12 MARCH 1904, Page 3

Retaliation and anti-" dumping "; that, in three words, is

the Government policy,—a policy which, as we have shown, if it is put in practice and made efficient, must end in a regular tariff of the Continental type. It is Chamberlainism with the Imperialism, which, however badly handled and misused, did, at any rate, something to ennoble the Birming- ham policy, knocked out. We may note that Mr. Balfour also expressed his desire for a General Election, though we expect it is a desire the gratification of which Mr. Balfour, with a Lenten self-denial, will strive passionately to deny himself. In the end Mr. Pine's Free-trade Resolution was only negatived by 46 votes (289 to 243). The Free-trade Unionists for the most part voted against the Government, though several only abstained from voting. Sir Michael Hicks. Beach went into the Government lobby. The events of the evening, as a whole, have at last defined the issue.