UNIONIST TACTICS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 629, 5 October 1909, Page 7

UNIONIST TACTICS.

THE BUDGET. SHOULD IT BE ALLOWED TO PASS? CONFLICTING POLICIES. , (By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright.) 1 (Rec. October i, 9.25 p.m.) Y'■ .■■■'■■ London, October i. The "Spectator" anticipates that the House of Lords will reject, the Budget. The paper itself would prefer to- see tho Budget pass tho Lords. It argues that if the Unionists.lose ,tho election forced by tho re-

jeetion of the Budget,- that would give V new lease of power to tho Radicals, whoee return would do grave mischief. ■ . . On the'other hand,; the "Spectator" believes that, if the Budget passes, .the country's dis-' gust with it within six or eight months would force a general election, when Socialism' could be,fought to better advantage. ■ ■--' - ■ ■. '~;•, WHAT WILL THE LORSS DO? LIBERAL MINISTERS THINK BUDGET • : .' , WILL PASS. . . ;. . •-. . yLondon, October 3. . According to the "Standard," Mr. John Burns,. President of. tho Local Government Board, and Mr. Lewis Harcourt, First Commissioner of Works, arb emphatically of opinion that the House of. Lords will not reject the Budget. ■•■'.-.. . ■/•■. PEERS WHO HESITATE. RESULT OF, ELECTION. MAY RUDELY . ."..'■■'• :■'' SHAKE THE VETO. (Rec. October i, 11.55 p.m.) ■ 1 London, October 4. .The "Daily Chronicle" (Liberal) recently addressed a telegraphio question on the Budget to' several Unionist peers.: ; Viscount\Peel replied: "I hope the House of Lords will pause before taking the extreme stop of rejecting the Finance' Bill." : Earl De I/a Warr:" In rejecting the Budget tho House of Lords would be taking a very great risk. If their action was , not endorsed by the'people, tho Lords', veto would be rudely shaken.". ■ .■'.';' . .

Baron Montcagle: "Much as I disapprove the \ Budget,-. I. do. not approve the House; of Lords' rejecting it." ■ ■•.:'". ■■*■-.'. Lords Avebury and Kinnoull are in favour of, the House ; of Lords giving an opportunity for an; appeal to .the country. . .' •: DANGEROUS WEAPONS- '" ■' Kyas.recently statedin a Homo paper that Air. Balfour personally favours, 1 on- tactical giounds, the course .'advised ,by the ■ "Spoctatcr ; —that tho Budget should pass. Tho Unionist*; would thus avoid the dangerous constitutional issue as between tho Lords and the Commons, and the country would, it' is calculated, .'grow weary of the' Budget taxes and of the Liberals, and would send the Unionists back to .power; If tho Lords rejected tho Budget that policy might prove a boomerang; if tho Budget passed the Liberals would find it "a boomerang;; Besides, if the Unionists returned to power in, say, a year's time, it would be convenient' for them to have some newly-made 'Liberal taxes to pick'and choose from. That is in brief tho argument for the "pass-the-Budget" Tiolicy. ...... / ■ . '. On the other hand, Mr. Chamberlain's message to Mr, Balfour'e Birmingham meeting-was a direct appeal to .the Lords to rejecj; the.Bud"pot''and k> force a general: elcctio'i)' , ' at 'once. This appeal miist bo taken as having the' Tariff ;Keform section-of tho Unionists .behind 'it;.-and as. Itr. Balfour 'did not see fit;to express dissent from it, his silonce has been taken in some quarters as consent. ■ . ; ' .-;.■,

It is said that the Unionist Leader in the Lords. Lord Xansdownc, leans, like Mr.- Balfour. towards a cautious policy. But there is in the Upper Houso a section which, liko tho Twiff Reformers, may go solid for rejection. This is composed of those Peers whom Mr. Adand (Financial Secretary to the Wan Of;fice) described as."wild men from the woods"—. Peors "wild and uncontrollable, who emerge from'their hiding-plncos only on-great occasinns/f and who-."regard . land .-.taxes from so nftrtow.nnd Bclfish a, standpoint that—even if Mr. Balfour and his people thought if best to; lnt the Finance Bill pass thoHouso of Lords— .thesoPeers would not bo willing to oboy Lord Lonsdowne and pass tho Bill." . ,--..-..- k . , Snch extremists might, however, bo satisfied ; with the.line of compromise suggested in "The Times"—the by tho, Lords of; thb Budaet until the country has been consulted. - '':.- : •'.-■ . ■'. : ■■•■". .-■. .