The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-06-29
CHAMBERLAIN
IS ON TOP
Colonial Secrelarys Popularity At.
tested by Continental Club.
BALFOUR PRESENTS CASKET
Premier Declares Tint He and His
Fellow Minister Are on hest OF
Terms-PreferentiaI Taria
Idea Explained

London. June 27.-The Constitutional
club entertained Colonial Secretary
Chamberlain at luncheon and present.
ed him with an address inclosed Id a
casket in recognition Of his services to
the nation. Premier Balfour made the
presentation speech Referring to AR
Chamberlain's fiscal proposals. be said
Il would be absolute folly for the Con
servatiye Unionist party to make opin.
ions on economic questions a test OF
party loyalty The present economic
position of the country demanded the
most careful consideration. The coun.
try was now in the position Of an
aeronaut who kept his balloon i'm the
air BY throwing out sand bags That
was very proper course 50 long al
he possessed a sufaciency Of sand bags,
but when these were exhausted it was
time to reconsider the position. II
must not be supposed that because self.
government had been given to the col
onies these could be regarded as sep.
arate political entities. On the con.
trary, they were integral portions OF
the British empire The question at is.
sue was not new. but Mr.. Chamber
lain, more than any man, dead or iiv.
ing, had given life to the expression Of
the idea Of imperial unity.
Mr. Chamberlain received a remark.
able ovation when he rose to reply.
His hosts sang "For He's a Jolly Good
Fellow" and then cheered Mrs. Cham,
berlain, who was among the specta-
tors. The colonial secretary opened
his remarks with repudiating the sug-
gestions Of personal competition be-
tween himself and Mr. Balfour, re-
marking that he could not conceive
any occurrence that could shake the
political association and friendship ex.
listing between them He desired, on
the eve Of a great controversy, to pub.
licly state that he believed the leader.
ship Of Mr. Balfour was essential to
the success of the Unionist party. I'LL
the Unionist alliance was dissolved or
weakened, the home rule snake, which
was only scotched and not killed.
would again come to the front.
Only Way 10 Save the Empire.
Turning TO the problem occupying
the center of the political field, MT.
Chamberlain declared that the com.
mercial union Of the colonies would be
far more profitable than their political
union. 1t was not true that he had9
raised the cry Of preferential tariffs for
the benefitsof himself or OF the party,
but it was because there was no other
alternative TO a man holding his posi-
ton, and he believed that only thereby
could the empire be held together.
IN the inquiry about to occur, con
tinued the colonial secretary. all ques-
tons should be argued on their merits. /
A policy Of retaliation could Be better
described as policy Of negotiation.
The ministers would endeavor to break
down the existing wall Of hostile tar
IFS, and If they failed In these nego-
tiations they would endeavor to retain
for their own country the vast posi-.
bilities for production and opportunity
for employment the lack Of which was
now driving British subjects to foreign
lands, Great Britain wanted something
TO bargain with. During a long bust.
ness and political career he (Mr. Cham
berlain) had never been able to make a
satisfactory deal unless ne had some
thing to give as well as to receive. The
time was surely drawing near when d
decision must be reached on this ques.
ton But he was now speaking for
himself alone, and he did not ask any
one to commit himself to the accept
Hnce Of his views