MR CHAMBERLAIN INTERVENES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13947, 2 January 1906, Page 6

MR CHAMBERLAIN INTERVENES.

All the party leaders in the Old Country are busy addressing the people just now, and it should bo possible in the course of another week to discover how the various groups are combining in the campaign. Mr Chamberlain and Mr Balfour, we take it, are in alliance now, since Mr Balfour has stated that the 'issues of the election will be fiscal reform and Home Rule. The Homo Rule issue, it is clear, has already been sunk by the Liberals. Mr Chamberlain on his side declares that Mr Redmond has been " squared ” with promises of sympathetic administration, and Sir Edward Grey, speaking ■as a member of the Cabinet, says emphatically that there will be no Homo Rule Bill without a special mandate from tho people. As this election is to be fought on the fiscal issue it is obvious that there can be no Home Rule mandate until the time arrives for another appeal to the constituencies. Mr Chamberlain’s intervention at the present juncture is that of a fighter. Lord Rosebery descends into the arena occasionally and describes himself variously as a citizen, a spectator, a ploughman and a worshipper. Mr Chamberlain is frankly a fighting-leader. If the elections should go his way he would certainly resume bis place in the Cabinet, and probably in a position of greater importance than the Colonial Office. It seems to us that in his criticism of Lord Elgin’s despatch- he lacked his customary ■ clearness of judgment, and perhaps sacrificed something to party loyalty. But we agree with him that tho Chinese labour question, whatever its merits, is one for the colonies themselves to decide. If that principle had been followed by the Conservatives the Empire would have been spared the disgrace of having a system of slavery authorised by the Imperial Government. Lord Elgin was true to his own principles in suspending the operation of the Importation law and so leaving the issue to be decided by the representatives of the Transvaal people when they are elected. On the fiscal question Mr Chamberlain commands a wider sympathy in the colonics, and tho results of tho elections will he looked for with the very keenest interest.