The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-05-16
CHAMBERLAIN SPEAKS OUT
PLAIN DISCUSSION OF FREE
 TRADE AND PROTECTION.

tate to Resort to Retaliation, if Neces-
 sary-speaks Strongly Against Idea of
 Home Rule for Ireland.
 London, May 15.-Addressing his con- stituents at Birmingham tonight, Col onial Secretary Chamberlain made an important speech which seems to fore shadow the direct raising of the ques- tion of free trade versus protection at the next general election.
 MT. Chamberlain's unusual reticence and his absence from parliament and the political arena since he returned from South Africa have been the occa- sion of considerable comment, as has also the fact that he took no part in the heated discussions excited by MT. Ritchies budget and the remission of the grain tax. In to-night's pronounce ment possibly will be found an expla- nation of this attitude. It at least shows variance of opinion with Pre- mier Balfour's speech of to-day on the abolition of the grain duty. In the be- ginning of hs speech MT. Chamberlain referred to his South African tour, and to his return home to find the minds of the people filled with local questions. He made light of the difficulties he had been told assailed the unionist party. For him these local questions were comparatively unimportant beside the great imperialistic policy upon which the fate of the empire depended, name ly, whether we stand together as one free nation against all the world, or whether we shall fall into separate states, selfishly seeking their own in terests and losing the advantages that unity alone can give"
 In passing reference to home rule Mir. Chamberlain said that if separation dissolve into its component atoms, but if he could believe that the opposition party frankly had abandoned home rule he would be the first to sing 'Nunc Dimittis." The colonial secretary pro- ceeded strongly to urge the necessity, in order to preserve the great empire, that the trade of the colonies should be secured. Canada had offered excep- tional advantages, he said, which Great. Britain did not dare accept because of the narrow interpretation of the doc Urine of free trade, the policy of dieta- tion and interference by foreign pow CTS.
 MT. Chamberlain said he was justi- fled by the belief that Great Britain was so welded to it's fiscal system that it could not defend it's colonies. This was a position not intended by the pio- neers of free trade, who, if they were alive to-day, would agree to treaty of preference and reciprocity with the enl- ,pire's children. The speaker said he believed that an entirely wrong inter- pretation had been placed upon the doc- Urine of free trade, but the country ought not to be bound by this, and 1t should not hesitate to resort to retalia- ton, if necessary, wherever the inter- ests between the colonies and the home country were threatened. H.
 MT. Chamberlain avowed himself a free trader, but he objected to the arti- ficial and narrow Interpretation of free trade. He pointed out that Cobden had made, and that Bright had approy- ed, a preferential treaty with France, and said:
 "There are two alternatives before you-first, to maintain the free trade policy in all it's severity, although 1t is repudiated by every other nation and your colonies; second, to insist that we be not bound by any purely technical definition of free trade. While we seek the one chief object, the free inter- change of commerce between ourselves and all the nations of the world, we will nevertheless recover our freedom, resume the power of negotiation, and, if necessary, of retaliation"
 In conclusion the colonial secretary said that he desired that the discussion of this question should be open. It was an issue graver in it's consequences than mere local disputes. A mistake in legislation could be corrected, he said, but mistake in the imperial policy was irretrievable. Personally he dld not think general election very near, but whether near or distant. the issue would depend on whether the people have it in their hearts to do all that Is necessary, even if it occasionally went against their prejudices, to consolidate an empire which could only be main- tained by relations of interest as we'll as by relations of sentiment.
 London. May 16.-The daily papers this morning all comment upon the im- portance of MT. Chamberlain's speech. The Standard says: 'For good or evil he has flung into the arena of the con- troversy tops which challenge discus sion.''
 The Morning Post declares that no such speech has been heard in the coun- try during the present generation. "Thousands of Englishmen," says this paper, twill rejoice at the phenomenon of a statesman able to rise above party politics"
 There is also much comment on the antagonism displayed between MT. Bal four and MT. Chamberlain.
 
 ReIieG for KeshtMeff Victims.
 New York, May 15.5-During the ten