The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-06-18
CHAMBERLAIN TRIUMPHS.
PREMIER BALFOUR STANDS BY
 COLONIAL SECRETARY.
A Thorough Investigation to bo Made With Regard to Preferential Trade Government WIIi Not Shrink from Retaliation if There Is No Other Rsmedy-The Colonies.

Rsmedy-The Colonies.
 London, June 1.-The whole evening session of the House of Commons to- day was occupied with the discussion of motion to adjourn made by the Liberal leader, Sir Henry Campbell Zimmerman, in order to obtain further light regarding the governments posi- tion on the preferential tariff question. The motion was finally rejected by 252 votes to 132. While the opposition was scarcely more successful than hereto fore in drawing the government into a discussion on the general scheme of preferential trade within the empire Premier Balfour and Colonial Secretary Chamberlain both emphatically de- clared that the government of New South Wales was under no misappre- hension regarding the attitude of the home government, and in fact the cab
 inet as a whole thoroughly agreed with the sentiments of Vice Admiral Lawson, governor of New South Wales, whose dispatch concerning the attitude of the New South Wales government was the cause for to-day's debate. MT. Balfour declared that he had nothing to withdraw or to modify in the speech referred to. The matter was taken up again at the evening session,
 when MT. Balfour, after reading Vice Admiral Lawson's dispatch, said that, with regard to preferential trade, the cabinet were at one with the govern ment of New South Wales in desiring a thorough investigation. He denied en- phatically that the government had raised any false hope in the colonies. The only chance whereby the colonies might regard their hopes as false would
 be if the opposition assumed power and carried out their implied intention to abandon the colonies to the trade dis I'crimination of the whole world.
 Sir Charles Dilke having referred to the premier's statement as momen- tous one, committing the government to a policy of retaliation which was a di- rect step towards avowed protection, MT. Balfour retorted that he had not said a word about retaliation, but he
 would not shrink from retaliation if he were satisfied that there was no other method.
 MT. Chamberlain then arose and re- ferred to Germany's action towards Canada as a proof that there was hos tile discrimination against colonies. He did not blame Germany so long as the British policy was to lie down under that featment. Then endorsing the pre- mier's statement regarding retaliation the colonial secretary expressed his con- fidence that Germany would not com- pei Great Britain to consider retaliatory measures, but if it did he would say with MT. Balfour that it was the gov ernment's duty to find a remedy. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerma S motion was then rejected.
 The result of to-days debate is recog- nized as a great personal triumph for Mr. Chamberlain. The intention of the liberals was to drive wedge between the colonial secretary and the premier who has endeavored throughout to maintain a non-committa1 attitude to- wards the preferential tariff proposals. Instead of attaining this aim, the effect of the debate was to drive MT. Balfour llltO the COlOilldl SeCIcldfy dIILS dill practically commit the government to policy of retaliation. A feature of the situation was the changed attitude of the conservatives towards MT. Cham berlain. In previous debates on the same subject MT. Chamberlain was treated with a certain degree of cool ness; tonight on the contrary, he was greeted with ringing cheers throughout his speech and he himself wore the brisk and satisfied air of man ,foreseeing his triumph.