The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-09-23
CHAMBERLAIN Has RESIGNED.
Acknowledges that his Policy of a
Preferential Tariff in Favor of
The Colonies is Distasteful
10 a Majority of the vo-
ters of Great Britain.
Mr.. Richie aud Lord George Hamilton
also Resign.

Mr.. Richie aud Lord George Hamilton
alse Resign.
London, Sept l7.-The designations
OF Joseph Chamberlain, as secretary
FOR the colonies, G. T. Richie, as
chancellor of the exchequer, and Lord
George Hamilton. as secretary Tor
India, were officially announced this
evening. e was announced also that
the RESERVATIONS have been accepted by
the King.
The Official announcement was made
at Downing street in communication
containing the correspondence pc
tween Premier Balfour and Mr.
Chamberlain. Mr.. Chamberlain's let
ter is dated Birmingham, September
g. and sets forth the reasons for his
RESIGNATION. An extremely interesting
feature of the letter is the following
statement concerning preferential
tariff:
sFor the present. at any rate, a
preferential agreement with our colo
MES involving any new duty, however,
small, on articles of food hitherto
untaxetl, even if accompanied by re-
duc6ior Of taxation on other articles
OF food equally universal IN their con-
sumption, would be unacceptable to
the majority OF the constituencies.
However much we may regret sne de-
eision, however mistaken we may
think It, no good government IN
democratic country can ignore 1t: 1
feel. therefore, that as an immediate
practical policy the question OF pref
erence TO the colonies cannot be press
ed with. any hope of success at the
present time, although there is a strong
feeling in favor. of the other branch OF
fiscal reform, which would give fuller
discretion tc the Government IN nego-
tiasing with foreign countries Tor
Sreer exchange of commodities, and
which would enable our representa-
tives to retaliate il no concession was
made to our just demands.
Mr.. Chamberlain expresses his hrm
belief in closer union OF the colo
MES and the mother country, and
SAYS he can best promote the cause be
has at heart In a perfectly independ-
snt position. Accordingly he tenders
his resignation with the suggestion
that Mr. Balfour limit the present
policy Of the Government to an asser-
5ion OF our freedom in the case OF all
commercial relations with foreign
countries. -
Mr.. Chamberlain declares that an
unscrupulous use has been made OF
the oldscry of the dear loaf. /" and
that serious prejudice has been Great
ed. In the rest of the letter he goes
briefly over the. same ground regard
ing protection, as did Mr.. Balfour in
his. .recent statement:
Mr.. Baifour, in a letter to Mr..
Chamberlain, dated September 16,
says: 6 Agreeing as I do with You that
the time has come when change
should be made in the fiscal canons by
which We bound ourselves in our
commercial dealings with other Gov
srnments, it seems psradoxical, in
deed, that you should leave the Cab.
met at the same time that others OF
my colleagues are leaving it, who dis
agree on the very point with us both.
Yet. / cannot but admit that there IS
some force in your arguments IN sup
mort Of that course. You have done.
more than any man living or dead to
bring home TO the citizens OF the EN-
Dire the consciousness of imperial OBJ
iicatiou and interdependence between
The various fragments into which the
Empire is geographically divided: |
believe you TO be right IN holding
that this interdependence should lind
evnression in our commercial as we'll
as IN our political and military rela-
lions. / believe with you that closer
fiscal union between the mother eoun-
try and the colonies would benefit the
trade of both.
M. Balfour says if there be any
difference between Mr.. Chamberlain
aud himself it has been on the ques-
ton of establishment Of preference
IN favor of colonial products. As to this,
Mr.. Balfour says If it involves, "as it
most certainly does, a taxation. how
ever light, upon food stu1s, am con-
Yinced With you that public opinion is
not ripe for such an arrangement. The
reasons NAV easily be found in past
political battles and present political
Misrepresentation. L. then. this
branch of fiscal reform is not at pres
ent within the limits OF practical poll
tics, you are surely right in your ad-
vice not to treat it as indissoiuply
connected with that other branch OF
fiscal reform to which we both attach
Importance, and which we believe the
country is prepared to consider with
cat prejudice. y
Nj. Balfour says the loss to the
Government by the resignation is
great, and expresses his qualification
that Austen Chamberlain will remain
member of the Government. This,
Mr. Balfour says, is conclusive evi-
dence that in Mr. Chamberlain's iudg-
msnt, as in his own, the exclusion
Of the taxation of food from the cir
eumstances, course best fitted prac-
sicalIy to further the cause Of fiscal
reform. -
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