The N. Z. Times THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1910. THE BUDGET CAMPAIGN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7019, 6 January 1910, Page 6

The N. Z. Times

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1910. THE BUDGET CAMPAIGN

WITH WHICH IB IHCOaPOBiTIfD THE a W*LIiIKO*OJI INX*7XMDIINT." ESTABLISHED 1815.

Several interesting items of news reach us this morning from London regarding the election campaign. They are grave and gay by turns. Among the ■latter may be classed the announcement that “ a hundred and . fifteen meetings’’. are being addressed this week by poors—intent, no doubt, upon showing how “ Socialistic” is the proposal to tax the increment of land for revenue to build Dreadnoughts, and how statesmanlike it would he to tax food for the same purpose. The gravity of the party struggle is emphasised by the demands that are being made from the rival , leaders for more definite information of their views regarding the future of the House of Lords. The question will be more difficult for Mr Dalfour than for air Asquith. The Prime Minister has again and again declared that the veto of the hereditary chamber over the representatives of the people is an anachronism which must he destroyed, and its claim to tinker with taxation ■an outrage upon the constitutional practice of three centuries. “The Times” comment, given to-day, that Mr Asquith has “ definitely disclaimed the policy of ending the Lords ” is an inversion of the’ facts. What Mr Asquith has done is to declare himself in favour of the bi-cameral system of legislature—of a revisory chamber without veto—which is an entirely different thing to the policy attributed to him. • • • • *

"Whether Mr Asquith wishes to end, mend, or bend the House of Beers is

really not worth splitting hairs about, since it is known that ho is the enthusiastic champion of the Commons being the dominant branch of the Legislature, the enemy of the hereditary principle and the claim made by the Lords of authority to mangle Bills and Budgets whenever they think fit. Mr Balfour will find it harder to put his theories about the House of Lords into understandable language than ho did to reduce his fiscal belief to “ tho half-sheet of note-paper” demanded on an historic occasion by Lord Morley. Even so far as a metaphysician is able to state his creed Mr Balfour will be besot, with difficulties about the Lords, for he is fighting the present campaign upon the contention that the Peers iu rejecting the Budget and mauling Liberal legislation out of recognition have acted quite constitutionally, and have been” “ a bulwark to the nation.” Having expressed these views, how. can he justify any proposal to alter tho Second Chamber without playing into tho hands of the Liberals ? It is difficult to see. If ho attempted to do so, even in toms of philosophic doubt, tho Peers would have good reason to complain of scurvy treatment, for they have been tho, obedient servants of a Tory junta in all their recent idiosyncrasies. If Mr Balfour commences to wobble now about the House of Lords, it will bo an indication that his party finds itself in an even more .parlous plight than had been supposed by its' enemies. That would indeed be a case of shooting tho albatross.

The hundred and- fifteen meetings to he addressed by Peers during the week would probably double in number, and tho poor Dukes bo left to fight for hereditary privilege alone. At present they arc mobilised to do battle for tariff reform, and it will bo observed that Mr Churchill has given them something to think about in tho application of that doctrine to one particular industry. . During tho byelection at' Bermondsey a few weeks ago the Tariffites, in order to give local colour to their propaganda, promised that tariff reform would confer great blessings upon Bermondsey; There are many tanneries there. A heavy tax on imported leather was' promised to “ restore, the tanning trade.” But what are the tariff-mongers to tell tire bootmakers of Northampton and Homester P That their raw material is to be made dearer? Obviously that is what they, should be told, but they are not—they are informed that the duty will not affect them, as “ tho foreigner will pray it”! Here wo see tho beautiful symmetry of tho movement. . Tiro foreigner 1 is to he kept out of Bermondsey and “pay” to got in at Northampton. Mr Churchill . puts his finger upon tho real facts when he points out that the duties which baited the hook at Bermondsey would be equivalent to a charge of: three, shillings a week on the wages of the operative engaged in the manufacture of leather goods. On the Peers and Mr Balfour is cast the obligation of proving'to the artisan class the'wisdom to such a policy, and the still greater sagacity of taxing meat and bread. The undertaking looks a difficult one. It is not surprising to hear that the Peers aro working overtime at their task.