THE FISCAL ISSUE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 235, 8 October 1904, Page 2

THE FISCAL ISSUE.

MR CHAMBERLAIN ON TABIJT { IMPOSTS AND PRICES. "PUT UP YOUR UMBRELLA I"- J LONDON, Oct. «. fl A meeting was held a t Lutton. In* Lincolnshire, i n connection with fiscal question. Seven persons were soatad in a all) constructed (or U» h ' w " a occupied by the DoX* of Uodfoid. Mr Chamberlain explained th t fiscal proposals did not mean a toSHi but a toll 031 foreigners. "liilg w& g> 'O no-party qui»tion-it depended on approval of tho groat majority oJ the nation. Lutlon'g industries/ b# said, would be ruined but for iiw creasm exports to the colonics. " Mr Chamborlain next unfolded -Msproposals to benefit agriculture. De.V----in S with the overtures of the colonies, he declared that Lord Rogebery Jk had dono the cause of tarifl ers an unintended service, as hehalTM elicited from Mr Balfour a mcnL more momeptous than any Prime Minister had hitherto mada.JPß "Mr Balfour's speech," decUrqi . Mr Chamberlain, '■'uxarks a t#tase -'jq (his controversy, Mr Balfour ' !»•. ' Sion by defining the name 'proteotMi. 1 ist.' I, too—oltitouh 1 do not one of your straws how my pppov - ents label me—say I have no mora • idea of reverting t u the protccttofrbl tlfty years ago than to tha free tram : of that period. Both are (uitiqualMiand do not affect the present fjuefftioo, which is one of free imports on '■ *fm/ one hand and tariff reform otv tip . other. Mr Balfour, in proposing ;to deal with unfair competition, dia,riot le.slre, and did not expat, that M» policy would raise the coat of ai-ti-cles. A "Experience shows—paradoxic*! it may seem—the possibility posing duties for purposei of ping hostile tarilTs, yet raising tho price 0 f go 0 d». I erience of American and shows that, deiipite duties, it Iflpof*. slble to sell sfotxaply-toecauqq ■ tjj% manufacturer, secure in his market,. , employs tho latest machinery and produces largely and cheaply. And if, l»y such change and reform iiqtthe tariff afl Mr llaifour and I prgr' l>o»e, security is given to BriJW manufacturers, there Is bo resist why Isudh reform rftoulU not lisa ■ tended by the dame results. , '

"Mr llalfour." continued Mr Chatty hcrlain, "went furOwr in his 'lattW, ■speech than Ivis Sheffield policy, de*K i ing not with the question of prliidv". pie, but procedure. I hope it meant to includathe larger. Crown ' colonies in the suggested conference, jj If the coloni a la agree—and I well if wo mako ofTers no se»ses would wish to refuse—if, vial meet thum In a similar spirit, haggling over fractions of a pannvp and try to make arrangements, »|IV our proposals will be approved. "What will our opponents Lord Ro Bribery do T" naked Mr Chamberlain, "Will they, alter -daw during the colonies are insihcerCjJ wishing to take everything from: and give nothing in return, treat arrangement with contempt and -pH! iect the promise of mutual SiniJs, sod thus repudiate the greatest praetical stop yet proposad for Imjxrial union ?" .. v. In urging the need for and addressing the agriculturists,.lff Chamberlain remarked"Put 'tip your umbrella before you get wit' jj through ! Last session I btggsd Government to consider the proJeMffl of a Commission. Now I hear welcome decision of the Prime ister. I sue therein the certain . precursor of victory, giving us "that • closer union which is essentia) . f"o our future greatness. "There Is one point only, whtoh,..W;. a matter of tactics, I hope , Mr. Haifour will consider. I,t is . al»'ay», understood when we confer with for-: uign countries or with our colonies. . that if the representatives arrive aV : an agreement, that agrernieiit is. to be immediately submittal to -the Parliaments of the separate SfeftM. A second election or plebiscite woaild involve two general elections same subject This would c*uSoltt>'' convenience, be unpopular, and «1«" cause delay, whilo It would posattily" niean the introduction of new Issue*.- ' '"lf that part of tlio plea maintained, the colonies might Justified in accusing us of inatiwarkj ty. Thoy might refuse to come to jjfl conference, and disclose their , lumH anil express their willlngnos got'iate, only to And that could be done until after the jJPHH ment of a number of doubftliiTevents! over which they luul no control, '-'J "If our plan is modified in " lhf»4 sense Indicated," concluded Mr Ch^nK• borlain, "we may all hope to see I 'the realisation of a great idea, oI union,';" und a vision of Imperial tiude whicik neither our ancestors nor ourselv«p' ' dared anticipate." 4 A groat shout greeted a resolution', 5 in favour of a change in the 4bc*1■ system and a rearrangement oMutr i, ios te secure closer commercial 'tag ion with the colonies. Althoughhore was a minority vote, the reso- • tion was declared curried by a' left' thousand. , NEWSPAPER COMMENTS. " .'Jfc THE DEFINITION OP PROTEQr ■ J TION. 1 LONDON, Oct. FIJI The Times says "Mr Half and Mr Cliamberlain have alisolutely identical views on the question ■' of fiscal principle. The question"of 1 two mandates docs not arise at; ' present. We are not certain that' the difference Is as great as Mr - Chamberlain thinJtß." The Standard says that Mr Cham'- M berlaln, in implying that Mr four and himself are quite at oofl was rather adroit, and daring, but is doubtful whether jH carried conviction. The League's energies had scarcely to od praferencca, but bad been devoted to the taxation of for the benefit of That, according to Mr llalfour, protection. A conference is a tive part of Mr llalfour's ' the negative is pudiation of protection. Mr berlain must be considered diametrically opposed to that until he abandons the league. garding the electorates, Mr' .'afeguai'ds the country In of a Unionist triumph at tions ogcinst an attempt to pret It as a victory for proUc^^^| The Daily Holograph mya he. far bettor to secure unity by an overwlielining at the second time of a&Jcing a hare majority at the first ti^^H LONDON, The Pall Mall Gazette says the difference between Mr Balfour's Mr Chamborlaain's projiosaia a qiustlon of time. ' LAIIOUH AND THE TARIFI^^H MESSAGE TO WORKEHB. LONDON, Oct. The Labour Repreßentaifin . inittee, writing to Mr W'ason, that Australian Labour vrlH mipport a policy wliich hour tn the Motherland mil-rounded by inaligi ces and certain to txinr where now there Is hai-moly opi>osition where t lie re Is feeling. Australian prefetWkD lusory, since it retains a of its own. If the markets opened freely to British imports there would be some show of nwM#S n"«i justice for a camnalffn to fnn»;fl on Brltishera the lieneflt. The cnce of European labour was tftffjl protection only forges more chalml on the wage earners. The St. James Gazette says ttdl by assorting that Austmliani Is supporting preference f nr fHHH tionwring purposes the Labour presentation Committee is i;k«ty t» 1 incur snolbtr «kub« - 1

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