THE BRITISH BUDGET

Evening Star, Issue 14163, 13 September 1909, Page 6

THE BRITISH BUDGET

LORD ROSEBERY AT GLASGOW.

AN INDEPENDENT OPINION

NO' REAL DEFICIT.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.

LONDON, September 11. Lord Rosebery, at the Glasgow meeting to protest against the Budget, said that he had long been an independent politician, but he believed it to be his duty to show why it was not in the best interests of the nation that the Finance Bill sliould become law. Mr Lloyd-George had proclaimed it a Budget of war against poverty, but it was a war which depleted capital, increased unemployment, and produced universal insecurity. He (Lord Rosebery) was unaware of the actual amount of the deficit. Sir Robert Giffen had declared that he believed there was no real deficit. The new taxes were not for national defence, but to raise vast sums for the use of the Central Government without parliamentary control. BRITAIN IN THE MELTING POT. The Budget had no adequate preparation. It contained material for six Budgets, and the complementary developments of the Bill were the most novel nnd formidable proposals presented to Parliament for many years. The Budget put Britain into the melting pot. It was a revolution without any mandate from the people. At a time when it was difficult to' make both ends meet the Budget took as much and harassed as much as possible. It placed new taxes on land, besides expanding the Income Tax and the death duties. It was a distinct step towards land nationalisation, which Mr Übyd-George said must come. Land was selected because its taxation could not be evaded. Taxation of the unearned increment could be applied to every other kind of property. No exertion was needed by the holders of consols or railway stocks. He warned the country to consider the contagions influence of the principles raised by the Budget. Personally, he found land a harassing and unrennmerative form of property. The land laws might be improved and more people of the yeoman class settled on the land, but the iandlords should be justly treated. They were usually human beings, in difficulties.

LANDLORDS DOUBLY DAMNED. In 1896' the letiini shewed that the capita] value of land had fallen a thousand millions in thirty years. Yet this was the. industry which the Government sought to tax out of existence. The landowners seemed to be damned, and doubly damned, for holding property in land. * Many millions of working men's money were invested by the prudential and temperaitce goeietie-s, and the friendly societies might soon be touched. He considered the enormous increase in ths death duties a danger to capital. They ought to be reserved for war purposes. The Governments enormous taxation of capital was strangling in peace the goose which laid the golden ejgs in war time. The Government boasted that they had paid off forty millions, and did not borrow, but they proceeded to spend sixteen millions annually. The transference by the enhanced death duties of masses of capital from the individual to the State injuriously reacted on commerce and employment. It destroyed the nation's reserve power. Scores of millions were lying idle in the banks, or going abroad to develop other conntries owing to apprehension of the Government's financial policy. WHAT WOULD GLADSTONE SAY? What, feelings would Gladstone have had for such a Budget? Liberalism and liberty need to go together; the Budget established a tyranny and inquisition never previously known. He denounced the Government's bureaucratic Socialism. Bureaucracy was almost strangling France, yet our Government created skiffs of well-paid officers for small holdings, factory inspection, pensions, housing, etc. A super-tax would be administered by commissioners from whom there was no appeal. This sort of tyranny was not Liberalism, but Socialism. For five years before their death men would be ghosts. During that time they could give nothing to their children without it being reckoned part of their estate. He declared that Cobden, Bright, or Villiens never dreamt of levying such a vast sum as that now- asked by indirect taxation. He urged retrenchment, but not of national defence. Why should Ireland cost £1,200,000 more yearly than she produced in taxation? He would conduct the State as a private business." He was sorry the Government had taken sides with the Socialists. Some Ministers were conscious Socialists, the least worthy working men being taught not to exert themselves, and his Liberal friends were clearly moving on the path leading to Socialism. He could not follow them one inch. He might think Tariff Reform or Protection an evil, but Socialism was a negation of faith in family, properly, monarchy, and Empire. In a subsequent speech Lord Rcsebery declared that the late John Bright would have denounced the encroaching proposals of this Budget.

OPINION IN THE LOBBY

LONDON, September 12.

Lobby opinion agrees that Lord Roscbery has created a new situation, and rendered even more likely the Lord 6' rejection of the Budget. Tho Unionists attach real sionificiincc to Rosebery's declaration of his belief that the Government were taunting and daring the Lords to throw out tho Budget.

THE OPPOSITION PRESS.

COUNTING THEIR CHICKENS.

LONDON. September 11. ' The Times ' says that the essence of Lord Kosebery's speech is that the Bill involves a. social revolution without. precedent. He showed that, behind the devices the preferred end of which if- revenue there lurk fnr-ivacliiiii; schemes for the subversion and redistribution of private property. The. ' Daily Mail' says that the speech will settle the fate of the Budget, because it will convince the multitude of independent voters belonging to neither party. The ' Daily Telegraph' says that" Lord Rcsebery lias pronounced an elegy over the Liberal party as it existed until Mr LloydGeorge assumed the Chancellorship of the Exchequer and Mr Churchill .was admitted to the Cabinet. (Received September 13. at 8.20 a.m.) The ; Sheffield Telegraph ' suggests that Lord Rosebcry come down from his Olympian heights and fight the Budget. The 'Birmingham Post' says that the speech will do much to cause the silent voter to think hard. The ' Pall Mall Gazette' states that City opinion k almost unanimous that Lord Rosybery lias smashed the Budget. The speech is bound to have a tremendous effect in Scotland. THE GOVERNMENT PRESS. LONDON. September 12. The 'Daily News' says that therejsno opponent so venomous as the renegade and no critic so ste-rn as the ma a who has failed. The ' Daily Chronicle' says that the speech was that of a great landlord, not of a great Liberal. It was entirely colored by prejudices and prepossession in favor of landlordism. (Received September 13. at"&2o a.m.) Tho Radical provincial newspapers bitterly criticise Lord Rosebery's speech. '.

RESIGNS A PRESIDENCY. LONDON, September 12. Lord Rosebery resigned'the presidency of the Liberal League before bis Glasgow speech. Mr Asquith, Sir Edward Grey, and Mr Haldane are among the presidents.

GENERAL ELECTION EXPECTATIONS.

. ; • LONDON, September 11. It is expected that the Bill will be sent to the House of Lords about the 15th of October. Both parties expect a General Election to follow in a few week;.