New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-03
THE COLONIAL COUNCIL.
Wr. Winston ChurchiU's CandOr and
Good Sense.
LONDON. February "a.

,.,,,r,e for commanding attention for his ear
pe- poltical adventures, sobTiety OF judgment
bas been Inc guarantee that he is mt Tor ofhciai
-os.,oneilIlitjes. Even if the Nationalist had
81, made determined effort 10 exclude MN
s-o-, the Irish Office his retention as Under
e,,~a,trv Of the Colonial Office was indispeD-
.of1e The Liberal government needs I'm The
,,,,rocr,s a resourceful 6ebater with sympa-
.bo,io mind as well as comprehensive knowledge
~ tbo empire whenever colonial questions are
raised Nj Churchill has shown himself the
tost eouipped minister for emergencies Of de-
late on South African questions: and he is now
s-nrosc ching the Colonial Conference With eleTa-
,ior of mind and statesmanlike sagacity OR
-. so-ias If sreeches delivered on the amend
,nent 10 the address in favor OF colonial prefer
.,ce his was the most straightforward Logi-
cal pc was Nj Ronar Laws appeal for fiscal
reform. and adroit was Mr.. Balfours re-
..sta,,,e,r Of his views as leader Of the Opposi-
,,,v which could never hope to return 10 power
Nth "a rolicv Of negation. evasion and equivo-
cation Mr. ChurchilI's was the speech which
VAS essentially truthful. The colonies may
want preferential trade ana an imperial zoll-
,eroin; but there is one thing that they value
above everything in their relations With the
mother country. This is plain spoken candor;
sos they get 81 from Mr.. Churchill.
when challenged 10 show cause why the
q
,unitv Tor promoting froer trade within the
o-onire and closer commercial relations with
the colonies on a preferential basis, Mr.. Church
III asserts that neither The prelniers nor the
Colonial OaiCe viii enter the conference with
omen minds They win take MP practical ques-
lions which are considered ready for settle
,aert. and .viu have their work cut out for them
within precise and definite limits. Colonial
preference IS not one n these questions. The
country pronounced against il in the general
elections. Tho Liberal party is opposed 10 it
OIL economic grounds. because il involves the
taxation ~ food. The government also rejects
r. on political grounds because Il would not
weld the constituent states OF the empire TO-
Fether but cause friction and discord. Mr.
Churchill expresses this view with downright
honesty. as he is bound 70 do when the sell
governing dependencies Of the empire are send
.ng their preIniers 10 London for an important
conference II there were illusions when Mr.
Chamberlain was a political missioner and the
T-nionst party was converted 10 the gospel Of
preferential trade there could not be any mis-
conceptions after the general elections. The
liberal government was not commissioned 70
;ake W Mr. Chamberain's ideas and TO dis
cuss them with the colonial premiers It con-
siders the framing Of an equitable system Of
colonial preference absolutely impossible. Mr..
Churchill declares that ii Will rather than good
feeling would be caused by processes OF bar
gaining ard haggling over a uniform system Of
preference. He also shows how dangerous It
would be 10 carry colonial affairs into every
local election IN the kingdom and TO make them
the dominating issues OF financial discussion
whenever a budget was introduced in the Com
mons. The colonies may not be convinced that
the government policy IS the right one. but they
VIII honor the young minister. Who takes them
into his confidence and tells them without equiv
poation the truth about the conference
Mr.. Churchill while excluding preferential
trade from the work OF the conference finds
an abundance Of occupation for the premiers
attending 81. The proposals are not stated in
detail, but evidently an approach is 10 be made
20 an administrative council. IN which all por-
lions OF the empire can be represented. 1t may
be only meagTe beginning. such as repre-
ssntation of the leading colonies on the Com !
Inittee Of Imperial Defence or ct may be prof.
ect for annual council, in which colonial |
questions shall be discussed with permanent (;
oficials in Downing Street. Imperial fedora /
ton without doubt IS as remote as an imperial /
Eollverein; but recent experience has shown l
that collective seton IS ineffective when there
.s no representative council for the empire +
How much blood and treasure would have been
spared IN South Africa ~ there had been an /
imperial council IN touch with questions which
Commons allowed the pro-oonsul on the ground
10 decide, When the crisis OF war came
ana there was a supreme struggle 10 prevent
TIE loss Of empire, how much more effective
would have been the military reinforce
merits from Canada, Australia and New Zealand
y there had been a council common 10 the !
mother country and its loyal dependencies!
There are many questions which can be dis
eussed 20 great advantage at the Colonial Con-
ference, and the programme already outlined +
Offers proof that Lord Elgin, without striving
70 make party capital out Of It, has opened the
way for a useful session OF exceptional I'm
portsnce Certainly this is a more respectful
method o. dealing with the colonial premlers
than that Of raising the issue OF preferential
fraoe, when the government IS committed
against Il by the action Of the general electo-
rate.
Ar. Churchill naturally has emphasized Nj
chamberlain's argument that there cannot be
preferential trade with colonies without taxa-
tion OF food He has ironically congratulated
Mr. Balfour and MI Bonar Law on rallying the
Opposition 20 the support Of taxes on bread
meat and dairy products. What basis on which
10 build The fabric q your empire" he has ex-
claimed He has warned his adversarles that
they have adopted policy which viii array
against the colonies the antagonism OF The
working classes IN England. This Is a formid-
able attack. and Mr.. Balfour with his usual
deEterity, has met il by widening the case for
tariff reform. His recent speeches have been
strong and persuasive, and are supplying the
Opposition with q constructive policy. He starts
With low tariff and shows that II IS necessary
rs means Of readjusting the burdens OF direct
and indirect taxation and financing various
schemes Of social reform. With tariff OF this
sort he contends that England viii be armed
With resources for defending its home industries
Ind charging its export trade. and incidentalIv