Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1903-09-24
CHAMBERLAIN Is OUT
BRITISH COLONIAL SECRETARY
RESIGNS HIS POSITION IN
eALFouR CABINET.


and Secretary for India Hamilton
Also Throw Up Their Portfolios.
Preferential Tariff in Favor Of the
Colonies the Direct Cause Of the
Ministerial Crisis.
London, Sept. 1S.-The official an
Eouncement of the resignation of Mc.
Chamberlain and two other members
Of the cabinet, was made late at night
at Downing street in the following
communication:
",The following ministers have ten
dcrcd their designations, which have
been accepted by the king: Right
Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, secretary
Cor the colonies; Right Hon. c. T..
Richie. chancellor of the eXchequer,
and Lord George Hamilton, secretary
for India"
Correspondence between Mr.. Cham
berlain and Premier Balfour is then
made public. among which is MI.
Chamberlain letter, dated Blrmlng-
ham, Sept. s, in which he sets fc:
his reasons for his resignation. An eX-
tremely interesting icatule Oh the let
ter is the following statement, con-
corning preferential tarit5:
For the present, at any rate, a
preferential agreement with our colo
MES involving any new duty, however
small on articles of food hitherto I'M
taxed, even if accompanied by leduc-
ton 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 the de-
cision, however mistaken we may
think it. no good government in a
democratic country can ignore it. l
feel, ii before. that as an immediate
practiv4. policy the question of prefer
ence 10 the colonies cannot be pressed
with any hope of success at the pres
ent time although there is very
strong feeling in favor of the other
branch of fiscal reform which woul,
give fuller discretion to the govern
ment in negotiating with foreign coun-
tries for freer exchange of commodi-
ties and which would enable our rep
resentatives to retaliate if no conces-
sion was made to our just demands.
Involve Constitutional Changes.
eff, as l believe, you share these
views, it seems to me that you will be
absolutely justified in adopting them
as the policy of your government al
though it will necessarily involve some
changes in it's constitution. AS secre-
tary for the colonies during the past
eight years l have been in a special
sense the representative of the policy
OF closer union, which l firmly be-
lieve to be equally necessary in the
interests Of the colonies and our
selves. believe it is possible today
and may be impossible tomorrow to
make arrangements for such a union.
have had uneYampled opportunities
of watching events and approaching
the feelings of our kinsmen beyond the
seas. stand. therefore, in different
position to any of my colleagues a
think that should justly be blamed
if | remained in office and thus for
mally accepted the exclusion from my
political programme of so important
part thereof.
81 think that with absolute loyalty
to your government and with no fear
of embarrassing it in any way, can
best promote the cause [ have at heart
from the outside. and cannot but
hope that in perfectly independent
position my arguments may be receiv-
ed with less prejudice than would at
tach to those of a party leader. Ac-
cordingly would suggest that you
limit the present policy of the govern
ment to an assertion of our freedom
in the case of all commercial relations
with foreign countries and that you
should agree to my rendering my resig-
nation OF my present office to his
majesty and devoting myself to the
work of explaining and populsrizing
these principles of imperial union
which experience has convinced me
are essential to our future welfare and
prosperity"