New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-25
UNDER BIG BEN.
Char,6e7Iuins Policies Undersuitten
Government by Groups.
London. February IL.

policy. After exchange Of short letters De-
tween Mr.. Balfour and Mr. Chamberlain. the
IIalters and the Forwards have Joined forces
and the Backs a dwindling group OF Free
Fooders are left behind 10 find themselves Inc
ultimate fate OF the irreconcilable Free Trade
Unionists represented by seven Commoners IN
opposition and by Lord Hugh Cecil Sir John
Giorst Mr. BowIes and other defeated candidates
outside Parliament is uncertain With the
Duke OF Devonshire. Lord Goschen and other
peers TO lead them. they may maintain sep
arate organization although at the best IL VIII
resemble Arternus Wards regiment Of brtgadier
generals. There may be nth party OF Union
ist Free Traders ranking after the Nationalist
and Labor sections. but Il seems more probable
thar the stragglers win remain isolated ana
helpless for a few years. like the old guard OF
hidebound Protectionists among the Tories dur
ing half a century OF Free Trade. and that they
Will finally run TO cover on one side the other.
The Unionists. the other hand, are definitely
committed 10 fiscal reform. with general tariff
and q small duty on foOdstuffs the only prac-
;iosl method Of carrying out either Mr. Balfour's
or Mr. Cha-nberlain's policy. There will not be
q separate group OF Tariff Reformers. but a
united party. standing for a moderate tariff as
SIS first constructive work after its restoration
20 power.
The concordat between the Forwards and the
Falters has been arranged so easily that Union
lists ind difficulty in explaining why IT was not
done before the elections. II was as true then
as Il Is now that fiscal reform has involved
moderate revenue tariff, without which there
can be no negotiations for reciprocity, no re-
sources for retaliation no arrangements Tor
preferential trade with colonies Why has 1t not
been possible for Mr.. Balfour and MI Chamber
lain 10 agree upon definition OF policy at any
time during the last three years? This question
s1aC~ ThGNr
come together with so little trouble Possibly
,He most satisfactory explanation IS the critical
s,.+e OF foreign affairs and the perplexities Of
South African policy during the closing years
NJ me rrrionist government Until the end OF
the war in the Ear East and the renewal OF the
alliance with Japan, Mr.. Balfour may have con-
st6ered 81 q patriotic duty 10 keep the govern
,neut IN power and not 70 impair the Young
strength Of the majority by premature conces-
sions 70 the Tariff Reforners; and Mr.. Cham
bs-la,n after the war in South Africa must have
been influenced by hearty desire 10 have the
s-rengenents for self-government In the two
new colonies virtually ordered before general
election IN the United Kingdom. In consequence
~ -bass combinations In foreign and colonial
seesirs one statesman may have been more
cautious and the other less insistent In adVo-
eating the new tariff policy than either would
have been # the field had been clear Mhat-
ever may have been the motives or excuses TOT
,acillation and irresoluuon. the tactics were ex-
trarnelv bad and ended in disaster The neces-
si+,, for a constructive policy in rallying and re-
,ruiting the party is now clearly discerheo- MT
T}alfour consents 10 lead party irrevocaby
--,,,,+.s 70 Mr. Chanberlain's principles.
z,-,ar has Mr. Ralfour sacrificed in writing
letter which Mr. Chamberlain has accepted as
a complete and satisfactory exposition OF MS
own views? Not consistency. for. the two states
men have agreed from the outset on main pr1n-
ciules and have differed about methods and mat
tiers Of expediency. Mr. Balfour has not Tor
eaken his principles. He has abandoned his
attitude Of phiosophic doubt For three years
ne has been Influenced by his temperament in
rosing as an agnostic respecting Free Trade and
Tariff Reform. Now he knows his mind, has de-
aned his faith in a simple economic creed and
Is prepared to work out the salvation OF the
party. Starting afresh with practical basis
OF party reconstruction, he regains at once
much OF the prestige lost while he OPP
portunist leader calling halt in the middle OF
the field. On the other hand, what does Mr..
Chamberlain secure from the conference at
Lansdowne House? Not the leadership. which
would have impaired his authority disnter-
ested reformer What he gains is a policy OF
insurance against the abandonment OF his prin-
otples. Without the concordat the statesman
OF seventy would be watching the sands run
ming out OF the glass and be wondering whether
he also Ike Mr. Gladstone. has been destined
70 leave an unfinished work which no successor
can complete. With peace and harmony In the
household thu statesman OF fifty will go on
with Tariff Reform. whatever may happen 10 the
Missioner OF Empire. Mr.. Chamberlain has the
satisfaction OF knowing that while little progress
can be raads during the next four or five years
his cause has been taken UP by united party
and Underwritten against loss The insurance
IL more important since Tariff Reform inevita-
bly, VIII drop out OF discussion while the Lib
e-al government is raising a series OF new is
sues and carrying out highly controversial leg
.slstOn respecting the schools. the trades unions
taxation OF site values and other matters There
vii be long halt the Unionist side When
marching orders must be long deferred. how i'm
portant 81 is TO have the standard boldly IN
furled!
The number OF groups meanwhile has in
creased among the government supporters. The
Trades Unionists whose election financed
by the Labor Representation Committee. have
taken their seats the Opposition side as a
fourth party. under the leadership OF Mr.. Keir
Hardie. The old-tirne Trades Unionists. TO the
number OF twenty. have formed another group
with seasonal officers and q separate organiza-
ton There is also advanced Radical sec
tion, with Sir Charles Dixie as the chairman:
snd the Noncontormists. numbering a
hundred members, have also organized for ef-
sective work n securing q thorough revision of
the Education bin. The session has barely
opened and already the governments unnau-
sgeable majority IS breaking UP into factions
with policies OF their own TO be forced upon the
Prime Minister. and with resources OF intrigue
among themselves and with the NationaIists
Great is the authority OF a ministry which