SIR CHAMBERLAIN.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1953, 9 January 1914, Page 4

SIR CHAMBERLAIN.

; ■ of.the 'depa'r--1 .turc of the HiGHT Hon. Joseph Chasi- , .BEnwis from the stage of 'Imperial ,; pohtie« ; -will occasion "no surprise, . for over since his health broke down ■ 111 1906 he has been incapacitated irom taking any active part in poli--1 tical affairs.. Nevertheless the statement that he will not again stand for ■ West Birmingham, the constituency with which he has had such a long and honourable connection, will occasion widespread regret, not onlv among his friends, but to manv of ■ those who, while opposing Mr. Cham- ; berlain in politics, have at all times . recognised his courage and ability. ■ The retiring member for West Birm- ■ mgham is a man upon whom it is ■ easy to lavish superlatives either of praise or blame, but friends and foes ■ alike hare recognised his brilliant qualities, and from his quiet retirement he will be able to look back ! upon a distinguished career in British public life. Assertive individu- ' ality and a splendid reliance upon ■■ his personal judgment and strength have been the keynotes of Mr. Cham- ■ behlain's political progress. Easy 1 self-confidence served him equally ; well when he- quitted the Liberal party in the Homo Rule split of 1880 and in later years when he ■ made an equally spectacular depar- . ture from the Unionist Ministry in ■ order to establish the Tariff Reform ' propaganda, which in itself would - have made his name workUfa-mous. i As Secretary of State for the Coloii- ■ ms, Mr. Cbasibeblain was a distin- ■ guished. success, and his name stands high among those of the- men who have laboured to promote Imperial . union. In the field of domestic polii tics he has been responsible for a s number of useful measures of social ' reform. His personal popularity was i impressively demonstrated at a great ■ Unionist party meeting held in • Birmingham in November last. Mr. < Chamberlain was unable to attend, i but he sent a characteristic message: ' "Stand fast and fight hard." The ■ message was received with intense en- < tliusiasm. The falling of the curtain • upon Mr. Chamberlain's political career will be regretted throughout ■ the Empire.