The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-15
Budget Statement Shows EypeD-
diturGS Ahead of Revenue
WAR COST 165,O34,OOO LBS.
Chancellor of Exchequer Expects the
Wealth of the TransvaaI to Repay
This Amount and Help Reduce
the National Debt.

London April 14.-Not for MANY vears
has Great Britains fiscal programme
been awaited with such interest as that
which attached to this years announce
ment and there is no doubt that all the
proposals contained in the budget eixan
out today by Sir Michael Hicks-Beach
lhe chancellor of the exchequer, will be
| adopted
More important perhaps that the curl,
Gus forms of the new taxation la the
statement made by the chancellor of the
exchequer that the government had ao-
ceded to the Boer demand concerning the
restocking of farms
AT late hour tonight the Associated
Press learned upon excellent authority
that the principal provision of the bud
get namely, the treasury loan of e3200o
oOO has serious bearing upon the peace
question. There appears to be a very
strong belief in that cabinet that, owing
to the expected early termination of the
war. the e32,0OO,0O0 will never be needed.
The failure to explain this important
point Is taken in the House of Commons
TO indicate that the government has
strong hopes Of speedy issue of the ne
gotiations now pending at Pretoria be-
tween the Boer leaders although II
wishes to impress the world in general
and the Beers in particular with its abil-
ity and determination to push the war to
finish should the British terms of peace
be refused
Hicks-Beach Eloquent.
Sir Michael Hicks Beach is seldom dra-
matte but when he referred today to the
| governments intention to restoclx the
Boer as well as the colonial farms his
voice rose to an eloquent pitch His
gesture as he spoke in praise OF the valor
of the Beers and expressed his hope for
subsequent friendship between Briton ana
Boer, took the house with him. and the
cheers, especially from the opposition,
prevented the speaker from continuing
his speech for some moments. During the
pause the chancellor of the exchequer
turned towards Mr.. Chamberlain, the co.
lonial secretary, who sat pale and mo-
tionless, palpably none too pleased al
this official recantation of his 'uncondi-
tional surrender" formula.
Differences of Opinion.
The opinion gathered by the Associated
|
House of Commons indicates the exist
ence of a considerable divergence of
| ideas with regard to the new taxation,
which, although comparatively unmport-
ant in the revenue 1t will yield, affects
| important economic principles which
have hitherto been held rather sacred by
| certain schools of English politicians.
| Charles Dixie voiced the opinion of many
of these when he said:
"The budget is a reversion to prote z
ZIONIST principles, and although only trivi>
! ally so, I shall oppose it on those
| grounds"
| John Redmond said
IT 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 has been good thing, but
| this duty upon flour and corn is too small
| to do us any good. Indeed, 1t will only
| raise the price of the cheap meats Inn
ported from America and largely con-
| sumed by the Irish peasantry, besides
making bread dearer. | think 1T is quite
| likely that these duties may AFFECT the
| American miilers, as the difference be-
tween the new duty and the old gives the
English miller chance to grind hlmsel1,
| whereas heretofore he imported Hour.
"a disadvantage claimed on all sides
Is the small amount Sir Mike Hicks
Beach raises by direct taxation and the
huge load admitting that he has to raise
the whole loan of aS2.000000, which he
sadly needs, from other sources.
"a cowardIy Budget"
'It is a cowardly budget. For bully's
war. 1t devolves upon the people the cost
of aggrandizing the adventurous rlch.
1t taxes the industrious producer at home
for the prodigal speculator abroad IL
| further reduces the standard or comfort
of the poor who foohshly cried. have let
loose the dogs of war; in short, the
| mothers and children, In dearer bread in
| nav for the husbands trafficking.'
Asked If he thought American -four
| would be affected by the new taxes, Mr..
| Burns said:
oils and other large milling centers would
find it much harder to get trade in Eng
| land"
But that does not matter" said Mr..
Burns, "you deserve to be classified for
the Philippines"
Henry Norman voiced the imperialists
when he said: "You cannot call 1t pro-
lection 1t is a tariff for revenue only,
and America will have no cause for retail
iation. OF course 1t will pass. II the gov
ernment told it's supporters to eat their
hats they would do SO without a muir
muir"
Outside of the House of Commons the
income tax and the increase IN the
amount of stamps to be placed on checks
created the most comment. The man in
street" is generally very angry over both
these increases.
The chancellor of the exchequer, Sir
Michael Hlcks-Beach. rose in the House
of Commons at 4:25 p. m. today to make
the budget statement. He declared the
past year had not been exceptionally
prosperous, but there was nothing to
depress the country. Despite the fact
that thousands of workmen had been re-
moved from productive labor by the war.
the revenue figures showed no diminution
of business at home. while there was a
satisfactory increase of foreign trade and
there was no reason for thinking that
there had been any falling off in the
consuming power of the people. There
had been heavy slump in the receipts.
tobacco, spirits and beer, but there was
a great increase in the consumption of
tea and cocoa. The decrease in the re-
ceipts from spirits and tobacco was due