FISCAL UNITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 128, 1 June 1903, Page 2

FISCAL UNITY.

MR. CHAMBERLAINS ARGUMENT. Per Press Association. Londok, May 29. In the Houo cf Oommoiis Mr Cham* bet lain siid that if fres trade wm so rigidly adhertd (o as to render a counter attack upon foreigners impossible whtn thiy attacked car colonies or oursolves, then Britain's intention should be announced so as to enable the colonios to understand the situation. Suoh an announoement would put an unsurmountable obstaole in the way of closer fiscal relit ions with the co!onie>. If tbo hope of such relationship was ab indoned, the idea of establishing c'osor political relations might aleo be dismissed, and a united Empire would h> beyond the bounds of possibility. If th>> people gave the mandate, he would call a conference of the . colonies. Tee terms then offered would depend upoa what we could give the coloaie?. It was impossible to make preferential arrangements benefitting , both. The workers must be cinvinosd that they would be recouped for the , t*x on food by extra wages, social re- | forms end old age psnsions. Such a change of our fiscal system would con* ! vines Germany of the impolicy of attacking Canada, and enable us to defend our trade against the ur just compe i'ion of gigantio American and German trusts. Lard Granbsrns stated that Germany alone differentiated ageiost Canada owing to the preference the gave British products, The House has adjourn?d for the holidays, PROPOSALS CRITICISED. Londos, May 29. The newspapers recognise the mtg- | nitude of the fi cal isiui raised. Many Unionistorgans caraes' ly but cautiously . discus it, siting that the subject de- , mands full study. , The Liberal organs strongly oppsM . the new policy. , Nearly 100 Conservative member* I of the Heuse of Commons are taking the opin-on of their constituencies by a plebiscite. OrTAWi, May 89. Mr Rose, Premier of Ontario, speakI iog at a ci'iz n's banquet to Lord , Minto, declared that Britain's fiscal , p:lioy was iaa'ioml and anomalous. \ Until Britain has a trade polioy for Britishers and a distinct policy for the j rest of the world, Imperitl unity wu» I dream and a fantasy of the imagination, 3 Nkw Yobk, May 29. Mr Ohaunoay Depew, interviewed 9 with r.gard tn Mr Chamberlain's j polioy, declatel that it was a ehnewd elt-stioto move. England would never endanger 75 per oent of her trade with j the res; of thb world for the aake of 25 . per cent from the colonies. Mr J. Armour, head of the gnat meat packing firm, interviow.d at Ohioago, said that if Britain wanted high priced beef, she oould get it by taxing her beef imports. This would i be lass serious for the American pack* e ors than for England, who needed the i American product mora than America needed British trade.

SKN3IBLK ADVIOBL IMPORTANCE OF THB QUBBTIO* LaBOUB OPPOSITION. Received 31,147 p.m. Lomdov, May 80, The newspapers re echo Mr Balfour** advioa to thresh ou'< the great issue io i scientific spirit, and not by * Teh*meat re-etitement of old formal.. Mtssri Balfour and Chamberlain'* speeches are almost the sole topioio ousiness, nunutactnring, and shipping eircles. Mr Balfour's statement that there -rill be no attempt to deal practically with the question before the next general dec ion is welomed from a feeling that ample time is needed to enable the nation to grasp fully the issues involved, The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce pumal appeils to every Chamber n tha Uni ed Kiogdom togiveaou** ful dispassiona'e investigation of the question from every standpoint, deoUr.ng th;«t it is the most important problem ever submitted to the oouatry. At the annual mewing of the Dock Labourers Society, Liverpool, it was resolved that protection, a* fore* shadowed by Mr Chamberlain, woild be a most m's;h!evoua and datgercui policy, and agaics' the physioil workete' best * interests; and urging Trad** Unions and OoDgresa to organist a vigorous opposition.

HOSTILE VIEWS. Received 81. 6 p.m. Londov, Hay SO. Sir Edward Grey, ez Liberal Under Secretary for Foreign Affaire, ipukiog at Oxford, expressed bimsslf vehemently hostile to Mr Otambei kin's policy, which he said would mean the ruin of Britain's prosperity, and the break-up of the Empire. Freetrade, he conbidered, was more th»n ever necessary to the pcop'e of the motherland. The bonds with the colonies might be drawn rleser by forming an Imperial Council to maintain continuity of policy and develop} trade routes. The Empire could be united far better by ships than by tariffs. Mr Chamberlain had some old missiles ready for the general election, and if he had his way protection and empire would soon be synonymous terms. Richard Ball, Eeir Hardie, and W. Orookc, labour members of the Commons, are all Lojtile. G. N. Barne?, i-ecretrry of tho Amalgamated Society of Engineers, t xpi eased the sami view?, but admitted many works were influenced by sentimental considerations of binding the Empire together.

MR MERKIMAN'S VIEWS. AN ttYK-OPKNKR TO GERMANY. Rwslysl 31, 5.12 p.m. Oape Towu,4£«y 30. Mr J. Me'rim id, speaking at o»p> t)wn, said the colonies f»>r two ointuiies had b?en bound to Britain by trada fitters, la ding to the establishment of the United States, the destiay men'ioned in Mr Balfour's speech. Mr Chamberlain asked the Empire to declare a fiscal war against the, «oild, but his idean presaged the Empire's downfall, which would calamitously aSact tho world. Ho did not believe that trade prefeioace would bjnifi'-tbe colonies, and assuredly it would be ruinous and disastrous to Britain. Hb&lik, May M Tlio Biiiliii noiwajiiip m piolfl.d ,li. t Air UM.nc wouid.;r,',Mid..ito Mr Uumuou. kiu a utterances at the eexUwt

Opportunity. They are now profoundly impressed at finding that Mr Ghambeilain wjb no free lane?, acd that Messrs Balfour and Chamberlain are alike thoroughly in earnest. The maprity of newspapers are almost dumbfounded and 'heir comments show suwity, almost meekness. The National Zeitung says Mr . Chamberlain's ideas lack a firm basis, ; and that the Motherland and the Colonies as a family representing a union was as yes only existing politi- , oallyin Mr Chamberlain's imagination. The Kreuz Zeitung declares that- a teriff war will bring Britain into conflict with all non-British countries. The Agrarian organs alone are not surprised at Mr Balfour's attitude. They declare they consistently predicted BriUin would become protectionist.