New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-28
ENGLISH TARIFF REFORM.
III, Halt at the Fencc-Something
Worth Fighting For.

=. against Mr.. DalfcEr. although he is not
.-ra.hv wiki compromises and half meas
y Is easy 20 discern in his Birmingham
- gins Of lnspariclce and disappointment
,be rir7orcus policy of cxpediency ard de-
hr, Il IS also evident that lie does not con-
.~l7fe 4 Sudden raid upon the waverars and
=. hearts who have taken their stand upon
- ..,ce ard raised the Uriontst flag above
MI Balfour hel,ed half way himself
.t,rob he WAS convinced that M Chamber
= Gas right on the main issue. and when II
,o- necessary for The Prime Minister'S
~.-ye-s 10 commit themselves TO the una1t thor
u nrogralrIne MANY Of them found Il con-
- 70 salrz the responsI5illty q reaching a
s.-,sioa CT the tariff question. 1-r. Chamber
4. r.marks biuntly that ii is poor pol.cy ana
-. morality for men 70 remain on the fence.
!. roreover. that battles are Won with en-
'-ss~n ana got wi.h caution and dread or
--sz0Yencss. ard tEe DISASTROUS consequences
j, ,--.solu,ion and yaclllauoa 90 not tempt hi.a
: 1-sak away from the recognized leader Z
.s,s-+v He remains IN touch with The main
- nut l-eers his own flag fying wei IN
advance
there are suspicious people Who cannot be
orinoed that Ar Ba-1oU- and Mr. Chamber
~ are devoted friends and loyal associates. A
- sen there were those who imagined that
- prime Minister vas bent urOn downing"
=, chsusberlaia. and th@c the privilege classes
-, anxious 70 have the leader % Tor LcIoe-
-, bunla.a.eE There wece Radicals. also
- insisted that 2f-. ChamberlaiE aSp.red %
=. Premiership and thai re was secretly
-io.,,nr against 1Ir. B2lfsar. Echoes Of these
.,,,,,tYous charges are stl. hearo III The Com
--,,e and in the clut-. The closest friends %
- statesmen agre4 rha- there has been TO
z-oupd Tor susuls-a-s Of this nature. Ar
7so,sou- and NJ Chamberlain heVe been sincere
IN heir professions Of friendship and co-opera-
,,,n and neither is capable - dlssoyalty or
.rsscbsrv Il The other. They differ II temper
ar1eut and force Of cha-acte-. lur have been
equally honorable in trusting ana supporting
each other. M Ba-f1u- undertook 4 year aEo
70 keep che government and the party together.
and 10 preveut q premature collapse Of the IN
ionlst coalition. ana Nj Chamberlain admitted
nat This course was eXpecient and that the
court-y was not prepared for a sudden revolt
ton IN economic policy. The Prime Minister'S
critics say he has r.s-ed i not sacrificed, his
reputation Is q selt-respecu7g party leader
an6 exposed himself 70 the raproach Of
indecision and .inoTous OFporrur!s-n, hut
he has succeeded in eEectiIg TWO reOrgaD-
izations q the government and in pre-
venting TIE overthrow OF The Ua!onis,s. Mr..
Chamberlain or .he other hand, volunteered TO
conduct q tariff reform campaign outside Par
lament and 10 convert the country 10 true and
consistent imperialism. 1dr. BalfoU-. having the
easier task. has been more successful than Air.
Chamberlain. but he has not trtumphed over
his associate nor has lie deliberately placed
any obstructons in the way Of tariff reform for
q united empire He has held the party to-
gether while the Imperial Missioner was ex-
planning his work and seeking 70 educate the
country.
Instead Of intrigue and disoyalty. there has
been ziscalculation- That is probably the real
explanation OF the present block Mr.. BaIfour
IN his easerness to keep the government IL
dice and 10 defer premature dissolution OF
Parliament. has given tiraid and cautious fol-
lovers an excuse for inacrion. The fence
has been q refuge for straggiers and weak
Hngs There has been = halt il the centre
Of me field and M Chamberlain. skirrishlag
long way IL advance, has not been ABLE %
pull the main body after him. Mr. Balfour
has counteracted M. Chamberlain's movement
without intending 70 do So He has r-assed his
forces a. the fence, and there they are. Mr.
Chamberlain intended thai the party should
march in the direction OF the skirnlsaers
tut / has not done SO. There i no hint from
hin that be considers himself betrayed. yet he
admits that 4 VIII be difficult. Il not iuposs,-
be 10 have tariff reform as = distinct issue g.
ne next general election ana he suggests THAI
Il nay be reserved for a second appeal 10 the
country after a short Liberal .nterre gn I'm.
This IS Z confession thai so large a BODY OF Lio-
esa Lnionists and Conservatives has halted
1-cway al the fence that II must he defeated
iaese before IL car be rallied and recognized
tor a. aggressive campaign.
re political situation can be APPLY Illustrated
g eoctsos- ST. Robert Peel was Prime Min
1s WIEN nature. working BY famine and the
-Aa1e CT the potato crop. reinforced The Anti
ec2 Law League and comp el'ed him u take
y CohceE's principles. Es did Ior co1teL-
as1'set with u Ealf measure. like the Temporary
'ps-lng q lr.sh ports tOr fcodstuGs from every
eoaA'ry. Re proposed the repeal Of TIE corr
Avn, and sc-e- recognizing MS Ministry car
'se he Measures which Golden had been aL-
.0c-laag. T.. D.sraeL al1 Lord George Ben
~-'cA Led Prctectcn!st revoI: against him
sA- joined the Irish members in publishing hi1-
- aA conversion 10 Free Trade and for crush
''s Oconnel.; but LIS leadership was powerful
I'D elective, and he won his ranE among the
ei0"sS' prime ministers IN English political
'o'.' even . be broke Up his party tempo
--s- NJ Balour had TIE opportunity for re-
S-''1-g SIP Robert Peers achievement when TIE
s-1auol o. fiscal reform was raised. but he con
- x more important 10 keep his followers
10Y ihc1 to lead Ihern. he announced his
ssoh 10 Mr. Cham berlaIn's policy, bur
tsss halt measures which were uncchviIe-
@Au ei4story- and there was halt n the
-sat III. parry has been saved from pre-
eo-apse. bUt Z il d1screditeG IL tao
- -" sna 2 al. Bal1oUr IS ever 70 be NUM-
-, ~aotE the great English prime minis
~ e las 10 make material additions 10 his
- Up 70 this date. II The present mo-
1s Political crisis he has not acted f1ly
-, 4ss convictions Ike fearless and real
o. public opinion He has halted