FISCAL POLICY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 45, 16 November 1907, Page 5

FISCAL POLICY.

MR. BALFOUR. WHAT THE UNIONISTS WOULD DO IF PUT - IN POWER. RE-SUMMON THE CONFERENCE. TAXATION PROPOSALS. ENDORSES RESOLUTION OF THE DELEGATES. BT TELEaitAPH—ritESS ASSOCIATION—COPTBIQHT. (Rec, Nov. 16, 0.1 a.m.). London, November, 15. Mr. Balfo-nr addressed 3500 peoplo at tho Hippodrome, Birmingham, in connection with tho Conference Tboro was'a scene of groat enthusiasm. TARIFF REFORM CAININC. Mr. Balfour urged unity, though he said it was impossible to lay down in black and white what constituted party loyalty. He insisted .that'.tariff reform was gaming strength, slowly hero, rapidly there, but continuously everywhere, because the citizens of Great Britain wore becoming utterly discontented with' tho existing system. Ho had always thought that the promotion of freotrado within tho Empire was the most important of all onr commercial interests. Until the recent Imperial Conference he had oritertained doubts as to whether that policy was.practicable when the cooperation of a large numbor. of units was required. It would be irrational to entertain such fears after what had occurred at tho Conference. • . .

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN. Ho was astonsihed at the complaconoy 'of Ministerial reference to the debates at/the Conference. Personally' lie thought that Ministers had cut a vory poor figure. At tho, beginning of 1907 the temper 'of the selfgoverning colonies was such that tho British Government might easily have concluded an arrangement enormously promoting Imporial intor-commuD.ication\ and commerce. Even if the British Government wero unable to do much, it might at loast havo expressed sympathy by going as far as revenue needs permitted. ' ' RE-OPEN THE DOOR. "That opportunity," said Mr. Balfour, "has been wantonly and recklessly thrown away. We.have now no right to complain if tho Colonies wero to pursuo a commercial policy in which the interests of the Motherland havo no placo at all. ~ ■ ' , ' "If the Unionists woro installed in offlco to-morrow, tho ■ first thing they would do would to again summon tho Confcrenco which has been so hastily dissolved, to again open tho door which has been rashly closed, and to see if we cannot do something towards that great ideal of Imporial Unity which overy responsible Colonial statesman shares, and with which the late Imperial Government sympathised,- and for whioh Mr. Chamberlain had done so'much; , ' (Cheers.)

WHAT HE:.,WOULD,TAX,. < He heartily subscribed to tho fiscal resolution which the Unionist Conference had carried with acclamation. Any fiscal changes the party might adopt would embody a comprehensive scheme, equally advancing all tho four great propositions contained in that resolution. Ho declined to go into details. He declined to excludo from this alteration of taxation any articlo of import oxcept raw material. Also, any tax imposed must not augment the proportion to bd paid by tho working-man;; . ■ . ■ . SOCIAL REFORM AND SOCIALISM. He admitted that tho growth of Socialism was a disquieting phenomenon which, if successful, would bo absolutely ruinous to tho wholo community. That. movemont', was best met by a constructive policy of wido social reforms, but it : was impossible to execute such a policy on the present basie of taxation. . ' . Mr. Austen Chamberlain (son of Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, and ..Chancellor of the Exchequer in tho last Government) said that after such a speech it would not bo Mr. Balfour's fault if the Unionist party were not able to, pull together. UNIONIST CONFERENCE. PREFERENCE AND PROTECTION.

(Roe. Nov. 15, 9.47 p.m.) ' i. London, Novomber 15. • Two thousand delegates attended the con--feronco at Birmingham of tho Conservative and Liberal Leagues., The Right Hon. Henry Chaplin—a former Conservative Minister and a member of tho Tariff Commission, who won a by-election ontariff reform after being rejected at tho General Election—moved the first resolution, as follows: — That the constructive policy of the party be fiscal reform—the broadening of the basis of taxation, the safeguard- . ' Ing of the great productive Industries from unfair competition, the strengthening of tho nation's facilities for negotiating in foreign markets, the establishing of preferential commercial ' arrangements with tho. colonies, and the securing to British producers and workmen of further advantage over foreign competitors In the colonial markets. Mr. Balfour wrote that ho thought the resolution summarised with porfect accuracy and with much felicity his speech to the Council of tho National Union on February 15. Tho motion was carried enthusiastically. Tho Conforonco condemned tho Government's inaction with regard to repressing dieorder in Ireland.

The following resolution was also carried: That Socialism can bost be combated by ntoana of tarlfl reform and old age pensions. The Conference passed n resolution greatly regrotting Mr. Chamberlain's illness. Tho mombors roso as a body and sang, "For Ho's a Jolly Good Follow."