New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-28
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
ENGLAND AND COMMERCIAL UNION.
Will Empire Itself Survive l-Chamberlain's
Political Philosophy.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: The political situation disclosed by NJ.
Chamber!ain's resignation involves I believe an
entirely new era, land one OF extreme inlesst TO
the English speaking race. TIE real interest is
not IN the passing OF free trade" as I suppose.
forever, albeit that IS indeed a most eminent
oh.tuary but Mr. Chamber.ain's remaining years
are consecrated apparently 10 laying the fOunda-
tons not OF new party mercy. b-t OF new
political philosophy for which very few OF
as yet prepared. / not competent TO do more
than foreshacow the politics Of the empire, but
1 believe as they evolve they VIII be more readily
ineligible 20 an American than 70 an Enslshulal,
and Ter This reason. With u hitherto our pOl.Lcs
have been the politics of temperament: I mean
that man IS conservative because temperament
ally he shrnks from radical changes, but with
you your politics have been the politics OF en-
vironment-that IS OF the comparative Obligation
Of your citizen TO his state distinguished from
the federation. AMI It seems TO that Mr..
Chamberlain resignation presages the ennersence
OF just these conditions n the British Empire;
EngIlshmen OF the future. as Mr.. knodes declared
in letter which came to Hight only last nlO1th.
viii chiefly be born outside these islands. The
craftsmanship OF to-day. then. Is concerned in
deciding the OF their relation TO the mother
country My Shirt" said the Swiss patriot. is
nearer than my coat" to the citizen OF Victoria.
Melbourne Is nearer than Westminster
Il Is a misfortune that this proposal OF CONNER
cial union within the empire was not preferred
for our nations acceptance fifty years ago Dur
ing that period unrestricted competition has dis
placed half the population Of Ireland; the Irish
have carried the vindCtyeness born q this tragedy
TO every corner Of the globe Then. again. M
Blaine never tired OF pointing out. our enigra-
ton. which has filed your waste places. would
have been diverted o. preferential to I'll our
own -Four millions Of our people in Australia con-
sumo annually more British goods than are con-
sUmed by the eighty millions in your country; the
per capita consumption in the case is 81. IN
the other s. p. instead Of four millions. Eal she
been buttressed ov q preferential Australia would
to-day have had eight millions at least.
But an not concerned In this letter 10 consider
the economic incidence % commercial union within
the empire. That Question. while immensely I'M
portant. is OF less Importance than the survival
Of the empire itself I at Washington IN
August. 1855. when Senator sherman made the fol-
lowing statement in the Senate:
Anything that. will tend to the union OF Canada
hearty support I want canada 70 be part OF the
United States. Within tea years from tlis time
Be rerrssented either II ths Imperial Para1z-t q
States
IN discussing the future OF Canada with Senator
Sherman the following cay. he said 70 ne: "A
common tariff might hold your empire together:
it IS the best chance; but 7 think you in England
will accept that view too late"
The opposition Of the Liberal party. its deter
mination to make party apital out OF the schis1
in the Unionist party is bad morally and IS there
fore tad politics l. I right. then there viii
shortly be no Liberal party; the fight viii be be-
tween free traders and fsderalists. John Bright
recognized almost intutiveiy that free trade vas
Incompatible with federation and that If the feder-
ais are TO win. Peel and the free traders may
come 70 be regarded as parricides- Mr.. Bright
said at Birmingham January 2. 1850:
TIE idea IN my opinion. IS ludicrous that the
its coontes-should form one country, one Interest
one undivided Interest for the purposes q defence
They Cthe Federation League must be blind TO the
lessons OF history
And where. again. is Lord Rosebery going 70
stand2 Addressing the Leeds Chamber of Com
nerce on October 10 1853. Lord Rosebery said;
The people OF this country will in not distant
e aTe 20 H ~ .s , -.-7 ~ "a -sS, M
thes "lsh Itet Co'.leS % s;'H lssLS' -
leave them altogether. Il is. ! believe. absO-
lately lmpossibls fer you to maintain in the long
and preserve these colonies as parts of the empire
And he added:
I 60 not see that you can obtain the great boon
bond Of commercial unity without some sacrifice
your part
Can any one reading that speech c: Lord Rose
berry question what sacrifice" was n the mind
OF the speaker. and what difference IS there be-
tween Lord Rosebery's empire BY commercial unity
and Mr.. Chamoerlain's empire BY commercial
union?
There Is now no reason why there should be
dissolution Of Parliament for two years TO come
Time every day that passes. IS On the side Of
the party Of tariff reform. Thousands OF voters
are to-day considering the position BY the cold
light OF our Official trade returns Reform is IN
the dir. and the attack in a matter Of this kind
is always much more spirited than the defence
And Mr.. Chamberlain, L is impossible not 70
admire the courage Of man near seventy. who
had done his LIES work, who would have IOcraed
large IN the historic retrospect. and whose de-
votion to 4 great ideal yet commits him 10 such
enterprise at such time. And for other rea-
sons ne IS a great national asset; as was said OF
q very different personality in your country. we
love him for the enemies that he has made"
NORETON FREWEE.
E4ston Lodge Dunmow. england. sept. IS 1875.