Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-10-07
rARifF STRUGGLE IN ENGLAND
Loste Of the Commercial situatioD
Drisins Great Britain to Fro
tective Policy.

The correspondence between Messrs.
Balfour and Chamberlain throws light
on the rather mystifying situation
brought about by the latters' resignation
from the British cabinet just at the time
the Balfour government was making
public declaration of its belief in the
protective principle advocated by Cham
berlain. In brief. Chamberlain explains
that public opinion is not yet ready to go
the full length of his programme OF a
general tariff. with preferential duties
Tor imports from the colonies but he be-
lives 1t will go far enough to sustain
the government in policy of retalitorr
tariffs Furthermore. he believes that
he can do more to advance the cause of
the commercial unity of the empire in
independent position than he can &C.
complish while working under the limi-
tations of the official proprieties. In
his formal reply Mr.. Balfour takes espe-
cial care TO announce his entire agree
ment with the plan advocated by Mr..
Chamberlain He writes:
Agreeing. rs do. with you that the time
mas come when change should be made
selves in our commercial dealings with 9th
er governments, II sec ms paradoxical in
deed. that YOU should leave the cabinet at
the same time that others of my colleagues
are leaving II who disagree on the very
point with US both. Yet | cannot but admit
that there Is some force in your argu-
ments in support of that course. based a
they are, upon your special and personal
relation with that portion OF the contro-
versy which deals with colonial preference
tt,nr ka,,
Or dead 20 brig t?me 20 the citizens OF the
Umpire the Consciousness Of imperial obll-
cation and interdependence between the
various fragments into which the empire
Is geographically divided.
II believe YOU TO be right in holding that
800 'nteydepend:nce should find EXPIRE ssion
m our commercial az we,l as in our pol!t-
zeal and military relations. believe with
you that closer fiscal union betw eli the
mother country and the colonies would
boneht the trade OF both, and that if such
closer union could be established on fieting
terms its advantage to both parties would
increase with years and the colonies
grew in wealth and population"
But he further agree with Mr. Cham
oeiain that the time is not yet ripe for
the introduction of this whole pro-
Sramme; that it is more practical to
take half loaf by dissociating the plan
of an imperial zolverein from the other
branch OF the proposed change of policy
10 which We both attach Importance
and which we believe the country Is
prepared to consider without preiu-
dice.
Thus we have fairly clear statement
or the lines upon which English parties
are likely to divide. the protection;sts
making their first battle on the demand
Tor retaitatory tariffs and their onpen-
ents scapding for the free trade policy
which has been the settled policy of the
United Kingdom since 1916. Necessarily
IL means very considerable realignment
OF parties and parliament election in
the near future. in which the liberal par
W. II 1t can patch up its internal differ
ences on the subject of leadership. will
nave more than an equal chance of sue
cess. The one man that can pull the
party together, Rosebery, has not vet
spoken But free trade victory would
not settle the matter. The logic of the
present commercial situation is driving
england inevitably to a protective poI.
Icy.