The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-19
Resignation of Secretary Cham berIain Comes as a Thun-
 deTcIap to All Classes
LORD BALFOUR MAY BE
 FORGED FROM CABINET
Press of United Kingdom Is Filled With Wild Rumors, and Possible Candidates Are Numerous
 for the Vacant Offices.

London. September 1s.-Consternation and excitement. caused by the dramatic announcement of Joseph Chamherlains resignation of the secretaryship for the colonies, prevails among all classes in the United Kingdom. to the exclusion of every other topic. The great majority of the public only learned the news from the morning papers, and their astonish- ment in many cases was so great as to prevent the expression of any coherent opinion.
 The Pail Mall Gazette this afternoon aptly sums up the general feeling by describing the present crisis as the most extraordinary in the whole history of constitutional government adding that what will happen next no one can forecast with any degree of absolute certainty.
 VIII Fill Vacancies.
 The Pail Mall Gazette states that Pre- mier Balfour will i'll up the vacancies and carry on the government until he meets parliament in 1904. MT Chamberlain also does not look for an immediate general election, expecting at least twelve months propaganda before the electorate can decide upon his proposals. Other rumors are current thaf Tr Balfour is unable to find men to ncies and that he will be com Id the king his own resignation. gever. does not appear to be likely.
 Chamberlaln's Successor.
 The Westminster Gazette and other pa- pers forecast Lord Milner. the high com missioner In South Africa, succeeding to the colonial office. and 1t is definitely an nounced that Lord Stanley, financial sec- retary to the War office. and probabl James Lowther, deputy speaker. will be among those promoted to the cabinet, but the details of it's reconstruction are not likely to be known until MT. Balfour has seen the king.
 Almost every paper has it's own candl. dates for the various vacant offices but few of the prophecies coincide The at titude of the Duke of Devonshire, lord president of the council. being unknown to the public. creates further uncertainty.
 His Policy Remains"
 Though the man has gone" says the Star his policy remains. This is MT. Chamberlain's Elba He has yet to meet his Waterloo" This Is born out by re- ports from Birmingham. where the pow erful organization in favor of preferen- tial tariffs Is centered. There though, the resignation of the head and shoulders Of the movement came as a great sur prise, ceaseless activity prevails. and 1t is announced that MT Chamberlain's previous arrangements for his campaign will all be carried out.
 The Associated Press learns there is good reason to believe that the report that War Secretary Broderck will be transferred to the Indian office is cor rect.
 The new cabinet is expected to meet within fortnight.
 First Public Statement.
 Writing today from his home at High bury. Birmingham, MT. Chamberlain made his first public statement since his resignation. His letter is in reply to c. A. Pearson, chairman of the executive eoun- ell of the tarin reform league who asks If MT. Chamberlain coincided with bis view that the examination of the tariff may be considered as sufficiently advanc- ed and that the league should use it's re- sources to advocate the employment of a tariff for the purpose of consolidating and defending the resources of the empire and defending the resources of the United Kingdom.
 MT. Chamberlain says: "I agree with your views that we have sufficient mate rial in the way of facts and figures. We have now stated our conclusions and must endeavor to get the people to adopt them"
 MT. Chamberlain then gives his under standing of the position of the tariff reform league under two heads as coin ciding with his position. These objects he says are, first. closer union to en- deavor to make the empire self-sufheing as regards its food supply: second. the employment of a tariff as weapon to secure greater reciprocity with foreign nations; or. failing such arrangement to prevent loss to the. home industrial markets under the competition of protect cd countries by retaliating upon them the treatment they mete out to us.