SPEECH BY MR ASQUITH.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11751, 27 November 1903, Page 5

SPEECH BY MR ASQUITH.

DUKE OF DEVONBHIRFS METAPHOR.

MR CHAMBERLAIN'S RECKLESSNESS.

United Prees jiwociatlon—By EUctric Tel*fnipb~-Copyri4'bt,

LONDON', November 25,

The Right Hon. H. H. Asquitb, speaking at HarnMaple, declared that the tinplate trade was a perfect vindication of free tr.ule. He challenged the production of evidence to show that any British industry of any magnitude had been ruined by "dumping." The LiUcals yielded to none in their patriotism, but they declined to be duped by phaHoi and fallacies into undermining tho foundations of the wealth and strength of the Empire.,

in the course of his speech at Queen* Hall, the Duke of Devonshire said: —"A brake on important locomotives is more than ever neeeemary now that the enginedriver lwa alighted and allowed another to take his place. That other is running full sp»'ed against all signals. (Cheers.) I will not participate in a policy founded on inversions of fact. Mr Chamberlain has calculated to a farthing the effect of his proposals on the workers' food, but he ignored the enhanced cost of their indispensable articles. I assert—and I believe it to be a moderate estimate —that the proposals will entail a loss to the consumer of 55 and possibly 60 millions, and in return the revenue might gain, gradually diminishing, tight millions, with a subsidy of two and a half millions to the colonic, while India will receive nothing I find no trace of a definite offer on the part of the colonies.''

Viscount QuK-hen moved, and Lord George Hamilton seconded, a motion expressing readiness to consider any Government proposals to mitigate tho effect of hostile tariffs, but offering strenuous opposition to any policy involving the taxation of food, or the establishment of a general preferential or protective aystem.

Viscount Goeehen said they resisted Mr Gladstone in his political revolution, and io they would, he hoped, successfully reglit another great statesman, equally impetuous, who wanted to rush tha country jnto a fiscal revolution.

„ The resolution was carried with practical inonimity.