LICENSING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 230, 22 June 1908, Page 7

LICENSING.

LIBERAL COLOURS NAILED TO THE HAST.

IS IT FOOLHARDY? SPEECH DY THE PRIME MINISTER. BV TELECItArn—MESS ASSOCIATION—COPTHICIHI. (Reo. Juno 21, 4.15 p.m.) London, Juno 20. Speaking at a mass meeting in Birmingham in connection with the National Liberal Federation Conferonco, tho Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith, said that ho had staked his own political fortunes, and, as far as he could, the fortunes of tho Government and of the Liboral party, on tho Licensing Bill. He had been told that this was foolhardy, but his own belief was that he never did a wiser thing.

Mr. Asquith referred to the ceaseless propaganda conducted by the Tariff Reformers among the constituencies. Personally, be did not believa that the tariff issue was settled by the election in 1906. Ho wondered bow Mr..Balfour's tariff formula would enable the Motherland to give the Colonies preforor.ee, considering that the colonies produced only raw materials and food. Tho Prime Minister declared that the great objccts of tho Liboral party were to oqualise burdens, to make people's lives brighter, and to break down tho environment of squalor that was surrounding many lives. MR. BALFOUR'S "FORMULA." Mr. Balfour, Leader of the Opposition, says he subscribes to tho following platform:— "Broadening the basis of taxation, safeguarding our great productive industries from Unfair competition, strengthening our position for the purpose of negotiation in foreign markets, and establishing preferential commercial arrangements with tho Colonies and securing for British producers and workmen a further advantage over foreign competitors in the Colonial markets."

"If," said Mr. Lloyd-George during tho last fiscal debate, "you wish to • increase the revenue by broadening taxation, you must tax commodities which the people consume, namely, food. Wo say: 'Place a tax not on the poor, but on those who are rich enough to bear it.'"