The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-07
THOUSANDS HEAR SPEECH
Ex-Cabinet officer High in
 Praise of Balf0ur.
Says He Himself Has Merely Left the Army and Has Gone on
 in Front as Pioneer.

Glasgow. Scotland. Oct. 6.-st. Andrews Hall was packed to its full capacity, 6,ooo, when Joseph Chamberlain rose at S:lo this evening to deliver the first speech or his fiscal campaign. His appearance caused a tremendous outburst of enthu. siasm, the ovation lasting for several minutes
 Mir. Chamberlain returned his thanks for this. the first opportunity of explain ing his fiscal views. He was loyal to the party. He has found a leader in MT Bal- four every member might be proud to follow. and warmly refuted the insinua- ton that under any conceivable circum- stances would he come in competition with his friend and leader. The former Colonial Secretary added that he desired to prepare the country tor a struggle in which, if vanquished. 1t would lose it's place among nations.
 Will Lose Its Place.
 After the presentation of lengthy trades statistics, MT. Chamberlain said that if the colonial trade did not increase with the population of the United Kingdom, with the decrease of foreign trade, Great Britain would sink into a fifth rate na- ton, and her fate would be the same as that of the empires of the past
 Speaking of the consequences of the present policy to the United States, MT. Chamberlain pointed out the loss or the tin plate trade. and said that If they could have offered the United States ad- vantages to leave the trade alone, It would have been retained. The result of such a policy, the speaker claimed, must be the entire loss of the colonial trade. while on the contrary, with preferential treatment, the United Kingdom would capture the foreign trade with the colo nies and give employment to additional millions of workers.
 Tribute to Adam Smith.
 He paid a tribute to Adam smith, to whom, however, he said, it was not given to foresee all the changes which had oc- cured during the last century and half. Adam Smith, nevertheless, was nwafeSSf the Importance of home markets compared to foreign ones. and Mir. Cham berlain had been impressed by the man. ner in which he advocated retaliation un- der certain conditions, and how he urged reciprocity between the colonies and the mother country
 Hence. the speaker was not afraid in Glasgow to combat free imports and preach preference to the colonies. It was known to every man that Scotland had contributed out of all proportion to her population to the building up of the em- pire. which genius, capacity and courage had created and maintained. MT. Cham berlain said:
 q do not regard this as a party meet ing. I am no longer a party leader. but an outsider. I do not think it right to raise any exclusive party issues, but after what has occurred since the meeting at Sheffield a word or two might be given me to say that though I am no longer a leader. I am still a loyal servant to the party. whose union and strength is es- sential to the welfare of the empire, and which had found leader whom every member may bG proud to follow"
 High Praise for Balfour.
 The sneaker paid the highest tribute to Mr Balfour. with whose principles and noIicies he fully agreed, and said he ad- Tnired the courage and resource withwhich tha Premier had faced difficulties unsur- nassed in political history MT. Cham berlain continued:
 s'It seems as though, In this country. there has always been men who do not know the meaning of loyalty and friend ship. To them I say that nothing they may do will have the slightest influence or affect in the slightest de gree the friend ahin and confidence existing between the Premier and myself. To my friends and supporters in the great struggle on which have entered, say-give no encourage ment to mean or libellous insinuations, for in no conceivable circumstances will allow myself to be in any sort of compe- fition. direct or indirect, with my friend and leader.
 .'I have invited discussion on a ques- tion peculiarly within my province owing in my past life and the office I so recently held.
 Taking up the position of a pioneer. I 20 in front of the army. If the army Is attacked, I will return to 1t. l aD always an optimist. It is possible that the nation may be prepared to go further than the official program.
 Not Matter for Controversy.
 q now ask the question, Is it so pre- pared? Great Britain, in the past has played a great part in the worlds his- tory I desire her to continue and see the realization of the great ideal of an empire such as the world has never seen. If that is 70 be attained. Jais matter should be treated on its merits without any personal feeling or bitterness ano without entering on questions of pureiy party controversy.
 The late Colonial Secretary alluded C the recent visit he paid to Venice. when he found the Campanile, which had stood for centuries, and which when he pre- viously visited Venice, seemed as per manent as the city itself, now a mass of ruins. He continued:
 q do not say that I anticipate such C fate for the British Empire. out I do say that I see signs of decay, cracks anC crevices showing that the foundations art not broad and deep enough to sustain it Am I wrong to warn you? Is it mol strange and inconsistent that the same people who indicted the Government foI it's unpreparedness in the South Afr1car war should now denounce me ia language equally extravagant, because I want te prepare you for a struggle so serious that If we are defeated the country will lose its place arnong the great nations, a struggle which we are invited to meet with antiqu ated methods and tactics:" Some Statistics.
 Adducing statistics, MT. Chamberlain contrasted the moderate increase of 2 l.: per cent. in the export trade of GreaI Britain and the increase of 30 per cent. IT her population since 1872, with the enor' nous increase of trade in the Unitcc States and Germany, and he asked how che country could expect to support Its