TARIFF REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 171, 13 April 1908, Page 7

TARIFF REFORM.

A COiIIPELUNfi FACTOR: REVENUE NEEDS. "CURZONISM.". LIBERAL SOCIAL MEASURES AND THEIR COST. BY TELKQBAPH —PRESb ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. ; London, April 10. In the course of his'speech at Basingstoke —in which ho adopted Mr. Balfour's fiscal platform, and declared that a tariff chango of some sort was necessary and inevitable—Lord Curzon said: — . \ position of India. \ "Regarding India, which might conceivably suffer more from retaliation than tit could gain from preference", it is to our interest that her interests should not bo sacrifiedd in any coming cha.nge. Her revenue tariff is so usoful and. lucrative that no party in India would consent to part with so useful a means of negotiation. It has been used than once to threaten reprisals on foreign nations." ThejLiberal Government, Lord Curzon continued) had events in train tp disturb many things,' but had not shown any tendency 'to upset the, tariff in India. Such a tariff must, and ought to como in England. The Radicals were driving the country thereto, and there was' promise for the future which the Unionists, must redeem. The Liberal Party were acting as wet nurses to' an offspring whom they affectod to repudiate and disown. A REVENUE AMD EMPIRE-BINDING TARIFF. ; "If wo £ot such a tariff'for revenue purposes, I cannot for the life •of me," added Lord Curzon, " see why we should riot have a tariff —after '.consultation .with the Colonial Governments^-for. strengthening the ties of tho' Imperial -connection, arid also for utilising to improve trade and secure better employment for'tho .workers." The more tfio money question was 1 probed,- tho more those sections of tho party which at present supported tariff reform, but were mutually separate, would be ' v drawn together. "Whatever wo do," concluded Lord Curzon, '.'let us noti adopt proscription. Wo are unable to affora to estrange such , men as Lord .Salisbury's) two sons.' That would be unthinkable. Oilr : policy should be one of reconciliation, nol reprisals." • • CAUSE. AND EFFECT. FREETRADE APPEAL TO LIBERAL, .< REFORMERS. (Rec. April 12, 4.20 p.m.) . .1 London, April 11. Tho " Spectator'l'vigorously warns Mr. Asquith against purjuing old age pensions, as the 'next: Government will: destroy Freetrade in order to discharge the financial obligations.-' ' '' - ; ' Tho "Daily Nows(' says:—"Lord Curzon stands for a' large liodification of the fiscal system. If Curzonism is not exactly Blafourism to-day, tho chances are that Balfourism. willbe Curzonism to-morrow. Curzonism is not Protection nor retaliation, it is a specious proposal to broaden (he basis of taxaition for revenue purposes only. • Its object is to keep Freetraders within, the party, and to relievo tho wealthy froni theidircct taxation required to'' provido funds foil social 1 reform." •Tho "Daily News'" protests'; against a' broadening of the 'basis' of taxation which' raises tho cost )of. liying to tho'poor. , ' "MORTGAGING THE FUTURE." The "Spectator's" fejir of costly so'cial re-' forms which will in the future strengthen the revenue arguments}' of the ttiriffites frequently finds 'expression 'in' the .. paper's columns.' In a ; recent i.issue the "Spectotoi" remarked,:—""Wo repeat ,that the " essential feature of the situatioii : is tho fact that the Governnientjare; in'effect, proposing not only to place this year upon • the taxpayer an additional : permanent annual burden of some ten > or twelve millions, ;bnt. that they are, in their .own 'words,?laying tile foundations of a system whichmust ultimately ; cost yet ''another twenty millions ti year. Tho 'Westminster Gazette/ that; very able apologist, of the Govarriment, tells, lus that tho -increase in expenditure j due to 'old ( age pensions' may be gradually provided by the jautomatic increase in the: ; 'revenuo.':. It points' out that we now 6pend!6pme thirty. millions' more than we did ten or' twelve ! years ago, and that therefore we may very I well count upon our gradual increijb in wealth enabling us ,to: meet the bills [for old, jage pensions as they become' . due.'; Thus, 1 the 'Westminster Gazette' not'oily abandons, all hope of. reducing taxation,' but .'suggests tho device of tho spendthrift all' tliq'worid over—mortgaging the future, s and anticipating the prospective wealth which lie'- hopes some day to possess, but . wjiich is in ; no sonse in liand.: It is fmanco i of . this kind, which brings na-' tions; as individuals,, to utter ruin.". 1