The Minneapolis journal., 1903-10-02
PROTECTION
OR FREE TRADE
British Conservative Associations De-
bate Fiscal Policies at the Shef-
field Conference.
Premier Balfour Would Give the
Government Power to Bargain
With Protected Nations.

Sheffield, Eng, Oct. 1.-The attendance
to-day at the conference Of the conserva-
tive associations was much smaller than
yesterday. the opening day. The irrecon-
cilable differences in the party on the
fiscal question were again emphasized IN
the debate, and ultimately, in the interest
OF unity, Henry Chaplin. M. p, former
president of the board of agriculture and
lifelong protectionist withdrew his
rider" moved yesterday, thanking Jo-
Beph Chamberlain, the former colonial
secretary. for his patriotic efforts and ex-
pressing approval Of any practical scheme
to promote a closer political and CONNER
cial union Of the empire. Thereupon Sir
John e. Dorington's resolution was car
ried unanimously, Sir John Gorst saying.
in behalf Of the free -fooders. that they
did not desire any more amendments.
In withdrawing the rider which prom
ised further to disrupt the ranks Of the
unionists Mr. Chaplin explained that he
was convinced. after hearing Mr.. Bal
four's speech of last night. that 1t would
be mischievous to press the matter, as it
was directly hostile to the premier and
nothing was further from his views.
Lord Hugh Cecil, M. p, and Winston
Churchill, M. p, subsequently announced
that they had neither voted for nor
against the Dorington resolution.
After the passage Of a resolution urg-
ing the government to take steps to in
sure the e1rlClency OF the administrator
the conference terminated
eaIfour's Speech. .:...s
Addressing a mass meeting last night,
Premier Balfour delivered the speech
which has been long heralded as the first
heavy gun to be fired in the fiscal reform
campaign which is absorbing the atten-
tion Of the British empire
Mr.. Balfour attributed the prominence
the tariff question has attained to the
fact that the country was in closer touch
with the colonies, a result of the late
war; and that representatives Of the min
listers in the colonies had brought before
the empire the question Of tariff reform.
Our own colonies, our own flesh and
blood, the very sinews Of the growing en-
pre- proceeded Mr.. Balfour, ARE build
ing up wall of protection which, when
1t reaches It's logical conclusion, will make
it as hard to export to them to America
or the other protective countries.
And we have done nothing whatever to
hinder a state Of things so absolutely in
consistent with free trade.
Now, II ! have rightly described the
dangers and evils suffer, you are en-
titled to ask me whether I know of a
cure.
Know Of No Cure.
MY answer will be disappointing.
know Of no cure, but l do know Of a pal
liative.
get the great commercial nations Of the
world to abandon protection. 1 fear that
you will not get the great elf-governing
colonies to retrace the steps which We,
without remonstrance permitted them to
take.
II am here, therefore,, to recomn1e end
palliative which I believe to be still pos
sible. Golden hoped. and believed in free
trade thruout the world. What In fact
we have got to deal with is a world where
International commercial relations are
regulated entirely by treaty.
My fundamental and essential request
of you tonight, to which the rest of my
speech is subsidiary and incidental, is
that the people of this country should
give to it's government that freedom of
negotiations Of which we have been de-
prived, not by force of circumstances or
by the pressure Of foreign powers, or by
something I can only describe as our own
pedantry and self-conceit."