LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 508, 15 May 1909, Page 13

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE PREMIER AND HIS CRITICS. ,-Sir, —By.thotelographedroport of tho . Prime Minister's speoch at the Booial given . to Air. Davoy, it. would not> seem that tho hon. gontkiman Jt . in his lament over tho criticisms ot cortam malign Oppositionists, or even by liis relation of his great debt-orea- !: ■ tion ,achievements, could-liavo added much : vto. the harmony ot the ovomng. Tho Prime ~:..;Mimstor frequently forgets, :or- winces un- :• dor, 1 the. common-place point, essential how?..ever in our Parliamentary, system} which .is -, . . . that the Government in power is evor un- ; , der tho criticism of a watchful Opposition;. Good and honost' government •is dependent .oil that system, and jf tho leaders of an Op- . position give .way, as ho assorts,, to mis- , representation, -Ministerial exposure prejudices .their rabvery of public confidence; but for him to merely assert theso ■ things _ without .in a' single, instance; setting-out tlioir dis- .'.;■*■ . tortiona. is : .not.!.likely! to. greatly assist him. ■Wlulo omitting to state • jvhat had specially bo upset him, tho Prime Minister twitted • .-theso critics with having for twenty years not beon doing well. Sir. Joseph Yi ard, during :; his long connection with public affairs, has had rare opportunity to acquire a thoiough of :aIP phases of public-fahance; :■ 1 yet,-as.between him and tho Opposition con- ■ tontion. he is. evidently: self-deceived: .• .-Not having tho 1889 hgurcs by mo I can-, not quote for twenty years-back,'but in 1899 \ ' the. public debt was, £46,938,000, ;and- with I .. ... tho: creation which ho .mentions, it now . would (on March 31 last) bo £71,453,897, i whicb shows an increase of- £24,515,891 during .tho last. ten. years. By the creation of ■ '60.enormous'an addition, to the public .debt, .- all arguments based on economic rule or ■ , consideration mustbe Bet. aside, : ancj" for! .the > moment it is, open to -jeer, at tho failuro of . criticisms so offered; ■ still, on our present i position, t :'it ;has, : yet .tobe .determined as' to •'i'" who;is!right;'. )':?:■ / "\;. :' : .iJTiroughout ■his public life and by -. his : Bpccch ..under reviow, Sir Joseph 'has nqver shown, any reluctance <to create debt, and he i Beems.. to; bo ' entirely indifferent , as ' to ' the ... amount ..we owe.-. In fact, he would appear 1 to .bo a sort of .a dipsomaniac over public , debt, and.-by. indulgence has brought• tho ' country into ra.vstate! 1 , when industrial: . : 'and" commercial disaster, may follow, on any sud- | ~ den .cessation in .our borrowing; Meanwhile, I ' a rosult tho .attendant necessary taxation .which in 1897-8 .was-£2,678,576 had risen to , in ,1907-8. ,: ;With local . taxation ; ■ in: addition amounting to £1,338:536, wo .pay 9 total of £5,984,290: surely an enormous amount txj bo found bv the breadwm* ■ iiors of a population * which-is. under . a million. a: . This.is a,solid burden, probably bsJ- I yond ; whatany- such- community can carry and remain prosperous. Tho Prime Minister, however,.;-views.;tnis.debt,and ; this, accompany-. . -. ...ins ..cruel .taxation with a -light heart;'' and' is - ■- v viS 'y,' . 0 . 1 ? occasions interested to - devise, sources for still further taxes. a peech .invites further' remark .on an- ■ ... other, feature..-, _He tells us in exultant terms Ss''^ l^?^ e ? S; 7 n^ne ™B^ t of. debt, and.of the creation of. a-.further five.', ilis . tono. over - this and on other occasions . . .jarnes : the .suggestion.of relief,' and of' a Icolmg of danger escaped or surmounted - He' /■r . speaks of; last...year's,■ transactions'; ! as ; ' "a tremendous operation," and truly it was so out ..then can such transactions bo ' always ca rned through?, Few sane, people would cnre .to , be responsible :for meoting-this ob- .. ligation, but Btill our debt, -* to all : avorage •.of. some (three : millions,; must beep■ fallinc due every year V .The - sensitiveness, of -the- Prime' Minister • .criticism, . as shown by this speech, is very remarkable, unless it is that his whole .. ycase- is, make-believe,- to offer him 1 occasion " to slasn at- the somewhat inert Opposition. •—1 am, etc., May !4. A CITIZEN -