Evening star., 1904-03-16
A LULL IN THE FIGHT
Welcome Slump in the Eng
lish Tariff Campaign.
END NOT IN SIGHT
METHODS EMPLOYED By PRoTEC-
TIoNIsTS AND FREE TRADERS.
General Election at This Time Feared
for the Reason That the Irish Mem
bers May Obtain the Control.
END NOT IN SIGHT
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

| Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
LONDON, March 8, 1904.
| With the outbreak Of the Russo-Japa-
| nese war and the departure Of Mr.. Cham
| beriain for Egypt came slump in the Eng
| lish tariff campaign most welcome to the
| press and the politicians The vigor with
which this campaign was carried on from
| its inception at Birmingham by Mr.. Cham
| berlain'S dramatic announcement of a new
| departure was something amazing, and
within three months almost every device
and every argument on one side or the
| other had been paraded before the British
| public. In fact, the committee which was
responsible for the protection propaganda
| worked so hard as to overdo the matter.
and even had nothing occurred to divert at
| tention from the question. there would Of
| necessity have been a reaction by this time.
The Chamberlain people were fortunate in
having an excuse for Stacking up their
campaign of education. The war situation
| now having resolved itself into an appar-
| emily isolated struggle between Russia and
Japan. and the Bulgarian war clouds hav-
| ing dispersed, tariff matters will shortly
come to the front again. By mutual con-
| sent the opposing factions seem to be rest
ing on their oars until Mr.. Chamberlain s
| return. which Is timed for about the middle
| of April
| A Breathing Spell.
| This breathing spell offers an opportunity
to review the work accomplished, and pos
sibly arrive at some approximate idea of
where the British public now stands. When
the tariff campaign is resumed there will
be more method and less heat in the con-
| troversy, but 40 impartial observer can
| fail to reach the conclusion that 1t Is to be-
| come finally a struggle to the death be-
| tween the extreme free traders and those
who are willing to attempt the experiment
| of colonial preferentials and a sufficiently
| protective tariff to enable England to bar
! ter with foreign nations for trade privileges
| for her exports.
| The party in power, presumably more or
| less friendly to Mr. Chamberlain's point of
| view, has been supported in parliament by
| good majority, but many members voted
| with Mr.. Balfour who are not protectionists
IN any sense of the word. 1t was made a
party question upon general lines rather
| than a division upon protection and free
| trade. The effect of this vote has been to
| postpone the final test, and 1t seems to be
| now generally believed that strong effort
| will be made to prevent putting the ques-
| ton in its finality before parliament at this
session. 1t is unsafe to predict, however,
that this will be the outcome, for Mr.
Chamberlain possesses enormous influence,
and carrying with him, as he does, very
large faction of his own party. he may see
| fit to drive the matter home at the earliest
possible opportunity.
Advantage to the Irish.
One reason why a general election is
| dreaded at this particular time Is the be-
! lief that it will give the balance of politi-
| cal power into the hands of the Irish MEM
bers. So far as it is possible to make any
estimate of the protection or free-trade
strength, the majority of one over the other
would be exceedingly small. The irish
members openly declare their indifference
to the outcome so far it concerns the
fiscal policy of the nation. They are for
Ireland first last and all the time, and
are waiting for bids for their support.
Should a general election result in fairly
even division between the protectioniSts and
free traders, the Irish element In parlia-
ment would have within it's power the max
ing or unmaking OF any government. This
in brief, means home rule, and many warm
supporters of Mr.. Chamberlain policy de-
plore the prospect of a general election at
this time for fear it would result finally in
the triumph of home rule for Ireland.
conservative Irish gentleman and land
owner, who is an outspoken advocate of
protection for British industry, has declared
that he would be willing to vote against it
If by so doing he could prevent the balance
of power from falling into the hands of the
Irish nationalists Home rule In Ireland
would mean the same thing to us as
sweeping Tammany victory would mean to
New York. 1t would mean no government
at all of the right kind"
Independence in Politics.
English politics are so involved and party
lines have become so blurred that even the
most expert politicians acknowledge their
| utter inability to arrive at an intelligent
estimate of public opinion at this time. Mr..
Gladstone is credited with having destroyed
the party organizations of the country,
with having created an enormous floating
vote upon which it Is difficult to place any
estimate prior to an election. Party fealty
hos a rnn diSaprrAarQd among the OF
| the English voters. Each voter has become
an independent unit with individual opin-
| ions which can be Influenced Or swayed by
| conditions or arguments, with the result
| that the word party now has little or no
meaning. This not only makes it difficult
| to estimate public sentiment, but it affords
| ample opportunity for propaganda and in
| telligent argument, condition highly cred
| liable to the reasoning power of the En-
glish voters.
Campaign Work Contrasted.
The campaign worker in the United States
| finds his task a simple one. An appeal to
patriotism. party loyalty. the support Of
men of recognized ability and administra-
| tions of accomplishment is the keynote of
his speeches. When he faces an audience,
| it is. as a rule, entirely sympathetic. The
| republican addresses republican crowds
| The democrat talks to democratic gather
| ings. His arguments are greeted with
cheerS ana applause, anu with d iAei WdN-
| ing of the American flag to the accompani-
! ment of a vigorous band, he can hold a
| highly successful political meeting without
seriously taxing his mentality.
The British politician, on the other hand
faces crowd which, at the best, is evenly
divided for and against him. In heated
| campaign he Is considered rather fortunate
| If he escapes being pelted with decayed veg
| etables, and riots in and around the halls
where his meetings are held are of very
| common occurrence. The British working
man is very shrewd, and at times ire
pressible Individual Questions from the
| audience frequently interrupt the speaker
| and a set speech is Of little account under
| such circumstances. A successful reply is
| quickly recognized not only by the speak
| erss followers, but by the neutral element