The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-07
Former Colonial Secretary Opens His Campaign in Mas
 ter|y Manner
PEOPLE OF ENGLAND HAVE
 SLEPT ON THEIR RIGHTS
While Other Countries Have Thrown Barriers Around Them, Says Mir. Chamberlain, Great Britain Has
 Stuck to a Policy of Decay.

Glasgow, Scotland, October 6-St. An- drews Hall was packed to it's full capaci- ty of 5000 when Joseph Chamberlain rose at S:10 o'clock this evening to deliver the first speech of his fiscal campaign. His appearance caused tremendous outburst of enthusiasm, the ovation lasting for several minutes Mr. Chamberlain re- turned his thanks for this, the first op- portunity of explaining his fiscal views. He was loyal to the party, he had found a leader every member might be proud to follow, and warmly refuted the insinua- tion that under any conceivable circum- stances would he come in competition with his friend and leader.
 The former colonial secretary added that he desired to prepare the country for struggle in which, If vanquished. it would lose its place among nations.
 After the presentation of lengthy trades statistics, Mir Chamberlain said that if the colonial trade did not increase with the population of the United Kingdom, with the decrease of foreign trade Great Britain would sink into fifth rate na- tlon, and her fate would be the same as that of the empires of the past
 Result of Present Policy.
 Speaking of the consequence of the pres ent policy to this country, MT. Chamber lain pointed out the loss of the tin plate trade and said that If they could have offered the United States advantages to leave the trade alone, it would have been retained The result of such a lt)licy, the speaker claimed, must be the entire loss of the colonial trade while, on the con- .-t4l. oI f1,A United Kingdom would capture the for ..aign trade with the colonies and give ero- poyment to additional millions of work CTS
 He paid tribute to Adam Smith, to whom he said, however, it was not given to foresee all the changes which had occurred during the last century and a half. Adam Smith, nevertheless. was aware of the importance of home mar kets compared to foreign ones, and MT. Chamberlain had been impressed by the manner in which he advocated retalia- tion under certain conditions, and how he urged reciprocal trade between the colonies and the mother country Hence, the speaker was not afraid in Glasgow to combat free imports and preach pre- ference to the colonies. It was known to every man that Scotland had contribu- ted out of all proportion to her popula- ton to the building up of the empire, which genius, capability and courage had created and maintained. MT. Chamber lain said
 Not a Party Meeting.
 'I do not regard this as a party meet ing I am no longer a party leader but an outsider. I do not think it right to raise any exclusive party issues, but af- ter what has occurred since the meeting at Sheffield, a word or two might be giv- en me to say that though l am no longer a leader I am still loyal servant to the party whose union and strength Is essen tial to the welfare of the empire and which had found a leader whom every member may be proud to follow
 The speaker paid the highest tribute to MT. Balfour with whose principles and policies he fully agreed and said he ad- mired the courage and resources with which the premier had faced difficulties '~ usurpassed in political history.
 MT Chamberlain continued:
 .'It seems as though in this country there has always been men who do not know the meaning of loyalty and friend- ship. To them, I say, nothing they may do will have the slightest influence or affect in the slightest degree the friend ship and confidence existing between the premier and myself To my friends and supporters In the great struggle on which I have entered, I say give no encourage ment to mean or llbellous insinuations, for in no conceivable circumstances will I allow myself to be in any sort of com petition. direct or indirect with my friend and leader"
 q have invited discussion upon a ques- ton peculiarly within my province, ow- ing to my past life and my office, so re- gently held.
 In Position of Pioneer.
 Taking up the position of pioneer, I go in front of the army. If the army is attacked I will return to it. I am al- ways an optimist. It is possible that the nation may be prepared to go further than the official programme. I now ask the question: Is it so prepared?' Great Brit ain in the past, has played a great part in the worlds history. I desire her to continue and see the realization of the great ideal of an empire, such as the world has never seen. If that is to be at- tained, this matter should be treated on it's merits without any personal feeling or bitterness and without entering on questions of purely party controversy"
 The late colonial secretary alluded to the recent visit he paid to Venice, when he found the campanile which had stood for centuries, and which when he previ- ously visited Venice, seemed as perma- nent as the city itself, now a mass of ruins. He continued: q do not say that l anticipate such fate for the British empire, but I do say that I see signs of decay, cracks and crevices showing that the foundations are not broad and deep enough to sustain it. Am I wrong? Is it not strange and incon- sistent that the same people who indicted the government for it's unpreparedness in the South African war. should now de- nounce men in language so serious that if we are defeated the country will lose its place among the great nations; a struggle which we are invited to meet with antiquated methods and tactics"
 Contrasts the Increase. Adducing statistics, Mir. Chamberlain contrasted the moderate increase of 71a per cent in the export trade of Great Britain, and the increase of 30 per cent in her population since 1872. with the enormous increase of trade in the United