Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Quarter of a Century.] MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1904. AN INSCRUTABLE GOVERNMENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7846, 12 September 1904, Page 4

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Quarter of a Century.] MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1904. AN INSCRUTABLE GOVERNMENT.

Taking things " by and large," in the Bunsby-an sense, the present Government in England has been called upon to weather sonic of the most severe cross seas and variable winds that any Government ever encountered. The ■ Foreign relations have been particularly difficult to adjust, and the endeavour to avert a huge war over Eastern questions has been continuous and exhausting. But, besides this, the Fiscal question has assumed startling proportions, and the country has now boon, for a year, in the preliminary travail of a threatened fiscal revolution. Mv Chamberlain's famous proposals, re Preferential Tariffs, have aroused keener and move widespread interest than any scheme for a century past. His action in detaching himself from the Cabinet before entering upon his self-appointed mission, was beyond praise, and it will commend itself to posterity even more than to his contemporaries. His idea was that his withdrawal would make the position of his former colleagues easier. We doubt whether this magnanimous idea has been realised, for the Government could scarcely have been more beset by its adversaries if Mr Chamberlain had remained in the Cabinet. The only difference would have been that questioners would have been treated to more mordant replies had the ex-Colonial Secretary been in charge of the subject. The Fiscal question seems to have particularly exercised the Lords. The Duke of Devonshire, the other day, tried to draw the Government. The Marquis of Landsdowne, replying on behalf of the Government, said they " did not desire to be rushed into a premature decision by the Tariff Reform League, or by the noble Duke and his friends." Collapse of the Duke ! Lord Rosebery then took a hand, wondering how the Marquis could reconcile his personal antipathy to the taxation of food with his attendance at Mr Chamberlain's meeting and his en-

rolment "as an officer of an association. of which Mr Chamberlain was the head." But the Government had now retired' into its shell;" and, after a few more desultory remarks, from other Lords, chiefly of a taunting character, the subject dropped, and all parties reverted to the status quo. Clearly, the Government, if it be strong in nothing else, is j powerful in its reticence and non-com-mittal attitude. The "heathen rage," but the Government stands.