in a
member of the government. Mr Austen Chamberlain (b. 1863) accordingly
became the new chancellor of the exchequer; he was already in the
cabinet as postmaster-general, having previously made his mark as civil
lord of the admiralty (1895-1900), and financial secretary to the
treasury (1900-1902).

From the turning-point of Mr Chamberlain's resignation, it is not
necessary here to follow in detail the discussions and dissensions in
the party as a whole in its relations with the prime minister (see
BALFOUR, A.J.). It is sufficient to say that while Mr Balfour's
sympathetic "send off" appeared to indicate his inclination towards Mr
Chamberlain's programme, if only further support could be gained for it,
his endeavour to keep the party together, and the violent opposition
which gathered against Mr Chamberlain's scheme, combined to make his
real attitude during the next two years decidedly obscure, both sections
of the party--free-traders and tariff reformers--being induced from time
to time to regard him as on their side. The tariff reform movement
itself was now, however, outside the purely official programme, and Mr
Chamberlain (backed by a majority of the Unionist members) threw himself
with impetuous ardour into a crusade on its behalf, while at the same
time supporting Mr Balfour in parliament, and leaving it to him to
decide as to the policy of going to the country when the time should be
ripe. In his own words, he went in front of the Unionist army as a
pioneer, and if his army was attacked he would go back to it; in no
conceivable circumstances would he allow himself to be put in any sort
of competition, direct or indirect, with Mr Balfour, his friend and
leader, whom he meant to follow (October 6).

On October 6th he opened his campaign with a speech at Glasgow.
Analysing the trade statistics as between 1872 and 1902, he insisted
that British progress involved a relative decline compared with that of
protectionist foreign countries like Germany and the United States;
Great Britain exported less and less of manufactured goods, and imported
more and more; the exports to foreign countries had decreased, and it
was only the increased exports to the colonies that maintained the
British position. This was the outcome of the working of a one-sided
free-trade system. Now was the time, and it might soon be lost, for
consolidating British trade relations with the colonies. If the mother
country and her daughter states d