THE FISCAL QUESTION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11955, 6 August 1904, Page 7

THE FISCAL QUESTION.

SPEECH BY MR CHAMBERLAIN.

THE DECLINE OF AGRICULTURE.

SUFFERING FROM FREE IMPORTS.

(Received August 6th, 0.24 a.m.) ■ LONDON, August 5. At a Urge and influential meeting at the Riding School, Welbeck, at which 12,000 were present, and et which the Duke of Portland presided, Mr Chamberlain emphasised the decline in agriculture, which wa» suffering from free imports more taaa were the manufactures. The policy of retaliation, wm good as far as it went, but where did agriculturalists come in? The agriculturalists were equally entitled to justice. A 2s duty on corn was less important than a duty on flour to revive British milling. This would keep in Britain bran and other wheat offal, thus cheapening' feeding stuffs. Mr Chamberlain proceed* eJ to unfold a policy from the agricultural labourers' standpoint, and received the warmest applause. He reserved his appeal for a closer fiscal union with the colonies. A resolution favourable to the scheme was carried unanimously. Mr Chamberlain, in responding, read an encouraging telegram from the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Manufacturers in Western Australia.

The "Standard" eaye that Mr Chamberlain'e arguments are inconclusive, unconvincing, and mutually destructive.

"The Times," supporting the speech, says that it 13 difficult to differentiate Mr Chamberlain's duty on eggs, cheese, butter, and preserved milk, from Mr Balfour's retaliation policy. These articles are drawn from countries taxing our goods heavily, hence they are proper subjects for retaliation.