The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-06-10
CHAMBERLAIN IN ECLIPSE
HIS SRESIGNATIoNFROM BRITISH
 CABINET RUM0RED.

lessIy Showed Under-cOIOniaI secre-
 taIy Stands Alone in His P0Iicy-Not a
 Single Friend to Ills suppOrt-A Crisis
 in the Standardization Probable.
 London, June 9-The rumored resig- nation of Colonial Secretary Chamber lain is the most startling development of the proposal of the chancellor of the exchequer, MT. Ritchie, to abolish the corn tax, the debate on which kept the house of commons to-day packed and spell-bound until midnight. Even if Premier Balfour persuades MT. Cham berlain to remain in the cabinet, the colonial secretary's preferential tariff programme is hopelessly showed under, and his influence as a political power in Great Britain at least temporarily ecli2sed.
 All the members of the government who contributed to to-day's debate viz orously declared themselves as free traders and frankly opposed MT. Cham berIain's proposals. Except for MT. Chaplin, not voice on either side of the house was raised in effective sup port of MT. Chamberlain's campaign. Former members of cabinets and pri- vate members, irrespective of party, protested against any dickering with Great Britains fiscal policy. The uhionists vied with the liberals in de- claring themselves out and out free traders. All that was lacking in the complete rout of the protecctionist cab inet minister was MT. Balfour's official pronouncement, as premier and on be- half of the government, that the cab inet as a whole refused to adopt MT. Chamberlain's views Both the pro- nouncement and the premier were ab- sent from the debate, because accord ing to report MT. Balfour was spend- ing the evening endeavoring to per- suade the colonial secretary to remain in the cabinet, notwithstanding his diff ferences with is colleagues.
 The debate was adjourned at mid night when, midst sensation, Cham cellor of the Exchequer Ritcfie said he hoped MT. Balfour would be able to give the house on Wednesday a definite statement on behalf of the entire cab- inet, though he could not promise it.
 Upon the resumption of the debate, MT. Chaplin's amendment to the bud get bill which is the cause of this sensational political crisis, will be talk en un Siz. Henry Campbell-Banner- man will demand the right of the lib erals to know the premier's attitude to- wards free trade before they support him in the repeal of the corn tax. Mir. Balfour will reply and MT. Chamber lain is also expected to speak. There are many members who believe to- night that Premier Balfour will also resign and that dissolution of the house is involved, but these rumors lack continuation, the best opinion be- ing that a solution of the crisis will be. arrived at by MT. Chamberlain's resignation or by an open declaration that he is willing to drop for the pres ent his preferential tariff proposals.
 MT. Chaplin's amendment was scarce ly made to-day before it became a sec- ondary consideration; it's defeat was as- sured Until midnight the fight, if such an undefended struggle could be so described, ragged around MT. Cham- berlain. "Oil and vitriop' is the only adequate description of Sir Michael Hicks-Beach's speech, which started the revolt Among intense silence this famous Tory ex-minister extolled the colonial secretary's views and damned his programme. Black Michael" as he is familiarly called, was never seen to better advantage. The ministers sat with troubled faces, MT. Balfour looking especially deiected. MT. Chamberlain deserting his usual place, paler even than usual. stretched himself noncha- lantly at the end of the treasury bench. Throughout the afternoon he never ex- changed a word with his colleagues. Af- ter Mr. Ritcfie had renounced the colo nial secretary's ideas, MT. Chamberlain stalled out of the chamber without even a not to Mir. 'Balsour.
 Membe. after member rose from the unionist ranks; some, who suppored MT. Chaplin's refused to feat their words" with which they had previously SUD- ported the government when the corn tax was originally brought in; ohers lauded Chancellor of the Exchequer Ritehie for his refusal to pander to the spirit of protection; all demanded that MT. Balfour enlghten them regarding the governments view as whole. Sir Henry Fowler QiberaD in an exception ally able speech dwelt on Premier Ball. four's duty to the nation to ascertain the opinion of his colleagues and let the house and the people know the cabinets decision regarding a question which was En vital tO tha an1nira
 After the dinner recess the excitement was heightened by the absence of both the colonial secretary and the premier. "A bitter attack on any tampering with free trade was made by Sir John Gorst, conservative, who declared that great portion of the rising generation in the United Kingdom was already so degen- crate and poverty stricken that any, thing tending to increase the price of food would threaten national disaster. James Bryce, liberal, followed, declaring that the reference to the United States made by Mr. Chamberlain and other speakers in support of the protectionist argument was quite erroneous, as American prosperity was due greatly to the cheapness of food under a system by which free trade prevailed between all the great states collected in the Ameri- can nation. The colonial secretary's idea, said the speaker would disinte-