New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-12
BRITISH UNlONISTS.
n Rift In the Lutte, According to the
Tiezrs of Liberal.

By HENRY W. LUCY.

The significantly close analogy in the condt.
ton Of the Unionist party to-day with that
which marked the Liberal party Mr.. Clad
stones attempt to nail the Home Rule fax In
its mast is illustrated by Mr. Balfour,s oro-
Ionged difficulty In reconstructins his shattered
ministry. The field OF choice is limited by tia
barrier which sprang I'D In a night followinr
Mr.. ChamberIain's avowed conversion TO pro-
tectIonist principles. The camp divided irrc
two parts one standing infexiby by free trade.
the other ready to daily with protection II skill
fully and dexterously disguised retaliation
the Premier's excursion In search Of colleagues
is necessarily confined to one portion OF the
field. Unfortunately for him and the country,
1t is the least fruitful Of ability capacity.
In the House OF Commons the flower Of tas
Unionist party sit below the gangway. Mostly
young several having displayed marked capa-
city for public affairs. they present opportunity
OF infusing an eHete ministry with much desired
new blood. Nor would they In ordinary circum-
stances show themselves unwilling to be ap-
preached by a Prime Minister with snug o.
fees at his disposal Like the devout ernigrants
In Bermuda. whose song Andrew Marven mora
than three hundred years ago set to musical
words. they are not insensible to the attributes
of a benefactor who has much to give;
He makes the ags s cur mouth, 70 @! 9'st
But the young lions below the gangvay are
men of principle. They had the courage TO
withstand even Lord Salisbury when four years
ago his hand showed signs Of paralysis In deal
ing with the Far Eastern question. Long ere
publication OF the evidence taken before the
War Commission revealed the melancholy. al
most incredible. facts relating 20 the direction
end administration Of the campaign In South
Africa. they uncompromisingly criticised the
War once and sternly demanded reform. They
ra1 he until or NJ
rick's scheme of four army corps. and pegzed
away at 1t till the phantom troops ceased to
haunt Salisbury Plain. Promptly Nr. Cham
berlains announcement at Birmingham IN favor
Of preferential tariffs they closed up their ranks
plainly intinnating to the Prime Minister that
II he followed the Colonial Secretary along pro-
tectionist lines he would not have their escort
This demonstration gave the Premier pause II
was all very well. In full accordance with ex-
pectation. that the Liberal opposition should
raise hue and cry IL sacrilegious hands were
laid on the ark Of free trade. IL is the Opposi-
tion's business to oppose. Threatened cisrup-
ton within the camp itself was quite another
thing. particularly ominous to a statesman who
watched its effect when. seventeen years ago. IL
operated upon an overwhelming majority
that hot from the poll authorized Mr.. Gladstons
to form his third administration.
The belated Premier. finding himself standing
between Mr.. Chamberlain and a deep sea I'M
comfortably like that which whelrned Mr.. Glad
stone in 1856. attempted to gain time by the
quaint declaration that on the nouentous ques-
ton at issue he had no settled convictions"
These have since been acquired to the extent
of abandoning ministry the cause Of prefer
entail tariffs. adopting another form Of protec-
ton known by the name. allurins 20 a lighting
race, of retaliation. There Is no doubt that TO
a certain extent. affecting the fringe OF the
Unionist party, this device has been successful.
Anxious above all things not to be placed IN a
position Of actual revolt against their political
pastors and masters. they find m retaliation q
word blessed even Mesopotanlia- The I'm
portant feature In the situation OF the hour Is
that the stalwarts in the Unionist party have
not IN any known. personally important.
been Influenced by thu Prernier's adaptation Of
nomenclature. Thus were the Liberal dissen-
tents unmovec by the rlaneuvres OF Sr.
Gladstone struggling under the weight Of his
Home Rule bill Hoping to recapturs the ale
glance Of the Thames who were fleeing from hin.
he made various notifications Of bis Hons
Rule scheme. notably the retention OF Irish
members at Westminster. For while there was
wavering. But under Mr.. Chamberlain's relent-
less captaincy the dissentient Liberals not only
remained unbroken In revolt, but increased the
distance between themselves and their ancient
leader The chasm widened till the LIBERAL
party and it's leader fell into its depths The
dissentient Liberals went over bas and baggage
to their old foes the movement resulting In q
fusion Of parties that has made history hum
through fourteen eventful years
There Is at present no sign of the dissentisns
Unionists joining hands with LIBERAL free trad
ers any more than there was prospect. rnnie-
diately on the disruption Of the LIBERAL party
in 1856 OF Mr. Chamberlain's sitting In cabinet
Ey.fr md
Sir Michael Hicks-Beach. Sufficient for the day
Is the fact that Mr.. Chamberlain's action In
raising the protectionfst flag over the Unionfst
citadel has been 10 create d'ssentient Union
ist party. which bears two ominous resen-
blances to quite another dissentient party for
whose creation he was. seventeen years ago.
chiefly responsible The number OF Unionists
who the free trade question stand apart
with Sir Michael Hicks-Beach against Mr.. Bal
four closely approaches the muster Of Liberals
who in 1856 followed Mr.. Chamberlain against
Mr. Gladstone Again IT is the pick and pfth
of the party who form the dissentient wing
Pursuing further study OF the analogy be-
tween the two most important political crises
the country has known since the great dLsrup-
ton of Sir Robert Peers time. ind IN con-
viction on the points Of home rule and free
trade the same infexibiiity. On some half
dozen not unimportant political questions
compromise. even conviction. Is possible About
home rule or free trade there Is no opportunity
for hagg.ing A man who believes that pro-
lection and home rule equally ininnicaI 20
the interests Of the empire win sacrifice friend
ship and fortune. place and prospects to resist
ing them That is a popularity OF the situation
Mr.. Balfour has doubtless taken into account
In his look ahead On the very threshold Of