Amador ledger., 1906-03-16

Chamberlain's protection policy was
source of never failing inspiration
for the free trade caricaturists. The
Liberals gave an initial exhibit in the
National Liberal Club, London, foI
the benefit and guidance of the party S
candidates and agents.
The LahoriteS, or the working
mans party, got out only few post
ers. They have little money to spend
for campaign purposes unless it is fur
nished them by one of the big parties
which wants them to pull votes from
the other side. This time the Liberals
contributed to the Labor funds.
The Unionist-C t-Conservatives had the
wittiest posters. A big favorite
showed the new Campbell-Bannerman
cabinet recoiling in horror at the en-
trance of Lord Roseberry, who has fire.
quently played the part of political
wrecker. The best Unionist shots
were directed against the Liberal
leaders (who is always referred to
as "C-B') suspected bribery of the
Irish National party piloted by Mr.
John Redmond. For some time past
Mr.. Redmond has been a masterful
man-on-the-fence, leaning to which
ever side promised Home Rule and
other plums for Ireland A humorous
poster represents John Bull in his
best clothes, bouquet in one hand
and a key labeled "Office" in the
other, waiting at the church door. He
is Mortified at the sight of his bride
Mrs. Liberal Party, with the face of
C-B, a bouncing widow who has
brought her little son of Irish extrac-
tion with her. The cartoon is entitled,
Little Johnny would come" Still an
other poster represents the dilemma
of Mrs. Liberal Party-an uncompli
mentary portrait of C-B as an irritat
ed old lady who finds her unruly Irish
adopted an embarrassing and noisy
handful that she sincerely wishes did
not belong to her. A protectionist
poster that would appeal to Ameri-
cans is labeled, Help, in the Kings
name" and shows John Bull being
slugged and robbed by the pickpocket-
ing nations, Germany making off with
British work. tools and gold, while
Mr.. Chamberlain as a London police
man, armed with the club of Retalia-
tion, leads the colonies to the rescue.
The Tariff Reform League contrib
uted to the Unionist collection post
or called "the Parrot" whereon that
feathered folly sits perched above the
door of the Golden Club and with one
warning claw upraised, parodies 'The
Raven"
While Mr. Joe" Chamberlain's ad-
by the Liberals, Mind, Arthur, not a
word about the fiscal question. Stick
to Home Rule" was carefully fol
lowed by the Unionist-C Conservative
followers of those gentlemen, the op-
POSITIONS posters were largely devoted
to repeating the cry of the Parrot,
Your food will cost you MORE" and
worked every pictorial variation pos
sible on the free trade VS.. protection
argument.
The Hanky-Panky Government was
the biggest hit on the Liberal hoard
ings. 1t represented Mr.. Balfour as a
sleight-of-hand artist who, having ca
joled his hat from John Bull, proceed
ed to take out of it the goose and rab-
bits of unpopular legislation, which
Mr.. Chamberlain supplied from be
meath the tcN1a. to the evident
amusement of the prestidigitator, who
frankly owned that he was quite sure
the gentleman who loaned him the h2t
had no idea what was inside of it. :"
Liberal wit. reached it's zenith with a
caricature of Sir John Millais's paint
ing, Bubbles" which showed Mr.
Chamberlain anxiously blowing the
bubble promises of protection benefits
and watching them burst.
Notwithstanding all the prominence
given the tariff question in the post
ers, however, it cannot be said to
have been a live issue in the English
General Elections. Mr.. Chamberlain
himself anticipated defeat, because
the old party during its long term of