The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-15
A DEFICIT OF
 f32,OOO,OOO HickS-Bcach Introduces
 Fiscal Program. AN IMPORT TAX ON WHEAT Chancel1or of ExcheQuer Ad- mits Its Unpopularity. Believed That the Proposed Loan Has an Important Bearing Upon the question of Peace With
 tho Burghsrs.

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 London, April A-Not for many years has Great Britains fiscal program been awaited with such interest as that which attached to this years announcement. ana there is no doubt that all the proposals contained in the budget given out today by si. Michael Hicks Beach. the Chan ccllor of the Exchequer. will be adopted. More important. perhaps. than the curl ous forms of the new forms of taxation is the statement made by the Chancellor that the Government had acceded to the Boer demands concerning the restocking of farms.
 At late hour. tonight the Associated Press learned upon excellent authority that the principal provision of the budget namely, the treasury loan'of fS2.ooo,ooo has serious bearing upon the peace question. There appears to be very strong belief in the cabinet that owing to the expected early termination oi .ne war. the R32. .ooo. 900 will never be needed.
 A Hope for Peace.
 The failure to explain this important Co@s~~~'~N-~ to indicate that the Government has strong hopes Of a speedy issue of the negotiations now pending at Pretoria be- tween the Boer leaders. although 1t wishes to impress the world in general and the Boers In particular with its anii- ity and determination to carry on the war. should the British terms. of peace be refused.
 Sir Michael Hicks-Be is seldom dra- matic. but when he referred today to the Governments intention to restock the Roer as well as the colonial farms, his voice rose to.an eloquent pitch. His ges- ture as he spoke in praise of the valor of the Boers and expressed his hope for subseuuent friendship between Briton ana Roer. took the House with him. and the sheers especially of the opposition. prevented the speaker from continuing his speech for some moments During this pause the Chancellor turned toward MT. Chamberlain. the Colonial Secretary who sat pale and motionless palpabiy none too pleased at this oficfal recsn- tation of his unconditional surrender formula.
 Ideas are Divergent
 The opinion gathered by the Associated Press in interviews with members of the House of Commons indicate the existence of a considerable divergence of ideas with regard to the new taxation, which, al- though comparativeIy urjmportant, in the revenue it will yield. affects important economic principles which have hitherto been held rather sacred by certain schools of English politicians.
 Charles Dilke voiced the opinion or many of these when he said: ''The bud get is a reyersion to protectionist princi- ples, and although only triviaily so' shall oppose it on those grounds,
 John Redmond said: II can only speak from the Irish point of view. We regard the whole thing as war tax, ana Ire land has never approved Of the war we shall naturally fight it for that reason. The protection of Irish agriculture has been a good thing. but duty upon hour and corn is too small to do us any good. Indeed, 1t will merely raise the price or the cheap meats imported from America and largely used by the Irish peasantry, besides making bread dearer. l think 1t is quite likely that these duties may af- feet the American miilers. as the differ ence between the new duties on raw and manufactured corn may. perhaps. give the English miller a chance to grind him. self. whereas. heretofore he imported American four
 A disadvantage claimed on all sides Is the small amount Sir Michael Hicks
  huge load. admitting that he has to raise the whole loan of f32.0oo,o00. which he saddles on posterity.
 John Burns was particularly vehement in speaking of the budget to represen-' tativc of the Association Press.
 Burns is Vehement.
 "It is a cowardly budget" he said. for a bully's war It devolves upon the very poor the cost of aggrandizing the adven- turous rich. It taxes the industrious pro- ducer at home for the prodigal specula- tor It further reduces the standard or comfort of the poor. who foolishly cried. Let loose the dogs of war; in short. the mothers and children. in dearer bread. nav for the husbands trafficking."
 Asked if he thought American flour would be affected by the new taxes. Mir. Burns said he was inclined to believe that Minneapolis and other large mill- ing centers would find 1t much harder to get trade in England.
 But that does not matter" said Mir. Burns; you deserve to be chastised for the Philippines"
 Henry Norman voiced the opinion of the Imperialistic Liberals when he said: "You cannot call it protection. It is a tariff for revenue only. and America will have no cause for retaliation. Of course. 1t will pass. If the Government told it's supporters to eat their hats, they would do so without a murmur.''
 Outside of the House of Commons. the income tax and the increase in the amount of stamps to be pleased on checks created the most comment. The "man in the street. Is generally very angry over both these increases.
 hicks Beach's Statement.
 The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Michael Hicks Beach, rose in the House of Commons at 4:25 D. m. today to make the budget statement
 He declared the past year had not been prosperous, but there was nothing to depress the country.
 Despite the fact that thousands of workmen had been removed from produc- tive labor by the war. the revenue figures showed no dlminution of business at home, while there was satisfactory in crease of foreign trade and there was no reason for thinking that there had been and falling off in the consuming power ot the people. There had been a heavy slump in the receipts from tobacco, spirits and beer but there was a great