The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-27
CHAMBERLAIN DEFENDS PLAN.
PREFERENTIAL TARIFFS AIONh
WILL SAVE THE EMPIRE.
I oIonis, Secretary Honored ny the aon'
seryatiye club Of LondOn--He anu
Premier DaifOur Exchange C0n'p""
ncnts-Thcrr's No Personal Rivalry.


min tho Colonial Secretary was entertained
a, luncheon a, the Conservative cub fh,s
afternoon and received a casket containing
an address. Edward Alfred Go'l'd'ne'
Member Of Parliament proposed the health
of his Majesty's Ministers.
Responding to this toast. Prime Minister
Ralfo,r said that without mentioning all
the measures it had passed, they migh'
claim that the Conservative party had not
shown itself to he ,lnmndfu of the interests
~ the country, II dealt with results
4 There we're probably many who had
.igned tho memorial to the Colonial Secre-
tary who were not altogether in harmony
with the tariff views recently expressed
nv him But il would he absolute folly
nm the mart of tho Conservati es and Unlon-
ists. he declared, to make particular opin-
ions on an economic question a test OF
party loyalty He might remind them
that the question which recently had at
tracted great amount Of public attention
vss no, new and the statements OF opinion
on different branches of the Question from
gentlemen who were or who had ieen re-
Gently in Office were also not new.
However, the present economic position
~ the country demanded the most careful
consideration The country was in the
nosition of an aaronaut who kept his balloon
IN in the air by throwing out sandbags
That. Mr.. Balfour said was a very proper
course 40 long AZ they had sufficient num-
her of sandbacs, but when these were ex-
hausted il was time to reconsider their
position.
II was not to be supposed, declared MT
Bslfour. that because they had given the
Colonies self government therefore the lat
,er were TO he regarded as separate political
entities. on the contrary, they we're IN
tepral portions of the Empire. Mr.. Balfour
concluded as follows:
.The Colonial Secretary. more than any
man dead or living. has given life and eX-
preston TO the idea of imperial unity
Those even who have said that we must
move slowly in this matter will be the first
IN agree that nv honorable friend deserves
the recognition Of his fellow countrymen.
Mr.. Balfour then presented the casket
and read the address.
Mr. Chamberlain was received enthus-
iasticallv He acknow lodged the com
pliment tina, had been paid to him. He
mentioned the fact that during the whole
period of the Uniouist alliance there had
never been any serious difficulty between
the MARQUIS Oh 'odlsDuI y 'hi' ''''''''
bimself He said he firmly believed that
nothing could occur in the future tnat
would ever divide them. Despite the
clumsy efforts that had been made 70
separate them and the insinuation that
there was something in the nature oil per-
sonal competition between them, he de-
sired to state publicly, what he had already
said in private, that III his opinion the
leadership Of Mr.. Balf0ur was essential
TO the union and the success of the unionist
cause and that since the retirement OF the
Marquis OF Salisbury as Prime Minister
no living man could have filled the position
with greater distinction.
Mr. Chamberlain said he thought that
as the colonies grew they would be found
to be not unwilling to share on equal. or
at least proportionate. terms the obligations
az we'll as the privileges of the Empire.
He thought that closer union could most
probably be promoted by commercial
union.
Mr.. Chamberlain declared that he did
not believe that system of preferential
tariffs was party question at all, and II
after full discussion there should be some
divergence Of opinion, did not this diver
gence show itself on strictly party lines?
he agreed tIHt III tHt inquiry "Ith was
about TO take place there should be no
mputations Of disoyalty or evil motives.
The question he thought, should be argued
on its merits.
In his opinion ii was only by system of
preferential! tariffs that the Empire could
bc held toge,ho The policy of rctalia-
ton, he thought. was more properly de-
scribed ms a policy of negotiation, They
", hroal; down no aYiat-
ing war OF hostile tariffs, and if they failed
in their nego iations they should retain
for their own county the vast production
and opportunity for employment which
wero now driving their people to foreign
countries.
Mr.. Chamberlain nstanced the fact that
tin, oldest and greatest indust ries of Great
Britain. the textile and iron trades, were
threatened AZ never bcfor" and might he
overwhelmed a. any moment by great
import II ion Of goods manufactured abroad
and sold here under cost price. These
goods wore the product of protected States
The Government. he said would have been
wanting in ils duty If il had not invited
tho country to full discussion of the qies-
ton in order that when the time came,
as come it would, for such a decision no
the country unaware and sprung a new
policy on them.
Mr. Chamberlain went on TO sketch the
I-nionist legislation in behalf Of tho work.
ing classes. He asserted that the record
proved il would be monstrous To suppose
tina, the party was likely to impose greater
burdens on the poor Mr.. Chamberlain
defended the proposal to connect tie old
age pensions question with that Of pref
ersnial tariffs. bnt explained that on this
point he spoke for himself alone.
Speaking Of home rule, Mr.. Chamberlain
said the snake wa only scotched. not killed.
and il tho Unionist alliance was at Any
time dissolved or weakened there was no
guarantee that il would not come to tho
front again.
THE NEW REICHST tG.
Ar