Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-15
BRITISH BUDGET.
Total Deficit Last Year of
About 952,544,OOO.
Chancellor Hicks-Beach Has Several
New Species Of Taxation
And Hopes, With End of War, to Make
Better Showing.

London, April H-Not for many
years had Great Britain's fiscal pro-
gram been awaited with such interest
as that which attached to this years
announcement. aond there is no doubt
that all the proposals contained in ii
will be adopted. 1t is equally sertain
that none of these proposals will meet
with the unanimous approval OF either
side of the House.
More important, perhaps, that the
curious forms of the new taxation is
the statement made by Sir Michael
Hicks Beach. the chancellor of the eX-
chequer, that the government had ac7
ceded to the Boer demand concerning
the restocking of farms.
At Il late hour tonight, The Asso-
ciated Press learned upon excellent
authority that the principal provision
of the budget, namely, the treasury
loan of G32.o00,O00 upon which Sir
Michael Hicks-Beach was remarkably
reticent, has a serious bearing upon
the peace question. There appears to
be Il very strong belief in the cabinet
that. owing to the expected eraly
termination of the war, these c32 .000,-
600 will never be needed. When that
section of the budget gets to the COM
mittee stage the peace negotiations
will probably have reached such shape
that Sir Michael Hicks-Beach will be
able to announce q diminution OF to-
days estimate. In any case this loan
will probably be called up only in small
instruments.
The failure to explain this important
point is taken in the House of Com
moLs to indicate that the government
has strong hopes of a speedy issue of
the negotiations now progressing at
Pretoria between the Boer leaders,
although it wishes to impress the world
in general and the Beers in particular.
with it's ability and determination to
push the war to finish should the
British terms of peace be refused.
Several interviews were given The
Associated Press.
Sir Charles Dixie voiced the opinion
of many Of these when he said: THE
budget is a reVersion to protectionists
principles and although only trivially
so, shall oppose it on those grounds
John Redmond said: Il can only
speak from the Irish point of view. We
regard the whole thing as a war tax,
and Ireland has never approved of the
war. We shall naturally fight it for
that reason. The protection of Irish
agriculture had been a good thing but,
this duty on flour and corn is too small
to do US any good. Indeed, it Will
merely raise the price of the cheap
meals imported from America and
largely used by the Irish peasantry, be-
sides making bread dearer.
lone of the greatest disadvantages
appreciated on all sides is the small
amount Sir Michael Hicks-Beach raises
by direct taxation and the huge load,
admitting that he has to raise the
whole loan of e32,000,00O which he sad
dies on posterity."
John Burns was particularly vehe-
ment in speaking of the budget to a
representative of The Associated Press.
ut is cowardly budget" he declar-
ed, for a bullys war. 1t devolves up
on the very poor the cost of aggrandiz-
ing the adventurous rich. 1t taxes the
industrious producer at home for the
prodigal Spectator abroad. 1t further
reduces the standard of the comfort of
the poor, who foolishly cried Havoc
and Let Loose the Dogs of War In
short. the mothers and children, in
dearer bread, pay for the. husbands
trafficing."
Asked that if he thought American
flour would be affected by the new
taos, Mr. Burns said he was inclined to
believe that Minneapolis and other
large milling centers would find it
much harder to get trade in England.
But, that does not matter" said Mr..
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