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The Commoner,
8BPTBMBBK 25, 1903.
ii
Break in the British Cabinet
An important break in the British
ministry has taken place. Joseph
Chamberlain, secretary of the colonies;
C T. Richards," chancellor of the ex
chequer, and Lord George Hamilton,
secretary for India, have resigned and
their resignations Lave been accepted.
Under date of September 17, the Asso
ciated press says that the official an
nouncement of the resignations or
tbese three members of the cabinet was
made iri an oillcial communication,
which, after stating the fact thai the
three members had resigned and that
their resignations had been accepted,
said:
"The accompanying correspondence
passed between the premier, A. J.
Balfour, and Mr. Chamberlain."
Uhen follows Mr. Chamberlain's let
ter, dated Birmingham, September U,
commencing: "My Dear Balfour," in
which he sots forth his reasons for his
resignation. An extremely interesting
feature of the letter "Is the following
statement concerning a preferential
tariff:
"For the present, at any rate, a
pieterontial agreement with our col
onies Involving any new duty, how
ever small, on articles of food hitherto
untaxed, even If accompanied by a re
duction of taxation on other articles
oi food equally universal in their con
sumption, would be unacceptable to the
majority of the constituencies. How
ever much we may regret the decision,
however mistaken we may think it, no
good government in a democratic coun
try can ignore it.
"I feel, therefore, that as an imme
diate practical policy the question or
preference to tin colonies cannot be
pressed with any hope of success at the
present time, although there is a very
strong 'eeling in favor of the other
branch of the fiscal reform which
would give further discretion to the
government in negotiating with for
eign countries for commodities and
would enable our country to retaliate
if opposition was made to our just
demands.
"If, as I believe, you share thepe
views, it seems to me that you will be
absolutely justified in adopting them
as the policy of your government, al
though it will necessarily involve some
changes in its constitution. As secre
tary for the colonies during the last
eight years, I have been In a special
sense the representative of the policy
of a closer union, which I firmly be
lieve to be equally necessary In the
interests of the colonies and ourselves
"I believe it Is possible today and
may be impossible tc irrow to mat e
arrangements tor such a union. I have
bad unexampled opportunities of
watching events and appreciating the
feelings of our kinsmen beyond the
seas. I stand, therefore, In a different
position than any of my colleagues and
I think that 1 should justly be blamed
if I remained In office and thus formal
ly accepted the exclusion from my po
litical program of so great a part there
of. "I think that with absolute loyalty
to your government and no fear of
embarrassing It In any way, I can besr
promote the cause T have at heart
from the outside, and I cannot but
cope that In a perfectly independent
Position by arguments will be re
ceived with less prejudice than will at
tach to those of a party 'leader.
Accordingly I would suggest that
you limit the present pohcy of the
government to an assertion of our
freedom in the, case of all commercial
relations with all foreign countries.
and that you should agree to my ten
dering my resignation of my present
ollico to his majesty, and devoting my
self to the work of explaining and pop
ularizing these principles of imperial
union which experience has convinced
me are essential to our welfare and
prosperity. Vours very sincerely,
"JOSEPH CHAMBEULA1N."
The first portion of this letter refers
to Mr. Chamberlain's first speech on
the subject at Birmingham, and Mr.
Balfour's reply to the corn tax deputa
tion. Mr. Chamberlain says that nei
ther of uic.ni was intended to provoke
a purely party controversy. He points
out the unyielding opposition of the
liberal party, which scouted the idea
that a system generally accepted in
lb4G could possibly require modifica
tion in 1903.
Meanwhhe the advocates of the re
consideration were at a great disad
vantage because of the admitted dlf
ferences of opinion inside the party.
The political organization of the party
was paralyzed. Mr. Chamberlain de
clares that an unscrupulous use has
been made of the old cry of "the dear
loaf" and that serious prejudice has
been caused. In the rest of the letter
he goes over protection as did Mr. Bal
four in his recent statement
Mr. Balfour, in a letter to Mr.
Chamberlain, dated September 16, ox
plains that he did not reply earlier be
cause he knew he would soon have an
opportunity of talking over the im
portant i'-sues with which the letter
deals. "Therefore this reply rather
embodies the result of our conversa
tions rather than adding to them."
Mr. Balfour continues: "Agreeing,
as T do, with you -that the time has
ccme when a change should come In
the fiscal canons by which we bound
ourselves In our commercial dealings
with other governments, It seems para
doxical, indeed, that you should leave
the cabinet at the same time that oth
ers of my colleague are leaving who
disagree on the very point with us
both.
"Yes, I cannot but admit that there
Is some force in your arguments In
npport of that course, based as they
are upon your special and personal
relation with that controversy which
deals with colonial preference. You
have done more than any man, living
ot dead, to bring home to the citizens
of the empire the consciousness of Im
perial dependence between the frag
ments Into which the empire is geog
raphically divided.
"I believe you to be right in holding
that this Interdependence should find
support in our commercial as well as
fiscal relations. I believe that the
fiscal relations between the countries
would benefit the trade, and If closer
relations could be established on flt
ring terms, its advantage to both par
ties would increase with years, and as
he colonies grew in wealth and pop-
ilation.
"If there has been any difference
between us on this matter, it has only
been with regard to the practicability
of the proposal which would seem to
require on the rart of the colonies a
limitation in the all-round develop
ment of a protective policy, and on
the part of this country the establish
ment of a preference for colonial prod
ucts. "On the first of these requirements
1 say nothing, but if the second in
volves, as it most certainly does, a
taxation ' however light upon food
stuffs, I am convinced with you that
public opinion is not yet ripe for such
an arrangement. The reasons may
easily be found in past political bat
tles and present political misrepresen
tations. If then, this branch of fiscal
reform is at present not within the
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inilif
limits of practical politics you are
surely right in your advice not to treat
it as lndissolubly connected with that
other branch of political reform to
which we both attached importance,
and which we believe the country is
prepared to consider without prejudice.
"I feel, however, deeply concerned
that you should regard this conclusion,
however well founded, as one making it
ImpoBsible in your very circumstances
for you to remain a member of the
government Yet I do not venture in
a matter so strictly personal to raise
any objection if you think you can
best serve the interests of imperial
unity, for which you have done so
much, by pressing your views on col
onial preference with the freedom
which is possible by independent ac
tion, but hardly compatible with offi
cers. "How can I criticise your mien. The
loss to the government is great indeed,
but tho gain to the cause you have at
heart may be greater still. If so, what
can I do but acquiesce?
"A. J. BALFOUR."
"P. S. May I say with what grati
fication, both on personal and public
grounds, I learn that Austen Chamber
lain is ready to remain a member of
the government? There coild be no
more conclusive evidence that in your
judgment, as in mine, the exclusion of
the taxation of food from tho party is
from the existing circumstances a
course best fitted practically to fur
ther the cause o fiscal reform."
Upton's American Interests,
It is doubtful if many persons in
this country know that Sir Thomas
Lipton has other interests in America
besides yachting and bis tea trade.
Sir Thomas is the head of tvo impor
tant railroad car lines In the United
States, with headquarters in Chicago. .
The more important of these two
lines is tho Liptou refrigerator car
line. Sir Thomas appears as president
of tho line with headquarters In Chi
cago. N. G. Conybcar is vice presi
dent and general manager, James
Crals Is treasurer and M. F. Russell
13 superintendent. The general offices
ot the company are at the Union
Stock Yards in Chicago.
There are about 1,000 of these re
frigerator cars owned by Sir Thomas'
company and they are operated from
Chicago throughout the entire coun
try. Their revenue Is derived from
tho mileage covered over the different
roads upon which they are operated.
They are used for t' e transportation of
ice In large quantities, for the haul
ing of meats, fruits, vegetables and
other commodities requiring refriger
ation process in transit These cars
of the Lipton line are favorites with
shippers all over the country.
Sir Thomas Lipton also owns a
splendid line of oil tank cars, there be
ing also about 1,000 of them. They
are also used on the mileage basis
and are operated from Pennsylvania
to the oil fields of Texas. New York
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Our 2 H. P. "Man of All Work"
GASOLINE ENGINE $60 ZrlLlV.
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