The sun., 1903-11-25
Will Mr.. Chamberlain Triumph?

Mr. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN recently
declared that he now felt assured Of the
assent of the British electorate to his
proposal OF preferential tariff. What,
II any, are the grounds on which his ex-
preston of confidence is foundedi
1t is certain that, before the ex-Secre-
tary for the Colonies undertook per-
sonal canvass of the larger constituent
cies, few expert observers of the situa-
tion believed in the early, or even in the
ultimate, success Of his propaganda. 1t
Is true that, from the outset, he has had
the Premier on his side, for Mr.. A. j.
BALFoUR, while confining himself for
the present to the advocacy Of re-
talistory tariff, and describing the pro-
jected preference to the colonies as in
opportune, has accepted the latter pro-
posal in principle, thereby confessing
a purpose to embody it in law whenever
such a course shall seem to him war;
ranted by public opinion. The Premier's
position practically assured to Mr. CHAM
BERLA1N the more or less avowed COOP
Grafton Of the political machinery Of the
Conservative party And this, notwith-
standing the secession from the Cabinet
of such uncompromising Free Traders
as Mr.. G. T. RITCHIE, lately Chancellor
of the Exchequer; Lord GEORGE FRAN
CHS HAMILTON, lately Secretary for
India and Lord BALFoUR OF BUBLRIGH
Secretary for Scotland. Tho seceders
carried with them some minor members
of the Ministry, and were understood to
have the hearty support Of Lord GosCHEN
and Sir MICHAEL HICKs-BEACH, both
of whom had occupied the post of
Chancellor Of the Exohequer in Unionist
Governments.
Apparently, the worst blow Of all was
the Duke of DEvoNsHIRE's resignation
of the Office of Lord President Of the
Council and acceptance Of the headship
of the newly created Free Food League,
composed entirely Of Unionists, for
these proceedings on his part seemed
to promise to Mr.. CHAMBR RLAINs op-
ponents the control of the separate po-
litical machine belonging to the Liberal
Unionist party. In view of these Incl
dents, which portended an irreparable
disruption of the Government forces,
and in view Of the apparent tendency
of the Liberals to reconciliation on a
Free Trade platform, it looked, for time,
as if Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN, in spite Of Mr..
BALFoUR'S conversion, was doomed to
defeat.
We cannot but recognize that tho
omens are decidedly more favorable to
the ex-Secretary for the Colonies than
they were a month or two ago. In the
first place, the loyalty Of his fellow towns
mon in Birmingham, which was for a
time only suspected has been conclusively
demonstrated. In the second place,
his reception at public meetings in Glas-
gov, Newcastle and other great centres
of industry and trade has been indis-
! putablv more enthusiastic and encourag-
ing than that subsequently given to his
political opponents. In some instances,
his antagonists have found it difficult
to obtain hearing. In the third place,
the ex-Secretary for the Colonies has Sc
cured unexpected support from not a
| few representatives of the manufacturing
/ interest. who hitherto have been asso-
ciatcd with the Liberal party In the
fourth place, belief in drift of public
opinion toward preferential tariff can
alone account for n revolution in the
attitude Of the London Daily Mail, which.
! from a vehement opponent has become
, one Of the most strenuous of Mr.. CHAM
BERLAlN's coadjutors, A change is also
| observable in the tonc of the Standard,
the organ Of old-fashioned Conserva-
| tives, which only the other day admitted
that there are grounds for taking meas
ures to abatc hostile tariffs il we can.
| This is tantamount to meeting Mr.. CHAM
RERLAIS halfway; for, by upholding Mr.,
BALroUR's scheme OF a retaliatory tariff,
the Standard helps to keep in power a
Premier who has virtually avowed an
intention of going step further and
inaugurating preferential tariff when
ever such move shall seem opportune.
Even mere significant of an unwilling
ness on the part of old-fashioned Con-