on over the revelations concerned
with the war--were monopolizing attention, to the weakening of his hold
on the public. The revival in trade, and the production of new
statistics which appeared to stultify Mr Chamberlain's prophecies of
progressive decline, enabled the free-trade champions to reassure their
audiences as to the very foundation of his case, and to represent the
whole tariff reform movement as no less unnecessary than risky.
Moreover, the split in the Unionist party brought the united Liberal
party in full force into the field, and at last the country began to
think that the danger of Irish Home Rule was practically over, and that
a Liberal majority might be returned to power in safety, with the
prospect of providing an alternative government which would assure
commercial repose (Lord Rosebery's phrase), relief from extravagant
expenditure, and--as the working-classes were led to believe--a certain
amount of labour legislation which the Tory leaders would never propose.
On the other hand the colonies took a great interest in the new
movement, though without putting any such pressure on the home public as
Mr Chamberlain might have expected. At the opening of 1904 he was
officially invited by Mr Deakin, the prime minister of the Commonwealth,
to pay a visit to Australia, in order to expound his scheme, being
promised an enthusiastic welcome "as the harbinger of commercial
reciprocity between the mother country and her colonies." Mr
Chamberlain, however, declined; his work at home was too pressing.

From the end of Mr Chamberlain's series of expository speeches on his
scheme of tariff reform, onwards during the various fiscal debates and
discussions of 1904, it is unnecessary to follow events in detail. The
scheme was now before the country, and Mr Chamberlain was anxious to
take its verdict. Time was not on his side at his age, and if he had to
be beaten at one election he was anxious to get rid of the other issues
which would encumber the popular vote, and to press on to a second when
he would be on the attacking side. But he would make no move which would
embarrass Mr Balfour in parliament, and adhered to his promise of
loyalty. The result was a long drawn out interval, while the government
held on and its supporters became more embittered over their
differences. Mr Chamberlain needed a rest, and was away in Italy and
Egypt from March to May, and again in November. He made three important
speeches at Welb