The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-14
He Denounces Protection as n Famine
Producer and Says Free Trade Is
England's Salvation.
ALSO SCORES MR.. BALFoUR
SAYS SETTING ON A BAROMETER
WILL NOT PREVENT A STORM.
Londonderry Appointed Lord President
OF the CounciI-ChamberIaf
Troubled with Gout.

LONDON, Oct. 13-Lord Rosebery spoke
tonight at Sheffield. whittier he went in
order to definitely record his opposition TO
Mr.. Chamberlain's fiscal policy. He was
greeted with the utmost enthusiasm by an
immense audience, which he held in rapt
attention for an hour and a half.
His lordship delivered a characteristic
speech of brilliant rhetorical denunciation
of protection, interspersed with clever and
caustic illusions to Mr.. Chamberlain and
the predicament in which he had placed the
government. The earl said he doubted IL
there had ever been any fiscal inquiry.
The Ministry had probably investigated not
the nations commerce, but the constituent
cies. He deprecated policy of retaliation
which would land the empire in contest
with every nation in the civilized world, a
contest TO which Armagedon would be a
friendly joust He held that free trade had
not failed, but had been a great success.
The new policy, instead of soidifying.
would tend to dislocate and probably dis
solve the empire.
His lordship warned his hearers that they
could not try new policy and drop II II
it failed. Protection once established could
not be uprooted and would bring in its
train trusts, monopolies and probably cor
ruption. If the country wanted to better
tific spirit and better education, and, above
ALL keep the universe for a reservoir of
food and raw material He ridiculed the
idea that the colonies would consent not TO
establish new industries for the benefit of
the United Kingdom He was very doubt
full about the proposition that fiscal
should precede political union. In any
event, what Mr.. Chamberlain's friends ig-
nored was that everything i'm the empire
had been strong and successful because IL
was free and spontaneous. Lord Rosebery
In
that no restricted trade, but only the most
absolute freedom political and commercial,
would succeed in building up the empire.
In conclusion his lordship said that he
could not forget the long agony with which
the nation had passed from the protective
| system which had brought il to the verge
OF famine and ruin into the better and
freer conditions now prevailing. They could
not risk this splendid result on a hazard of
brilliant known under any guidance or
| prophetship for the dark unknown. A storm
| of cheers greeted the earls closing re-
| marks.
| Lord Rosebery made no attempt to refute
1 Mr.. Chamberlain's contentious by argu-
ment statistics or detailed examination
of his proposals. He confined himself to
congratulations; He evoked applause by de.
scribing Mr. Chamberlain as the real head
| OF the present government
In reference to Mr.. Balfour's attempts TO
gag parliamentary discussion of the fiscal
| problem he said: you cannot prevent a
storm by sitting on the barometer"
his lordsnlp was ioudly cneered Wnen ne
| declared that the prospect OF worse rela-
| tons with the United States, Germany,
| Russia and France was not alluring to
him.
Lord Londonderry has been appointed
| lord president of the Council in succession
| TO the Duke of Devonshire. 1t is under
| stood that his lordship will retain the port
| folio of education and his new appointment
| will thus make little practical difference TO
| his position in the Cabinet.
Joseph Chamberlain is confined TO his bed
| at Highbury, his residence at Birmingham,
| by a sharp attack of his old enemy. govt.
| He hopes, however, to have sufficiently re-
covered to keep his Newcastle engagement
Oct 20.