The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-10
|MR. RITCHIE
 TAKES STUMP Has Mixed Reception at
 Croydon. \ FREE TRADE ARGUMENT Says Chambcrlaln's scheme Would Raise Prices.
  soismnly warns ths Country ss 1s- wars ef 1uildins up { rsria wan Against the
 United States.
IA FREE TRADE ARGUMENT

London, Oct. 10--The mixed reception given to Mir. Rftchie at Croydon lHsf night is regarded as an indication that Mr. Chamheriain's scheme h tal<ing hold of the country and Is iierceIy dfvfdine the Unionist party Incidentally, Mr. Hftchfe revealed that he was solely responsibl6 for the abolition of the shilling duty on wheat He add that Mr. Chamberlai11 proposed to retain the duty and give tho colonies preference, but the speaker. be- iieving that t was only the bexinnine or larger scheme of protection. threatencd to resign if the duty was not forthwith abolished.
 Confirming the published accounts of Mr. Balfour's concealment of Chamber iain's resignation. Mir. Ritchie said the Duke of Devonshire. Lord Balfour Of Burleigh. Lord George Hamilton and hirn~ self met after both cabinet councils. and decided to send in their rcsignations with out having heard word to the effect that Mir. Chamberlain would resign.
 Had to Resign.
 That. however. did not afrect Mfr Rit. chie's position. because he could not have continued a member of the Government after the publication of the correspond. ence between Mi. Chamberlain and Ms Baifour.
 berlain policy and declared that it would raise the cost of everything. He aroused the greatest opposition from the audi ence and also of the pro- Chamberlain journals this morning by his reference tc the United States. He said:
 sThe country must guard giving th4 United States any cause for resentment case if their neighbors. the Canadians were allowed to send their wheat int< England at to owr three ahiilings a quar- ter less than America could, Arnertce would certainly punish Canada"
 This statement was met with cries oi NO, they exclude us now. and shouts of 'erhe Mckinley tariff, "Kuhbfsh" and was such that Mr. Ritchis was unahle tq continua until saa chairman had appsaied
 Heard by 1000. Mr. Ritchie's speech was delivered last evening before an audience of 4,Q)G per sons at Croydon Town Hall. The reception of Mr. Ritchie was de. cidedly not harmonious. consisting Of cheers. hoots and counter cheers for Joe seph Chamberlain Mir. Ritchic said that | if any one expected fO hear denunclA- ton on his part of his late Cabinet col- league. he was happy to disappoint them. He believed Mr. Balfour and Mir. Cham berlain were actpated by the highest mo- tives. Mr. Shamberlain's administrator of the Colonial Ofiice had been the most successful of the present generation.
 The speaker later preeipitatcd scene of disorder by declaring that Mir. Cham berlain had been inconsistent because ho upheld free trade while President of the Board of Trade. and protection while Co- loniaI Secretary.
 Mir. Ritchie said that as Chancellor of the Exchequer he could not consent to fiscal revolution and the overturning or the policy of his conservative predeces- sors on the strength of the arguments of Mir. Chamberlain whose strong point al- ways his ability to present any scheme championed in the most favorable light.
 An Entering Wedge.
 The former Chancellor of the Excfequer felt convinced that the present preferen- tial proposals were merely an enteAng wedge which would ultimately land the country in the sam e position as Ger many. where food taxes had driven the working men to socialism,
 Continuing. Mr. Rftchie asserted that one of the principal questions to be con- sideFed was the attitude of the United States. This country must try to guard against giving the United States any cause for resentment which would result in her punishing Canada.
 Tho above statement resulted In fresh disorder on the part of the audience, and the singing of Rule Britannia.
 Mir. Ritchie concluded with a statement to the effect that he opposed with all ms strength the new mysterious policy which was ravaging the country Iike an epidemic"
 The speaker resumed his seat amid a storm of disorder and a resolution of thanks was carried amidst boisteroLn shouts and ho0ting.