At a Council meeting of the Central and Associated Chambers
of Agriculture held at the rooms of the Society of Arts on Wednesday, the discussion on preferential tariffs was resumed and pushed to a vote. Mr. Rider Haggard on November 3rd had moved a resolution cordially welcoming the proposals of Mr. Chamberlain as necessary and desirable. An amendment was now moved by Mr. Middleton (Cleveland Chamber) recommending the appointment of a Royal Com- mission to inquire into our fiscal policy. Mr. Middleton, who declared himself opposed to Mr. Chamberlain's proposals, was supported by the representatives of some of the Northern Chambers, but on a division the amendment was lost by a large majority, Mr. Rider Haggard's resolution being carried with only seven dissentients. Mr. Chaplin observed that "this country was ripening already in favour of Mr. Chamberlain, and if they wished to see that ripening process carried on still more rapidly at the present time, they had to make it clear to the Prime Minister that the agricultural interest as a whole was practically unanimous in its support of Mr. Chamberlain?' But by far the most frank and significant declaration was that of Mr. Rider Haggard when he said that "there was no room for a half-way house on the steep road that ran from Free-trade to Protection." We could not wish for a clearer statement of the issue now before the country.- Mr. Haggard, at-, any rate, has no use for such labels as "Progressive Belfourite," by which Major Coates, the Conservative eandi- date for Lewisham, has just designated himself. We may barn add 'that, in reply to a correspondent, the Duke of Devonshire, as President of the Unionist Free-Food League, has recommended electors who are Free-traders to decline to give their support at any election to a Protectionist Unionist candidate. •
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