geographically divided.
Il believe you to be right in holding
that this inter- dependence should find
tNDl cosnloI III our cDillilit1 ti'ti do NCi.
rs in our political and military rela-
tons. l believe with you that a closer
| fiscal union between the mother coun-
| er country and the colonies would ben-
eft the trade of both and that if such
| closer union could be established on
| fitting terms its advantage to both
parties would increase with years ana
rs the colonies grew in wealth and pop
ulation.
| IF there has been any difference be-
tween us in connection with this matter
| it has only been with regard to the prac-
| ticability of the proposal. which would
| seem to require on the part of the colo
mics a limitation in the all-round develop
| ment of protective policy. and on the
| part of this country the establishment Of
a preference i'll favor of important colo
| NAL product. ON the first of thee re-
quircmcnts | say nothing; but if the sec
| ond involves. as it most certainly does
| taxation however light upon foodstuffs.
| | am convinced with You that public
| opinion is not yet ripe for such an ar
| ranEemcnt. The reasons may easily be
| found in past political battles and pres
| cnt political misrcpi csentations. If. then.
this branch of fiscal reform is not ii pres
| ellt within the limits OF practical political
| in which you are surely right in your :td
vice not to treat it as indiSsolubly con-
nected with that other branch of fiscal
IItIbIHt 10 WHICH we DDtu dllttIl lIul)OTl-
| ancc, and which we believe the country
| is prepared to consider without preju-
dice.
+ Il feel however. deeply concerned that
you should regard this conclusion, how
ever well founded, as one making it diff
cult in your very special circumstances
for you to remain Il member of the gov
erllncnt. yet | do not venture in a mat
ter so strictly personal to raaisc amy OBJ
ject1on IL you think YOU can best serve
the interests Of fmDcrial unity. for which
you have done much by pressing your
views on s<colonal preference with the
freedom 'Which is possible in an indcpcn
dent position, but hardly compatible with
ofiiee.-5
FHBw can | critiCise your dctcrmina-
ton The loss to the government il great.
indeed but the gain to the cause YOU have
at heart may he greater still. Ii so, what
Lean do but acuuiesce?
4 ny ours very sincerely.
* "A J. Balfour."
S"T. s.-May | say with what gratitca
ltion. both on personal and public grounds,
" learn that Austen chamberlain is ready
to remain a member of the government.
There could be no more conclusive evil
dcncc that in your judgment. as i'll mine,
the exclusion of the taxation of food from
the party program is in the existing cir
cumStanccs q course best fitted practical
~ to further the cause Of fiscal reform"