New-York tribune., 1909-01-10
UN[ON[ST POLICY
Tariff Reform Without a Great
FfRdnCaer.


What may he described as still hunt FOR
hnencier is now going on among the Tarin he
formers They confidently expect to return 10
power as soon az there is a general election ana
they are convinced that their success or failure
will depend upon the presence of a hnancier OF
constructive genius at the Treasury. VINO VIII
succeed Mr.. Lloyd-Georse as Chancellor OF the
Eychequerf That is the question whlch the
Tariff Flsfosrners are anxious1y debating among
themselves. end there are not many promising
candidates in sight on the Opposition slde Oh 'ue
Commons. Perhaps it has been one or Ma ba'-
fours faults leader that he has Kept tho
rising young men in the background ana MN"
self alled the centre Of the stage. He has not
been Jealous OF his colleagues, nor mas he
dreaded intrigues against his authority. He has
fascinating manners and a loyable personality
and he Is incapable of taking an unfair ad-
vantage of An ambitious follower. II he has not
allowed men behind him TO speak as oIleh aS
they would have liked, it has been because ne =
a practical debater himself, and has peen uhaoio
p, look on in silence while subordinates were
doing badly what he could do hinseI Win u0N
terity The Unionist benches have been Dau
school FOR debaters The leader h1mseh mas hot
known his own mind on financial policies. and
he has had no lieutenant in training for the
n1omentous work of transforming the fiscal sys-
tenn
In the House Of Lords, IL Is true, there are
several eminent fnanciers of constructive genius
Lord Croner is greatest among them, but he Is
q Free Trader with an unalterable pre1udlce
against Tariff Reform. Lord Curzon mas not
committed himself irrevocably to either side ot
this highly controversial question, and as neu-
trsi does not command confidence. Lord Miner
is a convinced Tariff Reformer, but as a mem
ber Of the privileged house is an Impossible can
didate for Chancellor OF the Exchequer. II there
were statute enabling a peer TO stand for cleo
ton for the Commons he would be the man TOT
the emergency, for he has had practical expert
ence as & hnancier in Egypt and South Africa,
and knows Somerset House from top to bottom
Not even Lord Rosebery's committee in Its pro
posals for the reform of the upper house mas
been willing to give a peer the option OF a seat
in the Commons Lord Miners disqualification
is q serious misfortune for the Tariff Reformers
While not fluent debater, he is a thinker ana
an expert in the science of administration
Probably it he who converted MI Chsm-
berIain to fiscal reform when they were together
In South Africa after the Boer war. Certainly
there Is no other statesman on the Unionist side
so well prepared to take UP the revision of direct
and Indirect taxation and to work out the prob
lens Of new sources OF revenue, colonial pref
erenca imperial federation and retaliatory tar
ifs.
Since Lord Milner is not available, the Tar1n
Peforrners must hunt for their great fnancier in
the Commons, and the outlook Is not promising.
Only three candidates are mentioned-Mr Aus
ten Chamberlain. Mr.. wyndham and Mr Bonar
law. The late Unionist Chancellor OF the Ex-
cheouer, by virtue Of previous service ana ms
sather's name. would seem to have the best
claim for consideration. Mr.. Gladstone comph-
mented his maiden speech: he is personally pop
uIar for his manners are not uppish. but are un-
affected and sincerely courteous and he honors
bis father as the greatest living statesman. and
is loved In return. It was thought that the son
would rise to full stature when no longer over
.hadowed by the father, but he has not oone So
On the Opposition benches he has not Oeen either
q striking figure or an effective debater. He Is
not a man OF commanding force, capable OF
bringing In q new system of finance ana Oh re-
adjusting TO It the industries of the kingdom
and the interests Of the empire. Nor mas MI
George Wyndham shown evidence of construc-
.,,a .ht,,+v as q 6nancier His chief achieve
uent has been the Irish land settlement, and IL
| ,a now clear from the supplementary legislation
which in requisite and indeed Indispensable that
the cost was grossly underestimated' Nj.
N-yndham is a graceful speaker, with a speCiai
talent for window dressing, or arranging the
party stock 80 that II may be seen TO the pest
advantage That is a useful art, but meagre
continent for Minister OF Finance who Is e1-
pected to revolutionize the fiscal system
The third candidate is favored by the ma
,or,ty of tariff reformers III the Commons. This
T. nv Bonar Law. q Nova scotian by birth
and therefore specially qualified for taking up
the oroblern OF colonial preference, and an IRON
merchant with practical experience as pusl-
neas man It cannot be doubted that he mas
made the most effective speeches for tarln re-
form since the retirement Of the member Tor
West Birmingham He lacks the graces OF
academic oratory, and does hem and haw like
the members of Mr.. Balfour's Cambridge ana
oxford band OF claqueurs; yet he speaks Win
businssslike drectness and with tone OF con-
viction which impresses audiences in and out
Of Parliament With the single exception or
Lord Milner. he is the best controversialist on
+ba ,artr reform side He is man Of force.
WIN knows his own mind and how to win con-
verts hy plain speech and honest argument.
Yet ha has had little training in public lfe' mas
, served In only two Parliaments and has not
held any post more important than Parliamen-
tarv Secretary for the Board OF Trade II he Is
destined to become the great fnancier of tariff
reform 1t Will not be by virtue of positive
qualifications for responsible leadership SO much
as from the lack OF an effective competitor
How important will be the services OF the
new Chancellor of the Exchequer. whoever he
may he is evident from the vague discussion
among tariff reformers respecting future policy.
They are assuming that as many as three
tariffs will be necessary-the lowest for the
colonies. the medium one for countries which
will make reasonable CONCESSIONS and the high
esr for nations which will not enter into reci-
procity negotiations and consequently need the
seyerest discipline The formulation OF the
thcee tariffs would seem TO be a most difficult
undertaking; but the amateurs make light OF
-fcc nn ma n IL