The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-10
ENGLAND
STICKS TO
FREE TRADE
Secretary Chamberlain
Will Soon Retire.
TARIFF PLAN
SHOWED UNDER
All Parties Opposed to Mr..
Chamberlain's Programme.
HIS INFLUENCE
ENTIRELY ECLlPSED
Unionists We'd With the Liberals in De.
claring Themselves Out and Out
Free Traders-House Of Com
mons Was Packed to Hear
the First Debate on
the Subject.
All Parties Opposed to Mr..
Chamberlain's Programme.
HIS INFLUENCE 1.
ENTIRELY ECLIPSED
(By Associated q Press.)

(By ASSoc1ated PresS.)
LONDON, June 9-The rumored resigS
nation Of Colonial Secretary Chamberlain
is the most startling development OF tho
proposal Of the Chancellor of the Ext
chequer, Mr.. Ritchie, to abolish the corr
tax, the debate on which kept the House
OF Commons to-day packed and spellbound
until midnight. Even IL Premier Bal<
four persuades Mr.. Chamberlain to re.
main in the Cabinet. the Colonial secre-
tary's preferential tariff programme is
hopeessly showed under. and his infi-
ence as a political power in Great Brit-@
ain at least temporarily eclipsed.
All the members OF the government who \
contributed to to-day's debate vigorously 4
declared themselves as free traders, and
frankly opposed Mr.. Chamberlain's pro-
posals. Except for Mr.. Chaplin. not a.ytt
voice on either side of the House was
raised in effective support Of Mr.. Cham-
sberlain's campaign. Former members OF
Cabinets and private members. irrespec-
tive Of party. protested against any dick.
3ering with Great Britain's fiscal policy.
Tho Unionists We'd with the Liberals in
|5declaHng themselves out and 4 out freet
traders. All that was la cktng In the com
plete rnut of the protectionist Cabinet
minister was Mr. Balfopr's official pro-
nouncement, as Premier, and on behalrs
OF the government, that the Ca binet as q
whole refused to adopt Mr.. Chamberlainis 3
views. Both the Secretary and the Pre-
mier were absent from the debate, be-
cause, according to report, Mr. Balfours
was spending the evening endeavoring ng to
persuade the Colonial Secretary to res re-.
main in the Cabinet, notwithstanding MS
differences with his colleagues.
BALFOURS MAY RESIGN.
Tho deha ia was ad iOurned at midnight
when. amidst a sensation; Chancellor OF
the Exchequer Ritchie said he hoped Mr.y9 S
Balfour would be able to give the HOUSE louise
on Wednesday a definite statement on
behalf Of the entire Cablnet, thoush h. hs
could not promise It. go
Upon the resumption Of the debate MT.
Chaplin's amendment to the budget plii,
which is the cause of this sensationai po-
lItica crisis, will be taken UP. Sir fenry5
camnbell- Zimmerman will demand the
r,pht of the Liberals to know the Pre-
mier's attitude towards free trade be1ore
they support him in the repeal or the
corn tax. Mr.. Balfour VIII reply, anu MI.
Chamberlain also is expected 70 sPeak'
There are many members VINO pei4eYe ~ "
night that Premier Balfour 9 !so WI! re-i
sign. and that a dissolution OF the HOUSE
Ia involved, but these r,imors lack con-,
nrmation the best opinion being that q
solution of the crisis Will be arrived aI
nv Mr. Chamberlain's resignation OF py
an open declaFdIloll li'h hs - t,.e, =.
drop for the present his preferential tarS
If proposals ]. !,
Before the debate opened Premier Bal-
four ascertaned from John Redmond. the
irish leader that the Nationalist Hem-
hers of Parliament would support the
government as against Mr., Chaplin.
This, with Liberal support, practically
ensured the government from posslp!e
defeat Mt the hands of Its own support
ers.
The curious situation created the keen-
est Interest.
The debate. by ruling of the speakers
was confined to the grain tax,
Mr.. Chaplin warmly attacked the Chan.
cellor of the Exchequer. to whose lnapt'"
tude. he said. they owed their present rs
markable position. In repeating the grain
duty, Mr.. Chaplin said. Mr.. Ritchie had
made an irretrievabe mistake For q mos
ment he appeared to have prevailed over
Mr. Chamberlain, but his triumph wonld
be short-lived. Mr.. Chaplin said the MN
listers had thrown away weapon which
would have helped them to carry out the
nbW fiscal policy to which Mr.. Balfour
ami Mr.. Chamberlain were committed'
Sir Michael Hicks-Beach said he was
opposed to Mr., Chaplins amendment ai-
though he sympathized with the latter's
pbjectlon to the repeal OF the grain duty.
but he believed the alternative policy to
be a greater evil, Having to choose be-
tween two evils, he would choose the
lesser and would support the budget BILL,
OPPOSES FREE TRADE.
Referring to the suggested preferential
tariff, the former Chancellor OF the Ex.
cheo,,er wished to know whether Mr..
ChamberlaIn's opinion was that OF the
united Cabinet. The repeal of the grain
duty appeared to the speaker to be a d.
rect bar to the adoption of preferences
principles. He, therefore. concluded that
ths opinion of the Cabinet as whole was
the same with regard to these principles
as when he was member of It,
Mr.. Ritchie who made general reply
read a carefully prepared statement. This
government. he said, thought thare should
be an Inquiry into the matter of pre-
ferential tariffs. but he would be sur
prised II the inquiry showed any prac,
teal means of carrying out policy Of
preferential duties. He ayowed himself
to he an out and out free trader and
added that with his present knowledge
he ccdla not be a party TO a policy which
he believed would be detrimental 70 tina
interests OF both Great Britain and her
colonies, and he behaved that the inquiry,
from which he would shrink. would con-
firm his present views. Although he was
precluded by the speakers ruling from
discussing preferential tariffs he might
say In behalf of himself and his col.
!, Leagues what he and they thought Tha