New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-06
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
AFFAIRS IN ENGLAND.
Birmingham the Centre Of NesO
Tariff Policies.
ospecll to The New-York Tribune by French Cabie.i
Copyright: 1904: By The Tribune Association)

which 10 date a>~dispatch on the eve OF
che American election It is the centre Of the
new tariff policies. which advocated here
because the success Of the protection in
america and Germany has placed the Free
Traders on the defensive in England and con-
WINGED the followers OF Mr.. Chamberlain that
change in Cobden's fiscal system is inevitable
THE influence of the tariff reform leader may
have declined momentarily in Scotland and the
North of England, but it remains unimpared in
the Midlands His partisans do not deny that
he will be defeated at the next general election.
hut they remember how good a politician he is
and know what is going on in Conservative
councils throughout the kingdom. and that
there will not be more than a dozen Free Trad
srs on the Opposition side in the next Parlia-
rnent when Lord Rosebery the Duke Of Dew
onshire is Prime Minister.
From the Birmingham point of view the
silt of the Canadian elections, where both par
ties were committed TO the principle of prefer
snce and there was choice between represen-
tative party leaders, was less important than the
American elections, where the nation is asked
N reverse its policies when the world is con-
,e-ted 10 them. Mr.. Parker's doctrine that the
tariff enables its benehcaries TO form trusts
and combinations and stihe domestic COM
retition is not understood in Birmingham There
Is no lack of industrial combinations at this
moment in free trade England. The steel
makers of Scotland and the North Of England
are carrying out agreement for a division
If territory and TO advance prices, and as the
Alidlands iron and steel trade is exposed to de-
structive competition, there will probably be de-
fensive measures here and ultimately national
organization 10 prevent dumping from one Sec
ton Of the country on another.
There is a prospect of a strong combination
nv the big steel concerns on the Continent and
4. Great Britain 10 prevent the disastrous effects
- dun7ping Prices have already been raised
nv the English and Scottish steel combine. and
zybile the American iron trade is reported to be
irproying with the favorable prospect of Pres
isent Roosevelts election, German competition
has become more formidable through the adop-
ton of more scientific selling arrangements
Birmingham knows that combinations are
formed under free trade and that Mr.. Parker's
argument that the reduction of duties is a
measure Of justice to consumers does not hold
II has also grasped the truth that the British
eyport trade to America, Germany and the rest
Of the Continent has been and is conducted by
dumping processes. The Free Traders deny
that there are special prices for export trade
AID tariff reformers contend that all the dump
ing is done by America and Germany against
England, but the manufacturers and merchants
IN the Midlands are not deceived by the polemics
Of the fiscal questi1l.
They understand that IN free trade England
there are market prices for home trade and spe-
cial discount lower prices and more favorable
terms for export trade TO America and Ger
many Not only is the United Kingdom plas-
tered over with trusts and combinations, as Mr..
Blaine used 10 say, but British goods are sys-
tematcalIy dumped upon foreign markets at
prices 90 and sometimes 40 per cent lower
than market prices, and often below the cost
Il manufacture, for the sake of keeping factories
going. Mercantile Birmingham smiles when tod
that there are 70 trusts and dumping Of
prices under free trade and that Mr.. Parker
expects to straighten out everything in Amer
ica by reduction Of tariff rates
While the Liberals are rejoicing the de-
feat Of the tariff reform candidate in West
Monmouth. Sir William Harcourt's Welsh
stronghold, the free food Tories have lost their
only London daily newspaper. Arthur Pearson.
the purchaser Of The Standard is Familiarity
known in Birmingham as "Joe's pet hustler"
Re owns two papers in Birmingham, two in
Newcastle, one in Leicester and by his fresh
purchase OF the The Standard" with both
morning and evening editions, has a string
Of four London journals. He is Mr.. Chamber
lains chief adjutant in the Tariff Reform
League and organizes all the work done in the
London provinces. The Standard" has been
the only Tory or Unionist journal TO stand out
against the tariff policy. 1t has opposed
Nj. Chamberlain fearlessly and rallied about
It the small group OF free traders on the gov
eminent side in Parliament and larger group
Of rich peers and great fnanciers in the city.
The Standard" has now been captured by
ne Terfe ~eScr Tnrge itre
LORD Hugh Cecil Lord George Hamilton and
Lord Goschen will have no Unionist organ ex-
oept The Spectator once a week. Mr.. Bal
-FOUR IS the only hope Of the free trade Unionists.
Trey know how clever q tactician he is, and
have been saying since his remarkable exhibit
ton Of power IN the recent Russian crisis that
ne IS strong enough TO beat Mr.. Chamberlain.
and protection, too. They choose to assume
that he and the Birmingham leader differ in
their views Of fiscal policy, but everybod here
IL touch with Highbury is convinced that the
TWO statesmen viii stand together in the Oppo-
fltlon when the Liberals come in, and that Mr..
baHour will return to power finally as a tariff
reform Prime Minister
What the tariff reformers here fear is that
MI Balfour's health may break down. He is
now laid up with phlebitis, to which there is
an Inherent tendency in the Balfour family,
Do1A he and his brother Gerald, having SUI
Tered from clots Of blood in the veins. Sir
Lawrence Alma-Tadema had a similar attack.
put after a long convalescence at the seaside is
nov painting IN his studio Sir Thomas Elliot.
permanent Secretary Of the Board of Agricult-
uTe, has been laid up several months in the
hospital and the country with clots OF BLOOD
IN both legs. Mr.. Balfour's attack is much less
serious. but viii involve the abandonment of
political and social engagements for a long
period