The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-21
.Pushful Joe,s' Campaign.

closing speeches Of his fiscal cam
paign at Leeds on Wednesday,. A
tremendous demonstration by the
people on the occasion is reported and
"Pushful joe must have taken it all
in as indicating that his extraordin-
arily hard work during the past few
months on the stump has not been in
vain.
Finding that he has made state
ments at random, which he could not
satisfactorily explain. he announced
that the party of protection has or
ganized commission of experts Of
nonpartlzan quality, who will invests
gate the whole subject of the condition
Of British trade; find out the existing
defects, and embody their conclusions
and recommendation in a tariff bill
which will be subject to scrutiny and
discussion by the public.
Chamberlain expects by this process
to receive that mandate from the
public" he referred to last summer,
which will compel parliament to drop
the present customs revenue policy
and substitute the preferential system
with fiat rate on foreign manufac-
tured products imported and a. suf-
ficient duty on grain and flour foreign
grown, and open the gates to the col
onies and dependencies in this line.
Colonial preferences is intended by the
Chamberlain group to be a step to-
ward the realization of their ideal
imperial federation, or free trade with
in the area of the empire, which is
now 11,250,00O square miles in area,
containing over 4oO,O0O,0OO inhabi-
tants.
The ultimate object Of the Imperial
Federation league, organized in 1884,
included a commercial union, and so
did its successors. The scheme is i'm
posing, but it has never had any
strenuous leader and expositor to pro-
mote it, until the former radical free
trader, Chamberlain, went into it's ad-
vocacy with all the impetuosity of his
nervous nature. If he fails there may
be some one of his fellow citizens who
can effectively take up the work, but
he has not been discovered yet
AT the conference of colonial nren-
lers.ln 1902, the premiers, while recog-
nlzing advantage in preferential trade,
took the position, very decidedly, that
under existing circumstances of the
colonies, it is not practicable to adopt
general system of free trade between
the mother country and the colonies.
t& AT Leeds Mr.. Chamberlain volun-
teered to go as an ambassador to the
colonies If the people would commits
sion him with full powers. If that
were done, he professed he was sure
or being able to convince the colon
lists that it would be for their interest
10 give equal terms to the United
Kingdom. Some of the premiers at
last years conference favored a. 10
per cent reduction on British manu-
features. Canada J. now gives the
mother country a preference of 33k
per cent, but Chamberlain wants more.
To get the colonies to take down tariff
barriers against the mother country is
by no means an easy natter. 1t is the
question to be disposed of as soon as
possible.
Meantime Mr.. Chamberlain is pro-
ceed1ng Warily. When his tariff bill is
put forth, the British public will I'M
derstand what he proposes much bet
ter than they do now. The country
will divide on the measure and the
Balfour ministry, which is manifestly
in a weak position, is likely to resign
on a slight preteXt, writs for a general
parliamentary election will be issued
and the Chamberlain group will get
the country's answer to the PROPOSE
ton to reform the fiscal system.