BRITISH ELECTIONS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12318, 1 December 1910, Page 5

BRITISH ELECTIONS.

ULSTER'S ULTIMATUM,

SPEECH BY MR BALFOUR.

HE FAVORS REFERENDUM ON

TARIFF REFORM

(Press Assn.— By Telegraph-«-Copyright) LONDON, November 30.

At a great, Unionist demonstration at the Albert Hall, at which 11,000 people were present, Mr W. H. Long read Ulster's message, which read : "If an Irish Parliament is established Ulster will neither obey its decrees nor pay taxes." Mr Balfour, after warning the Government that they were playing with revolution, in discussing the question of a referendum, declared that the Radicals were horribly embarrassed. AH their lives they had talked of government of the people for the people by the people. A dissolution would be expensive and disturbing. The referendum did not involve a change of Government and could secure a clearer verdict without the personal bitterness that was inseparable where two candidates were in the field. One fantastic dealer in figures estimated the cost of a referendum at two millions; in reality the cost . would not exceed two hundred thousand pounds. . The Radicals sought to put the Unionists in a hole by asking them whether they would refer vital question^ wiiereon the Houses of Lords and Commons agreed partly, such as tariff reform, to a referendum. The^Radicals were mistaken. "They will not," he said, "put me in a hole. The subject, which is . only three days 'old, obviously involves practical difficulties of magnitude whieh I cannot ignore; nevertheless I frankly say that tariff 'reform involves, a great change. I admit that this election, and perhaps any election, cannot be described as an. election on tariff reform alone. I have' not the least objection to submitting the principles of tariff-reform to the referendum." 1 The -announcement caused an extraordinary demonstration, the audience jumping to their feet and cheering, ; Mr Balfour continued, stating that reform- was not «■ class, but a national and Imperial matter. " He would be perfectly ..willing to submit it to the judgment of his fellow-countrymen. He challenged the Liberals 'to givo a similar promise regarding Home Rule.- Mr Asquith's argument that a . referendum would destroy Parliamentary Responsibility was equivalent to saying "You destroy the peoples' representatives if it gives ' the people too much power. ". He concluded: ""Don't trust the Radicalpiippets or. Irish showmen who are pulling the strings ; don't trust the « American paymaster who is calling time. Trust the solid sense and judgment > of the people alone. " . ! Mr Asquith, in. his election address, says the appeal to the country has been narrowed to a single issue: Are the people, through their freely-chosen, representatives, to control finance, administration, arid law-making. The House of Lords'' schemes, he states, are proposed for the purpose of disguising the real issue. This would result in the creation of a Second Chamber capable of imposing an even, more formidable veto than the present one. ; .■'.-. . Mr Asquith. addressed 8000 in railway sheds at Reading. He • objected to the substitution of casual and .sporadic use of judgment by plebiscite on an issue imperfectly defined, regarding which a large section of tlie electorate had only 'the' most languid interest,, for the judgment of the people's chosen representatives. It would degrade the .House of Commons to the level of a debating society. He asked :■ "Will the Torio ssubmit tariff reform to a referendum." Polling takes place in 55 electorates on Saturday, including various Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Salford, Camberwell, Shoreditch and Western divisions; also Grimsby, Darlington, and Newington. > 'v Sir Edward Grey, in* an. address to the electors, said the. Lords were not the !dnly danger to the Commons. Without a lapge. measure of deyolution the House of Commons j cannot attend ,to Imperial affairs atid matters concerning the ..whole country. Sir' Edward Grey continued :' "If. local powers resembling those of the Canadian provinces were given parts of the United Kingdom; it would not endanger but secure the supremacy of the Imperial Parliament. A reformed Secbud Chamber is a necessity, but with machinery ensuring that the considered opinion of the House of Commons should -prevail^" : "--\- i . .■■: ' .■• ' ..«•■,. '/■■ ■ ■'■' , '■«: " : '„ Mr- Harcoiirt is confined to his bed. His wife is conducting his electioneering campaign for Rpssendale division.' The Liberals contest all, London seats except the Cityi; • . '. . (Receivod ; December 1, 8 a.m.) LONDON, November 30. , The Times says that his opponents thought .Mr Balfour lacked the- courage to submit tariff reform: to the .judgment of the country. A leader had never received a /more enthusiastic and > unanimous proof that he had the whole audience with him. , The Daily Mail .applauds the declaration, and states that it proves Unionists trust the people, . It enables Freetraders to vote -against the. Government. The Daily -Express states that Mr Ralfour rallied' arid inspired? all the forces of unionism. The Daily Chronicle states that if the Referendum does ndt: involve a change of Government good-bye to the whole system of party government^ . ; The Daily Tlews states that tho cancellation of Parliament's Commission by repeated referenda would be the antithosis of representative Government. ' (Received December 1, 9.10 a.m:) TiuthVsayp that the peers have suddenly changed front, v but they are wise in their generation to offer even half a measure. It condemns Mr Lloyd George's inflammatory appeals to class, prejudices. , The Irish lcaderS'Miave issued* a manifesto,^ stating that the; defeat of the Lords will 1 dear the path "for Home Rule. : ■ ■;■■■■/ ■ :■..>'. ■■ ' ;•' ■;„ ; Mr Wyndharii, speaking at Manchester, said that 43 in every thousand trade unionists are unemployed to-day. Thirty years ago the px'oportion was ten. of employment was due to allowing imported goods ,to be sold bolow the cost of production. . • '•'■-, r Lord Joicey, in a letter to the electors of Newcastle, says : "The Socialists have captured the .Cabinet and trades unions, though in a minority in both. Instead of promoting reforms like Gladstone, Brignt and Cobden, they are mere wreckers. „ Mr T. O'Connor, in an election address, said that -the people would have at last an opportunity by the election of ridding themselves forever, of servitude to a prejudiced and insolvent aristocracy. He appeals to Irishmen mainly because the future liberty and happjness, of Ireland depend on the extinction of their lqrdships' absolute veto. /'' '■-, Lord Braßsey, in forwarding £500 , to Mr O'Brien's All-for-Ireland fund, says: "Ireland has no worse enemies than the extremists who either preach hatred of Englarid, or Orangemen- threatening bloodshed if the existing form of government is not preserved." (Received December 1, 9.5 a.m.) LONDON, November 30. .Mi* Lloyd ■George is busy campaigning in Wajes* ' He attended two meetings at Cardiff, and addi'essed 5000 electors at each. '. ■'•• •.'.". '•"..' The Morning . .Posti. ia doubtful 'about the wisdom of Mjr 1 Balfour's hasty pledge. The change would' have far-reaching consequences. Hitherto a general election hod permitted a Government to carry out its policy. It was now suggested that an additional mandate be required. The Daily Telegraph declares that Mr Balfoxm* struck dismay into, the coalition. Tariff-reform cannot rest on anything except the undoubted approval of a settled majority. Mv Bonar Law and Mr George Wyndham applauded- Mr Balfour's declaration. : (Received December 1, 11 a.m.) LONDON, November 30. The Westminster Gazette says . that the Tories have uproariously welcomed j the. referendum as "a device enabling! them to escape the presumed unpopu- j larity of tariff reform, while permitting' them to capture, votes on the plea that they ardently favor taxing the foreigner. It adds: The referendam enables therii

to remain in office, though defeated on solitary questions. Lord Rosebery, speaking at Manchester, expressed alarm at the encroachment on personal liberty under the present Government by means of bureaucratic inquisition. He emphasised "the danger to the State from Irish dictation, subsidised by foreign gold, and asked whether this was not a ' greater danger than a single chamber proposal?