The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-07
CHAMBERLAIN'S TARIFF PLAN,
GENERAL TAX OF 10 PER CENT.
on MANUFACTURED GOODS,

Five Per Cent. on Foreign Meats and Dairy
Products and special Taxes on wheat
and FlOur-Preference for Colonial
Prodncts-Tells Glasgow Audience
That This Change IL Necessary TO
Meet the Crisis in Britain's Affairs.
Special Cabs Despatch TO THR SUN.
GLASGOW, Oct. 0.-Epoch making and
revolutionary, perhaps, in principle, but
mild and gentle in it's proposals was tho
great tariff speech delivered tonight by ex-
Colonial Secretary Chamberlain to IN
audience whose attitude typifed tho eager
curiosity OF the whole British Empire.
Glasgow's largest hall seats about $500
persons. but 5000 tickets had been ksusA.
Therefore the house was packed four houn
before the time set for the meeting. During
the long wait they sang Marching Through
Georgia" and John Browns Body" with
the same enthusiasm that they sang sRuls,
Britannia"
When Mr.. Chamberlain finally appeared
they gave him such q greeting a. showed
that he was already In complete possession
Of their sympathies. They cheered him 70
the echo, then sang. Hail to tho Chtaf'
and Hes jolly Good Fellow, and TIN
oheered again until the ovation became
overwhelming.
The man Of the hour in the British En-
pire, as he stood before them bowling -
acknowledgement, was striking figure. HI
friends had begun to fear that the strain
Of the past four years was telling heavily
on him, and that his phenomenal yuuth
was rapidly disappearing. This b net
so. Tonight he was the personifcation
Of stalwart vigor. Even his voice was
fresh and youthful. He spoke with great
restraint, without any attempt ct oratcry.
His tone was calmly arg,imentstive, excspt
when the earnestness Of his tribute to the
greatness Of the Empire made him genu-
inely eloquent.
more interesting. It was composed Of both
LIBERAL Unionist and Conservative organi-
cations. Although they were prejudioed
in the speakers favor, IL was evident that
they were eager both for argument and
information. They weighed each point
before responding, but almost without
exception they Endorsed his conclusions
with practical unanimity.
Mr.. cHAMBERLAIN's PROPOSALS.
After all, it was a simple discourse, and
the practical programme that Mr.. Chamber
lain formulated will scarcely alarm the
country. After having first denounced
the American tariff as an abomination,
he proposed tax OF two shillings per quar-
| ter on foreign wheat, no tax on wheat from
| British possessions, no tax on corn, tai
on -FOUR SUFFICIENT to give preferences ~ the
miller in order to revive an ancient industry
and a general tariff averaging q, per Cent
on manufactured goods and per cent, OH
foreign meat and dairy products. except
bacon. (.
That is the whole proposition, so far as
new taxes are concerned, but the speech
dealt with all three points, protection, reci-
procity and retaliation. He made no allu-
sion to the present Cabinet tro ubles or the
resignation Of the Duke OF Devonshire
This development, by the way, in the general
| opinion, makes an early election inevitable.
! Mr.. Chamberlan's argument that the
effect of his programme would not increase
the cost of living was received with the
|
remission of the whole or a part OF the
taxes on tea, sugar and coffee, which, he
held, would more than Offset the new taxes
on food, even II all the latter fell on the con-
sumer, which he protested would not be
| the case
Altogether the speech to It's immediate
| hearers was evidently convincing. It re-
! mains to be seen how 1t will be received by
the country at large. It Is reported by
Mr.. Chamberlain's personal friends that
he repeatedly said Of late that II he could
be assured Of seven years Of life and health
he would guarantee to carry the country
with him In his tariff policy. He has not
the slightest expectation OF success II the
issue is forced to a vote early. The cam
paign on which he has started, he we'll under
stands, will be long and arduous. Many Of
his supporters are sanguine Of bis triumph
In less an third of the time he names.
GOOD WORD FOR BALFoUR.
In opening his speech Mr.. Chamberlain
alluded to Adam Smiths connection with
Glasgow, and, drawing encouragement
from his teachings, declared that he was
not afraid to come to Smiths home TO
combat free imports, and still less 10 preach
preference for the Colonies. He >rs(used
to regard the meeting as party one. al
though he thoroughly approved the policy
laid down in the Sheffield speech Of the
party leader, whom every member was
proud to follow. He repudiated the libel
lous insinuations that he WIS In competition
with Prime Minister Balfour and said:
-In no conceivable circumstances will I
allow myself to be put in any sort Of com
petition, direct or indirect, with my friend
and leader, whom mean to follow
Mr.. Chamberlain was optimistic. He
believed 1t possible for tho nation to 60 q
little further than the official programme.
One of his objects in visiting Glasgow was
to ascertain that. He appealed to the
country to treat this greatest of all great
questions mpartially OH lis merits, avoiding
personalities and party issues.
SHOWS WEAKNESS OF BRIrAINs POSITION
British industry, he said, was not In
satisfactory condition. He did not mean
to say that he expected a sudden catas-
trophe, but he unquestionably saw signs
of decay There were cracks in the walls
of the great structure, and he knew that
the foundations on Which it had been raised