Evening star., 1897-04-30
AIMING iN''soUTH AFRICA
Secretary chamberlain Wants Cape Colony
Prepared for the Tnnsvaal.
Sir william VernDn Harcourt Opposes
Taxation for tE9 Purpose. of War
chalIenee If lI.ke an Issue.

-r
sI E
One of the most sensational discussions
that has taken place In the British house
of commons took place yesterday afternoon.
The chancellor of the exchequer, Sir Mi
chael Hicks Beach, read the budget state
ment in the house OF commons. The bal
anced account for 1S96-'9T shows the ex-
chequer revenue to be f103 950, Geo fS519 150,-
00O), and the expenditures f10a. At 600 C$507,-
3s5. .OOO) leaving a surplus of e. 473, 600 C$l2-
365, ,OOO).
The chancellor of the exchequer, who
was heartily cheered, added that the ma
tional debt had been reduced ELSA, 900
($5I. .420. .O0O during the year, and that the
total value Of British trade during the last
financial year was fT3s. 900 ($s,60O. .0OO.-
OOO). an increase Of per cent.
He dwelt rpon the Increased prosperity
shown by this more than by. the beer
drank and the tobacco consumed.
The Increase in the income tax revenue
exceeded the estimate by nearly f3.oOO,OU
$17;5O0 OO0J. - -.
The chancellor of the exchequer said that
careful estimate was made in 1896. and
careful one in 1897. Especially because q
war cloud has just broken out, and no one
is able to say how long it will last or how
far 1t will EXTEND
The receipts from the income tax arr,
larger than ever before. -
This being jubilee year." the chancellor
of the exchequer further said, 1T is inter
esting to compare the finances of 1867
with those of last year. The revenue was
fS2, O0,OOO and now 1t is f112,OOO 600. Then
II per cent of the revenue was derived from
taxes on commodities; now. only a per cent
OF the revenue is derived from such taxes
Then the total of foreign trade was f125-
100000; now it is f73S. .O00, ,0OO
Our monarchy was never so valuable to
the country as now. We were the best
and cheapest monarchy in the world in
1867, VIXEN 1t cost the nation f534 600: now
| 1t costs the nation f1so.0O0.
The total excheQuer expenditures for
the current year are estimated at f101. .IO4.-
O00 and the revenue Is estimated at f1OS,
oeO.OO, showing an apparent surplus of
over e, 100000. but in view of the increa Sc
In the strength Of foreign navies the gov
naval estimates already presented.
we had also to very carefully consider
our position as the paramount power in
South Africa. and decided to make a ma
terial increase in the imperial garrison In
that colony. These measures are not taken
In ah aggressive spirit. We intend to full
MI our obligations. and expect others to do
COO.
The sum Of f36O00O will be devoted to
postal and telegraph reforms including the
cost OF the reduction Of colonial and foreign
postage from 2hd. to ID per half ounce
which the British delegate will propose al
the international postal acongress at Wash
ington. Il"
The remainderabf the surplus will be
devoted to education In Ireland and Scot
land and for the Entertainment of the colo
NAL and foreign guests during the jubilee
celebra tions." IS /;
Hnrcourt Oppose. Taxes for wur in
south Africa.
Sir William Vernon .Harcourt, the liberal
leader. referring to the f2OO,OOO set apart
in the budget estimates for STRENGTHENING
the British garris6ns inGSouth Africa, said
this sum was for "a war policy in South
Africa, which thsi opposition was deter
mined to resist. - az 80
Sir William Harooum accused Mr.. Cham
berlain OF trying to arousena q war feeling
and Of using in all his recent statements
exaspefAAne slangussseg cafcuiat4& to ex-
cite feeling of racial hatred in South Africa,
"nichs hoWever, thank God. have failed"
with cries of .'Oh! OH ''oS
Continuing. he said the policy of the sec
retary OF state for the colonies. intending
to produce u racial war. was defeated by
the good sense and feeling of the people
of Cape Colony. and he pointed to the adop-
tion OF the recent cOnciliatory motion in
the parliament of Cape Colony as being a
condemnation of this war policy, adding
that he was happy to say the peaceful
policy was supported by the government
of Cape Colony.
hC ocCieldEy VI STATE IOF the cOlOnloS,
Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain, here entered the
house, and, amid cheers. Sir William Har-
court said:
In the presence of Mr.. Chamberlain, 1
repeat that 1t was a defeat of an utterly
un1ustifiable attempt to excite M-feeling.
When we are asked to refuse a reduction
of the taxes of Great Britain in order to
contribute money to promote warlike, ag-
gresslve operations in South Africa (Oh!
Oho we oppose a most determined resist
ance. The proposal to apply money to un-
]ustiflable purposes against the will of the
people and government of Cape Colony is
one of the most injurious things with refer
ence to the empire ever submitted to the
house of commons"
Chamberlain Replies.
Mr.. Chamberlain said he had not expect
ed to have to reply to such "pernicious and
dangerous language" He classed Sir VIII
liam Harcourt's utterances as being "un-
patriotic in the highest degree, embarrass-
ing to the government and injurious to the:
cause of peace"
Continuing, Mr.. Chamberlain asserted
that Sir William Harcourt's statements to
been rejected by the cape government ami
people were absolutely inaccurate The
policy Of the government, he explained,
had not changed from the first. Only cir
cumstances had changed to some extent.
The governments policy, Mr.. Chamberlain
added Is to maintain it's obligations, not to
engage in any aggressive operations, nor
to attack the Independence of friendly
state. but Ito maintain our rights and the
rights of the nation"
Il had hoped, continued Mr.. Chamber
lain. That our policy would continue to be
in the face Of Sir William Harcourt's
speech and now challenge him to raise