New-York tribune., 1903-06-11
DIANA AT WESTMINSTER.

Diana OF the Ephesians seems TO nave
changed her abode to Westminster Ihey are
having great time at st. stephen S brl'isn
legislators both Government and Opposition are
CRYING out with loud voices against Mr. Baiiour
and Mr. Chamberlain. But the sum and SUD
stance of the ciamor appears to be, GreaI -
Diana of the Ephesians,' That is to say, free
trade is sacrosanct The profane hands OF the
commonweal must not be laid upon it. Cob-
denism must be maintained, though the Empire
fall Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Thus ardent disciples of Mr.. Gladstone are
austerely condemnng Mr.. Balfour Tor not III
stantly disclosing to the House all the detaiis
of scheme which, Mr.. Balfour has mace
plain, is not TO be presented to TINS House iot
action or for considerations but is only to be
taken up by some future House, in case the
nation gives a mandate to that effect. But they
conveniently ignore the fact that Mr.. Gladstone
kept his great scheme for dsmembering the
En,pire p profound secret down to the very
moment when he laid it before the House Tor
immediate action-kept ii a secret not only from
the House which was to act upon it. but even
from, nearly all of his own ministerial col
leagues in the Cabinet which was nominaiiy 10
he resnonsible for it. Nevertheless, Great Is
Diana of the Ephesians!
Mr. Bryce one of the most authoritative Oh
the Opposition members, declares that MT
Chanaberlain's references to the American eA
ample In support of his proposals are erro
neous, because American prosperity is que
+o tho cbeanness of food secured by the Gus
toms union which prevails among the COM
moment States of the American nation NOW
Mr. Chamberlain is proposing similar Gus
toms union among the component states o.
the British Empire, and suggests that It might
have results like those In America NO. says
Mr. Bryce it would disintegrate the Empire
That which greatly holds the American ohioh
together. and which SO largely contributes 10
the solidarity Of the German Empire "oulu
cause disintegration Of the British Empire NO
explanation Of the anomaly Is Vouchsaleu pue
Great is Diana Of the Ephesians!
So it goes all along the line MI baiIour
and Mr.. Chamberlain present what seem to De
coeent. explicit and detailed arguments in ia
vor of a careful and deliberate consideration OF
+he ACCESSIBILITY of revision Of the fiscal system
on the reasonable ground that what was goou
fftv wears ago may not be the best possible
thing now in vastly altered conditions. Inc
onIy renly is that even the remotest cohsluela
tion of the question, not by the House VI
Commons but by the country at large - III
possibIe It is anathema maranatha' fiee
trade is not an open question. 1t Is d Co
iuqea" as was the Dreyfus case-untll wal
deck Rousseau came to Judgment, Great h
Diana Of the Ephesians!
Well. it is no particular business OF ours III
+his country Our British cousins are coilipe
tent to manage their own fiscal aHalrS win
out our aid, and they have just as inuOn
right to maintain free trade or TO esIapiisn
protective tariff as we have to DO 50. bu[ '11iN
tba American example has been invoked ana
stroo f+ evidently has largely inspired MI
rbomberIain in his Imperial Customs Union
oo,nnairn which he began eight years ago. 1t
1r,o,,1d bo gratifying to see the question DIS
o,,scad on IFS merits and to see Mr. Chamber-
lain,s arguments met with something more
logical and more convincing than the mere
reiteration of the cry, Great is Diana OF 'he
FnhesianSW