BRITISH CABINET CRISIS

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11692, 19 September 1903, Page 8

BRITISH CABINET CRISIS

RESIGNATION OF ME CHAMBERLAIN, MR RITCHIE, AND LORD G. HAMILTON. MR CHAMBERLAIN AND MR BALFOUR. AN EXCHANGE OF LETTERS. COLONIAL SECRETARY'S VIEWS AND INTENTIONS. DEMAND FOR MR BALFOUR'S PAMPHLET. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, September 17. The first edition of Mr Balfour's pamphlet sold in two hours. A larger edition is being printed. Canadian feeling tresents tho absence of reference in the pamphlet to preference to the colonies, and considers that Mr Balfour is subordinating the Empire for local Party purposes. MR CHAMBERLAIN'S ATTITUDE. The "St. James's Gazette" announces that if his full programme for Imperial union is not adopted, Mr Chamberlain will resign. The "Standards" Vienna correspondent states that exporters admit that the adoption of Mr Chamberlain's policy would ruin Austria's trade with Australasia, DETERMINATION OF THE FREE TRADERS. UNIONIST COHESION PREDICTED. LONDON, September 17. The Freetrade Union, in reply to Mr Balfour's manifesto, has issued a statementdeclaring that it will bo time to consider the proposals dead when .Mr Chamberlain withdraws them. If retaliation becomes the accepted policy of tho Government, the Freetraders will in nowise slacken their resistance. '"The Times" agrees with Mr Balfour in emphasising tho contention that coal and machinery, two of the main articles of British exports, are used for fostering foreign protected manufacturers in competition against ourselves. Tho "Financial News" says: "Mr Balfour goes to the heart of the question in his reference to tho permanency of protection abroad, and unlets wo protect our industries, we lose the chance of producing economically. Otherwise, what is the meaning of his history-making message, which does not support the supposition that Mr Balfour is hostile to the incidental and partial protection accruing from an Imperial preferential tariff." The "Financial Times" declares that Mr Balfour's position will be endorsed by the bulk of the Unionists. REPORTED MINISTERIAL RESIGNATIONS. LONDON, September 17. "The Times" implies tliat some Ministerial resignations have been tendered, though not announced. Other papers point to the possibility of the resignation of Mr Ritchie, tTie Duke of Devonshire, Lord George Hamilton, and Lord Balfour of Burleigh. AN AUSTRALIAN VIEW. NO DANGER OF RETALIATION. SYDNEY, September 18. The "Daily Telegraph" says: "What Mr Balfour favours, apparently, is in the abstract protection outright, and actually a tariff which can be enforced or suspended according to the Government's view of the advisability or otherwise of retaliation. Jf Great Britain began to lay about her with a retaliatory tariff, we should have either to share with her the natural retaliatory measures of foreigners or exercise absolute fiscal independence. Fortunately, there is not much prospect of such a dilemma being forced on us and the nation generally, as British sagacity may be relied upon to confirm the verdict of the recent bye-elec-tion', and labour and co-operative societies throughout the country, and denounce Mr Chamberlain and Mr iialfour's plan of tax ing down the undeniable prosperity of the country."