"THE FIRST PLANK."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 456, 15 March 1909, Page 5

"THE FIRST PLANK."

FISCAL REFORM. UNIONIST LEADER'S SPEECH. MR. CHURCHILL HELD UP AS A MORAL. mi IKI.EU HA I'll —I'll ESS iMOUUTION—COI'rBtdBT.I (Rcc. March 14, 4.30 p.m.) London, Marcli 13. Speaking as tho guest of tho Executive Commitloo of tho Tariff Reform Leaguo, Sir. Balfour, Leader of tho Unionist party, remarked : No doubt fiscal roform Is the first plank of our platform. (Cheers.) It Is the matter whoroto any Unionist Government must first address Itself. He referred at length to tho declaration of Mr. Churchill (President of the Board of Trade) with regard to retaliation, and quoted extracts from tho speeches of Liberal Ministers, who had claimed that retaliation was really protection. It was (said Mr. Balfour) another indication, irrespective of party, that tho old system must bo changed. There were symptoms that this opinion was spreading beyond tho Unionists' ranks. ' 110 predicted that when the changes camo they would produco no unduo shock to national industry, or to the course of national trade. Ho added: "•The changes will bo common-sense, moderate, nnd reasonable." WAS MR. CHURCHILL CENSURED? London, March 12. Several newspapers stato that" tho Prime Minister (Mr. Asquith) censurod Sir. Winston Churchill (President of tho Board of Trade) for his, remark that retaliation might occasionally bo resorted to. Mr. Churchill was also heckled on the samo subject in tho Houso of Commons. • COLONIAL PREFERENCE. VALUE AFFIRMED. (Rec. March 14, 4.30 p.m.) London, March 13. Tho Council of the London Chamber of Commerco has resolved that tho preference accorded to tho Mother Country by the- various self-governing colonies will bo a distinct advantage to British manufacturers, and that its withdrawal would' bo most detrimental to British trade. [Mr. Balfour's declaration that fiscal reform is "tlio first plank" contrasts with Lord Salisbury's recent remark that '-'the fiscal question is only a part, anil not tho most important part, of tho Unionist policy.,"]