Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1903-12-31
PROJECTIONS HOUR.
1T IS APPARENTLY AT HAND IN
GREAT BRITAIN.

Industry, Commerce and Poht1caI
Solidarity All Seem to Demand a
Radical Change In the Fiscal Sys-
tenn of the British Empire.
The battle for protection, prosperity
and the preservation of the British EN-
pire has been brought to clearly de-
fined stage by the voluntary retirement
of Joseph Chamberlain from his post
of secretary of state for the colonies.
Mr.. Chamberlain quits the ministry
and becomes q rg.vGte citizen in order
that his open fight for protection may
free the government from embarrasS-
ment, while at the same time enabling
him to carry on his warfare unshac-
killed. BIZ Official ties. Some weeks ago
Mr.. Chamberlain said:
"Unless the question Of trade and
commerce is settled satisfactorily for
one do not believe In the continuance
Of the British empire"
Holding this view, he could not well
remain identified with a government
thoroughly committed to free trade
and therefore hostile to his plan OF
reviving British industry and knitting
together the British empire through
the adoption Of some form Of protec-
ton that would hold the home market
against the injurious competition or
protected countries, such as Germany
and the United States, while at the
same time providing for a system Of
preferential tariffs whereby the trade
Of the colonies could be gained and
held by British manufacturers. In
this economic and political aspiration.
not yet developed into a detailed plan
of action, Mr. Chamberlain had and
has the approval Of Lord Balfour, the
premier. Balfour, like Chamberlain, is
fully convinced that protection Is the
only path that leads to safety for
British industry, British commerce and
British political solidarity. These two
clear sighted statesmen were, however.
bitterly opposed by q majority Of free
traders In the ministry, CObdenitcS
who cling to the corpse Of dead and
discredited theory and refuse to recog-
nize either the present causes Of COM
mercial decline or the future dangers
which threaten the alienation Of the
colonies.
Chamberlain's resignation and it,
fattering acceptance by Balfour have
produced a profound shock in the Unit
ed Kingdom. The British people are
suddenly brought face to face with
the issue of protection versus fire."
trade. They had not expected tn"
crisis to come so soon. Most of them
had not expected it to come at all.
From this time forward the fight is on.
Chamberlain has placed himself at tn"
head of the forces Of protectiOniSlm.
The man and the hour have come to-
gether. Already British thought i
stirred up as it has not been stirred
for nearly fifty years. The Campai@n
of educaton has begun in earnest. IL"
columns Of British newspapers ar" fun
of pTotcctiOniSt plea and argument.
For example. the London Daily Tci'-
graph contains series Of articles.
ably and forciby written, in which thu
experiences of the United States um.
der the policy of protection are rti"d
to show the wonderful progress mad.
by this country by reason of its earl"
adoption Of the plan of stimulating il,
own industries by tariffs designed To
restrict foreign competition.
As the result of all this agitation and
spread of knowledge and light til"
British voter is going 10 know very
much more than lie ever knew before
about the policy, the principle and IN"
practical workings of protection. Th"
more he knows about it the better n"
will like it, 1t is n solved problem
in the United States. The process of
its solution in Great Britain is certain
to be an interesting one. There can
be but one outcome. Great Britain
will adopt protection in some form.
She must