LETTER FROM MR. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1716, 18 January 1905, Page 12

LETTER FROM MR. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN.

HIS PREFERENTIAL TRADE CAMPAIGN. PROSPECTS OF THE CRUSADE. ATTITUDE OF THE COLONIES. A little over three months ago, .the editor of the “New Zealand Times” addressed a letter to Mr Joseph Chamberlain, M.P., laying before him what were believed to be the views of the people oi New Zealand on the subject of interimperial trade, and inviting him to send for publication, by way of direct message to the public here, a statement of the prospects for the success of the crusade in which he was engaged. The editor mentioned more particularly the discouraging effect of the various by-eiec-Lons in Liitam that had gone against the Government, and intimated that he should be glad to have an explanation of the causes that contributed to these results. In reply the following interesting and important letter has just been received from Mr Chamberlain : Highbury, Birmingham, December Ist, 1904. The Editor, “New Zealand Tunes,” Wellington. Dear Sir, In answer to your letter of September 21st, I am glad to say that the progress of the movement in favour of Imperial union and commercial preference has been quite satisfactory to me. From the outset I have recognised** the greatness of the task which I have undertaken, to persuade a conservative nation like ours to abandon a policy which it has pursued for sixty years, and which for a long time past has not been seriously questioned. I have never supposed for a moment that it would be possible to secure a settlement at the next general election, not because of the unpopularity of the cause, but because in this country there is hardly any instance/ of a Government after a long spell of office being returned again to power. The swing of the pendulum is always against the outgoing Government, which by its action, as well as by its inaction, in the course of a long term of office necessarily arouses a certain amount of opposition, by which its opponents profit. It is possible that the Unionist party would have been beaten at the last election but for the unpopularity of the Radicals, owing to their Little Englander and proBoer sympathies. The war being over, and the public memory being short, this cause no longer operates in our favour, and, although nothing is certain in politics, I should not he in the least disappointed if our opponents were given a chance by the constituencies on the next opportunity.

Our party will he none the worse for a short period of opposition; which will unite and invigorate them ; and, as they are practically unanimous in favour of the Imperial policy, I am convinced that our victory will come at no great distance of time, when the country returns to its natural and Imperial instincts.

Meanwhile, our opponents are saying, and will continue to say, that the colonies are not heartily with us in our policy, and that, while they are ready to call for great sacrifices from us, they will make no adequate return. No evidence to the contrary affects the views of partisans on the other side, hut, as I believe that they are entirely mistaken, and underestimate the patriotism of the colonies, as well as their good sense, I am convinced that the truth will prevail, and that the constituencies will recognise before long that commercial preference is the first step to that closer union on which the future existence and power of the Elmpire as a whole entirely depends, and that this policy is one which will he mutually advantageous to the prosperity of the Motherland, as well as of the colonies. I am, dear sir, yours obediently, J. CHAMBEORiLcAIN.