FISCAL REFORM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 221, 14 October 1903, Page 3

FISCAL REFORM.

o - MB RITOHIh'S SPEECH. MB FKSSB ASSOCIATION. lohdoh, October 12. Mr Ritchie, in his spoech, said it Would have been highly improper to introduce such a change by a side wind. The eight million war taxes derived from tea and sugar ought to have been removed without the imposition of new taxation on bread and meat. Mr Chamberlain's Juggle would involve a loss to the consumers of nine! millions, which would be increased by many times that number of millions if the suggested ten per cent taxes were imposed on foreign manufactured goods. A sovereign wculd then only be worth seventeen shillings and sixpence. (Cries of -«We would have higher wages" aterrupted Mr Ritchie.) He asserted that there were no signs that the colonies were generally giving the Motherland preferential advantages. Sudd, preference as the Canadians offered was of no gr e *t value. ** To treat all the colonies alike, you most put a tax on raw material, and there the proposal, instead of uniting the Empir*. would have the opposite effect. I advised the Cabinet that it would be a huge political mistake to acquiesce in the colonies being punished for the maintaining of a friendly attitude towards the Mother Country, but that the particular steps to be taken should depend upon the circumstances of each case. Tar.fi retaliation might not be the only efl ctual method" of reprisal, and if attempts were made to destroy our industries by dumping, reprisals would be justified." Mr Ritchie stated that the Duke of Devonshire, Lord Balfour of Burleigh, Lord George Hamilton, and himself met on September 15tn, and agreed to w'gn. / Nxw Yobk, October 12. The New York World hr.lds that Mr Ritchie is wrong regarding American resentment towards the British fiscal proposals, and adds : ««America is not entitled to grumble, but must blame those responsible for neglecting to secure Canadian reciprocity, which would have prevented the present crisis. The New York Press holds that Mr ! Ritohie's feeble replies to Mr Chamberlain are making a Flodden Field tor . British free traders.

London, October 12. The New York correspondent of the Standard sUtes that the contention that the British policy should be directed with a view to American feelings and interest finds no American support.

Canadian opinion is that Mr Richie is oat of touch with colonial views and aspirations, and that his speech will have an irritating effect. Andres Gronje, the Boar ex-General, has cabled Mr Chamberlain: "Englishmen and Boers composing the Pot-chefdtroom-Klerfesdorp Farmers Association congratulate yon upon yonr virile opinion and campaign. Your scheme is destined to benefit the colonies. While the Empire may anticipate enhanced prosperity, and the BtrengtheLin? of mutual ties by increased consumpt'on of Home manufactures, the African v°ldt will return South African produce." '. WIHSTON OHDBOHILL'S OPPOSITION. I

Beceived 13,6.30 pm. Lobdob, Ostobsr 13, Mr Wins'on Churchill, writing to his constituents, avowed that ha bluntly and flatly opposed Mr Cham6erlain, who, like all quacks, protested too much. The colonies, hp said, will regret the proposals as cramping their economical development of commerce, and will shirk from an unnecessary revolution of trade. The Unionist's were not such fools as to hand themselves over to the capitalists and com b'nations as suggestested. even if Mr Balfour was playing the part of a trickster, but he was willing to give Mr Bilfour po*er and freedom to negotiate. Beceived 13, 10.7 p.m. Londos, October 12. Mr Lloyd George, speaking at Oldbam, said that if bounty fed sugar injured British refineries employing 4000 workers, the cheap sugar created jam and biscuit factories employing 120,000. 6 A GKBH4N OBJKOT LESSON. Beceived 13. 10.16 p.m. London, October 12. The German agrarian Dewppapers are growing uneasy over the effects of the proposed British tax on corn. They recill how the French tax on wtaaf. adopted in 1894, enabled Algeria and Tunis to supply France's needs. A CANADIAN ADVOCATE. London, October 13. Mr G. E. Foster, ex Canadian Finance Minister, is comiDg *o England to advccata Mr Chamberlain's proposals, A CHALLENGE TO THE LIBERALS. Beceived 13,11.48 pm. LoNDOs.October 13. Lieuts.-Colonel Brotnl y-Davenport. the new Ficarcial Secretary for War, speakine at Macclesfield, said that the Prime Minister and the now Minister for War were determined the country should reap the full benefit of the bitter lessons of the Boer war. He h«<' advocated a retaliation policy for 17 years, and rejoiced in the promise of its effective realisation in the han'is of a powerful, eloquent, and brilliint Premier. He challenged the Liberal leaders to come to Macclesfield and say th'.t Cobdenism had bean a blessing to the silk industry. 6HIPOWNKR3 VIKWB. COBDEN CLUB PAMFHLET. Received 14, o.2s».n>. London, Oo'.ober 13. l Mr Hill, secretary of the Liverpool Svarrc Hpnßrierc As ihiH'ifii, ■ that Liverpool flh'pK c«r it-rl 250 m ! liins worth of *rd >ea ly. Ho :.<irii ■ ■ that L'vetpo'.l would not duiv* '■• y ber ffis from protection. Mr Harold Oox, fecr-tary of tfe Cobden Ciab, in a p mp'n'pt to Mr B I f ( ur, asserts that the Eur - pean and TT< i'ed S'tmesHr- rtea-er f e trade 'hn in - the Brit'sh trn<i* fal'ing b hind is cnn c rned, th* faul v Ji'-s wi'h the iraper fection of oar technical education. PROFESSOR BKYOE'S VIEWS. BeceiVEd 14 115 a.m. London, October 13. Prof'Ssor Bryce cor aiders that tbrGovernment adoption of protection it entir«>ly due to Mr Cham'eilain's im perious will, the Gosen.mi ci> b ;.>g af a<d of Mr C'hhmhfcriain on th-< ore hand, and the e'.ejtois on the other,

Once the country accepted protection it , will never agdn be free. It resembled .'entering a bouse where every door, ehut automatically behind you, and could not be opened again from the inside. Anything weik.mn? the heart of the Empire weakened the .Empire, Australia was not unanimous on the tariff question, and if the freetraders were elected preference would'not be given to British goods. There was no certainty of South African preference. He characterised *s unwise and mischievous the statement that thfl colo-' nies, in the absence <i reciprocity with I the Motherland, might look abroad for I reciprocity,

The league for the colonies was'the eigue of the heart, not, the purse. Heckling between the Motherland and the colonies would involve difficulties everywhere.