New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-21
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
Nr. Chamberlain's Policy Gains
Ground-King and Squadron.

other They have succeeded in keeping the
Ministry together by q sill1en ribbon, orna-
r7ented with Interrogation marks. and since no
pressure is put upon anybody it holds well
enough There VIII be no inquiry respecting the
fiscal policy. hut the Unionist free
traders are shown be in the minority the
government viii be reorganized and Mr. Cham
berlan viii become Chancellor Of the EI-
chequer.
as long as 1t was suspected that Mr.. Balfour
was Nr. Chamberlain's dupe and would ulti-
-nately be displaced by the stronger statesman
fiscal revision was under cloud, but that
Il is an open secret that Mr.. Balfour is fully
committed TO the new policy and intends to re-
main Prime Minister and carry II out. recruits
are turning up at Westminster The enthusias
tic followers Of Mr- Chamberlain are predicting
that three-fourths of the Unionists in the House
OF Commons VIII pronounce boldly for fiscal re-
form next week. These expectations are not
likely 10 be fulfilled when constituencies have not
been consulted. and need even more time to re-
cover their breath than the members them
se1ves. The straight-out free trade Unionists in
he House Of Commons probably do not exceed
a hundred. but even that number represents as
formidable q secession from the party as Mr.
Chamberlain himself headed against Mr. Glad
stone on the Home Rule question.
Meanwhile fiscal revision. which was presented
originally as q question Of taxing imported food,
has become an issue Of retaliation under Lord
Lausdowne's lucid exposition, and covers the
taxation Of raw material and the protection Of
manufactured goods. Why Nj Chamberlain
chose the line Of greatest resistance is mys-
terry but he evidently had some reason for TAX
ing Up the tariff question at the weakest and
most vulnerable point Certainly if the working
people OF the United Kingdom Will endure the
increased cost Of food supplies they stand
ANYTHING which he may have in reserve The
taxation oI food Is. however, Indispensable in
any arrangements which may he made with the
colonies and both Canada and Australia are
expected 10 pay well fo- il. both in heavy re-
ductions Of their own tariffs on British manu-
1actures and IN large contributions 10 imperial
defence. by which the Budget may be nghtened.
Here Mr. Chamberlain viii have much easier
work when he passes from the taxation Of food
70 the defence OF the home market against the
German manufacturers with q system of export
bounties behind them.
Newcastle-on-Tyne may witness the opening
q Mr.. ChamberIain's autumnal campaign, but
the real battle-ground is Lancashire. Yorkshire
and the Ndidlands. where both manufacturers
and workmen need 10 be converted from free
trade 10 projection The middle classes. which
ra,-e been terribly bled by the income tax dur
irv recent years VIII probably respond readily
enough 10 any system for restoring the natural
proportions OF direct and indirect taxation.
The Liberal journals are asserting that busi-
ness is already unfevorably affected by the dis
turbance caused BY the fiscal proposals. and
that the commercial classes will speedily unite
I, demanding general election. This is
blatant partisanship as disingenuous as the
warning drawn by the Liberal journals ana
I7rd Hueh Cecil from the German elections
The disastrous consequences Of increased taxa
rron OF food the facility with which million
recruits for the Socialist party in Germany are
transformed from political agitators into reoeIs
arainst the protective system is a foretaste OF
,-ra+ Is coming IN the next two years in British
rolitics when figures are manipulated so as to
prove anything, and directly opposite conclusions
ars s-tiHciary forced from the same columns
~ statistics All the signs point TO the reopen
irr RI +he tariff issue all along the line The
s-ob5en Club has been restored to life and IS
scattering in the home field tracts originally
g,rftren for the conversion Of America and the
Fhi1istine world: Members Of Parliament are
reviving "reminiscences Of political economy anu
riclzing and choosing phrases for explaining the
-az-s-sto, Of the Tories TO protection. So
r,asse,b av-av Mr.. Cobden's forecast Of the free
trade Millennium. and Old England coming TO
her senses profits by the economic experience Of
Ar,erica and the remainder Of Christendorn.
The nolitical situation has not been modified
bz last nights oratory OF the consultations TO
dav over the Laad Bill Mr.. Chamberlain
e-eech Al the Corona Club was a circurnspect
8e.-elopr1ent OF the idea OF improved relations
between Downing Street and the colonies, WIN
ont 2 direct bearing upon the new departure IN
fiscal policv The discussion in the House OF
Lords OF the German threat TO refuse Ireau
Britain the most favored nation treatment l.
the colonies gave preferences was cohouCteo III
The dark and was cut short by Loro Lans-
dovre's promises 10 let in the light by the I'M
mediate publication Of the diplomatic CORE
spondence.
AFr Hvndharn was as wary as Mr. Chamber
lain in his speech at the Pilgrims dinner only
claiming the credit for the will, not the oeeo III
proposing the settlement of the Irish question
rne efficacy Of the Land Bill pacific meas
ure has been clouded by the debates over the
maximum and minimum limits of reduction in
the purchase transactions, and the dissatsfac-
rion of the Irish members has forced the Gov
eminent 70 threaten the withdrawal Of the en-
1tre scheme Of consultation Proba bly, this Will
induce Mr.. Redmond and Mr.. o Brien TO accept
a COMPROMISE Of some sort rather than to sacri-
nee the purchase scheme outright. The new
clause Will he drawn after informal consuta-
fjons. and the progress OF the measure through
the committee viii he facilitated This may be
an optimistic view but Mr.. Wyndham and the
Irish landowners in the Cabinet are most zeal
GUS and tactluI in their efforts 10 save the meas
ure The Nationalists. having protected the
Government from defeat for many weeks, have
been disposed 10 charge heavily for their ser
vices and are trading upon the King eagerness
TO have the land settlement arranged before the
roysl s-jsit TO Ireland: but firTnness the part