Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-13
posed. and I repeat that public sentiment
Is growing rapidly


Is growing rapidly
Where do the farmers stanl.'
The farmers are divided. like every other
class. They have no accepted policy, al
though they're unanimous In demanding
some form OF relief. They cannot settle
among themselves what they want. They
demand a duty on wheat and other bread
stQffs and provisions, but are 10. SO keen
about taxing manufactured goods. 1 think
human nature Is about the saLIe the
united kingdom as 1t Is in America and
other parts of the world. and you will find
our farmers are quite as eager to secure
advantages for themselves any other
class of the community. Great Britain Is
rot regarded as an agricultural country,
but more than 6,OO0.OOO Of our people are
engaged in farming. and they cast about
10000 votes. They are beginning to re-
alize that the wages Of the mechanic al
worlmen will be advanced by the protec-
ton of manufactured goods; that the pur-
chasing power Of the largest class Of con-
sumers will thereby be increased. and they
themselves will be indirectly benefited by
receiving better prices for their products.
I think fiscal reform sentiment is growing
rapidly among the farming community
isn't 1t rather singular that the labor
ing element In England should be so de-
termined against tariff reform. considering
that from a protection standpoint they ere
to receive the greatest benefit?'
Attitude Of the Laborers.
Yes, it Is strange that men will stand
III ILSlE OWH light, Dul lHc ldUOT people
are by no means unanimous against the
which Is certainly growing, appreciates
the danger of the invasion Of foreign goods
1t realizes that the conditions which the
workmen complain of very largely, If
not entirely. due to this unnatural and I'M
fair foreign competition and they favor
some form Of retaliation against it. They
are beginning to recognize that if it Is a
good thing to keep out alien labor 1t is
~ To Lnn ntIf fhn ,,otc
of alien labor. They want a preference
given to home Industries, but. at the same
time. they have innate prejudices which
1t seems almost impossible to overcome.
They have been brought up to believe that
free trade is the safest policy for an in
sular nation. They fear an increase in the
cost of living by placing a duty on i'm
ported goods, and lack confidence in the
prediction that it will increase their wages
to protect their employers against undue
foreign competition. They have not studied
the question. Few of them look on both
sides of it. Naturally the leaders of the
labor party, headed by John Burns, are OPP
posed to us, but since he went into the
cabinet he has not been assocating so
much with the labor party formerly.
AT the congress of delegations from labor
unions of the United Kingdom, recently
held at Liverpool. the tariff reformers were
not strong enough to pass a resolution, but
were more numerous than ever before.
They held separate meeting and recon-
menOeQ the aQOptlOn the Chamberlin
proposals to meet the changes needed in
the fiscal policy of the government The
resolution was proposed by delegates from
the paper makers union and pledges the
workmen to use every legitimate effort to
secure a revision of our tariff system on
lines laid down by Mr.. Joseph Cham
berlin. This was adopted with only one
dissenting vote. At previous congresses
the minority in favor of tariff reform has
never been so strong or so earnest There
ia nDiiht that WORKING ri
Interesting themselves on the subject and
are Etudying It more nationally. 1t Is also
APPARENT that they slowly coming
around At recent by-election at Cocker
mouth the union split and large faction,
mostly iron workers supported the tariff
reform candidate.
The Next Elections.
when do you have another election?"
I'VE expect another ction within two
years. 1t would seem impossible for the
liberals to continue in office longer than
that. They have very large and a very
majority in the house of COM
mons not easily subject to discipline. The
majority is out of all proportion to the vote
cast for the liberal candidates. Leaving
out the labor wing, the government is not
entitled to more than seventeen eighteen
majority. There is a great deal of d;ssen-
their purposes opinion and are splitting
up into factions. When the educational bill
is out of the way the differences will de-
veiop. and individual members will begin to
exercise their independent Judgment. There
is a good deal of tariff reform sentiment
among the liberals also. In Wales, which
was almost solid for the liberal candidates
at the last election, q large number of peo-
pie have pronounced themselves in favor
OF tariff reform
How is Mr.. Chamberlin's health ?"
He has twinges OF the govt now and
then. but is otherwise strong and well. No
mar In IA
vitality. notwithstanding his seventy
years"