New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-30

campaign. and his warnest admirers cannot
hide their chaEr:n and depression.
The Duke of Devonshire is renewing his youth
IN vigorous attacks upon Mr.. Chamberlain and
the protectionist cause. At Liverpool he has
been attempting to justify his passive attitude
toward the fiscal question while he in Office
with his present activity as an independent
leader. when the CabInet inquiry. instead Of be-
ing real and impartial has involved mass of
undigested statistics ar academical treatise by the
Prime Minister and a crusade by a minister
leased from the obligations Of Office" This
a futile effort. for the tariff reform movement
would have been deferred indefinitely if he had
resigned Office in the spring as protest against
the Chamberlain alfour fiscal inquiry. The
duke was more plausible when he suggested that
the House OF Commons ought to institute an
inquiry into the foundations Of British COM
merce and prosperity, and that it was audacious
to describe as a tariff commission a body of
business men who were personally interested in
the questions considered by them. He also made
an approach to originality when he described
Robin Hood and the merry of Sherwood
Forest as protectonists who took spoils from
the rich in order to give to the poor. whereas
protectionists of the Chamberlain type proposed
TO tax the poor for the benefit of the rich He
was particularly effective in his replies to some
of Mr.. Chamberlain's taunts that he aiding
and abetting the return of home rulers. passive
resisters. pro-Boers and Little Englanders and
that he was endeavoring to break up the Liberal
Unionist organization. He contended with I'M
answerable logic that home rule and every other
issue of recent politics had been shelved by the
protectiorist campaign, and that there was
never room in English politics for more than one
great movement. He also protested with vehe-
mence against Mr.. Chamberlain's attempt to d.
81 n-0l-
Unionist Association.
Where statesmen like the Duke Of Devonshire
fail IS in their forecasts OF their own timorous
and vacillating policy. He summed up the Of
hcial programme in the words. recovery OF the
power OF negotiation and retaliation" and.
while he did not profess to have Mr. Baltours
faith in the probable efficacy of measures OF this
kind he expressed mild approval OF the objects
in view. The duke prepared TO advocate
larger powers Of negotiation for the purpose OF
obtaining greater freedom of exchange. but he
not willing 10 impose any general tariff upon
imported manufactured articles The Chamber
lain press has replied at once that neither neso-
tiation nor retaliation is possible without n
tariff which can be enforced for the sake OF Sc
curing increased freedom OF exchange. The
free traders are logical enough when they follow
Mr. Cobden's lines and talk about free importing
and cheapness Of commodities as the supreme
interest of a nation of consumers. but they axe
contradicted by two generations Of experience
when they assume that powers Of negotiation
and retaliation are retained when the home mar
ket is opened to unrestricted foreign trade.
When they surrender their market to foreigners
they are unable 20 defend It by diplomatic meth
DDS Negotiation and retaliation lead directly
to colonial preference and the moderate taxation
of food. and this is the natural explanation Of
the anomaly that Mr.. Balfours supporters are
deserving him and rallying about MIR. Chamber
lain and proclaiming their loyalty TO the great
cause Of Imperialism. I. n. +.