Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-02
Ba|four May So Dispose
Of Tariff Reform.
Premier AsquiIh CIiticizes Bal
tou1's "TuTn About Policy"
Speeches by Scores Being Made
In British Campaign.

London, Dee l.-There is poSSloli-
itv Of an unlooieG-for result in the at
te,npt Of A. J. Balfour. the Opposition
leader. to remove tariff reform from
tn. immediately field of politics.
The question looms larger than ever
IL the canpa en- tonight, inso11uch as
that Mr. Halfour himself, IN a speech
at Reading was fain to explain tnat
his rarity had not altered it's views on
THIS subject and that tariff reform
was still a chief plank in the party's
constructive policy, but, he explain
ed, the Unionists needed to OBTAIN the
formal and explicit consent OF the
people thereto. The policy OF fcIefeh-
dunn. he said, was consistent with tEe
true idea of popular government.
The fact is that Mir. Balfour's pro-
nouncement on Nov. %, that lie was
wiling to submit tariff reform: to a
referendum, has rather sundered than
knit lis party and supplied the Llb-
erals with another effective argument
n"ainSt tariff reform, namely, That MI.
HalIour has been compelled to side
track It.
The interest in the speeches tonight
centered in Premier AslUith'S reply 70
the opposition leader. This was deliE-
cred at a great meeting at WolVcr-
hampton. The premier said:
I'VE are living in times of rapid
g?oNemeut. when it is relief to wake
airy morning and not find some fresh
part OF the constitution reconstructed"
He described Mr.. Balfour's turn
about face on the questions of the re-
form of the House of Lords and tariff
reform as unilue-almOst indecent. He
said that he could not ina CINE a great
CT caricature of the referendum than
in putting q few abstract questions to
the people without concrete embody-
lnent OF the proposals. II any one but
| 4 sane and responsible statesman had
contemplated such q scheme he Woult
| he called a nlaGnar.
! After a study of the working Of the
| referendum III foreign countries IL,
| premier continued, he had arrived a
the conclusion that it had proved 6
most unsatisfactory and disappointing
method of obtaining public opinion.
| Winston Spencer Churchill, the home
| secretary, displays untiring energy.
| He addressed several meetings at Dun
| dee tonight and will deliver two
| speeches at Cheshire tomorrow. From
| there he will go by special train t
| Crimsby, where he will speak at MID
| night, replying to q speech which Mr.
| Balfour win make earlier in the eve
nlng and in order to ascertain the ma
| ture of Nj. Ralfours address. specia
| relays of motor cars VIII convey Il yer
batim report to the home secretary a
1Sheffjeld, enabling him to study III,
address on tho train.
| After his speech at Grimsby, M,
Churchill will return to Manchester
where he will speak on Saturday after
noon. He will go from there to Cheste
| for another Liberal demonstration O,
saturday nisht-a heavy 24-hours pro
gram. The home secretary will have
| special guard of detectives against Suf
| fra@ists' attentions.
Speaking at Manchester Andrew Bona
Law, Unionist member Of Dulwich III
vision of Camberwell. refused ito ca
| my words" adding that if the Unionist
obtained an adequate ma iority at tn
| polls they would be bound to enact a tar
| III reform measure. The weather for tn
| campaign scarcely could be worse. out
door meetings planned at many place
| necessarily have been abandoned. Th
house to house canvassing. however, con
tinues and there is no let up in the usua
| indoor demonstrations.
Lord Lansdowne is showing great en-
erey in support of his proposals for tn
reform Of the House of Lords. Toda
| he addressed big meeting at Ports
| mouth in the interests of Lord Reresford
I whose seat for Portsmouth is seriOusl
| threatened by the Liberals.
| Sir Edward Gray has arranged to repl
| to LansdoWne.