Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-24
THE ASQu|TH BUDGET
Features of the Premier's
Statement Excite Comment.
FOR WORKING CLASSES
Old-Age Pension Scheme Regarded
Most Favorably.
KAIsER'S VISIT TO VIENNA
London Comment Over Recent Aus
trian Function-Tercente
Celebration at Quebec.
KAIsER'S VISIT TO VIENNA
oecial Correspondence Of The Star

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON. May q. 1905.
So far as simplicity is concerned Mr.
Asquith's budget is generally commended.
Its commanding feature is the establish
ment OF a system of old age pensions. IL
is a matter OF considerable satisfaction to
the liberal and labor parties that the in
auguration Of the system is accompanied
by reduction OF the sugar tax. This
undoubtedly relieves the ministry of a
serious difficulty. Thus. the financial pro-
posal of the cabinet. reduced to a nut
| shell. has for its obvious purpose the con-
Citation of the working classes. Pending
b. elections may not have inspired this
but it is not disputed in the lobby that
the budget must go some way 10 assist
minist erial candidates in Industrial con.
stituencies. Last years budget was will,
justice styled middle-class budget. This
year it can. with greater approach 10
truth. be called a workingmans budget
Old age pensions are established in q
rather hating way. II is true. and the
sugar tax is reduced. The leaders Of the
labor party are today protesting against
the inadequacy of the government q
scheme, which is undoubtedly their cor
rect tactics. On the whole. Mr. Asuuith.
1t is felt. has certainly gone some way ia
meet the claims of a section of the com
munity which has recently manifested
views of a most hostile nature to the
government.
Mr.. Asquith introduced his old ago
pension scheme by pointing to the none Y
expended upon the young. and stated that
the country was now spending $4,000 OM
year more on education than in 1870 He
looked upon old-age pensions as no moro
sociaiistic than free education and point
ed out how good thing 1t would be II
they were TO substitute for the invidious
dependence of poor-laW relief the wiser
and humaner policy of old-age pensions,
for which. as he said. he last year set
aside E2.25O.WW as nest egg. but of
which he proposed to employ only R1.-
200. 900 this year.
Briefly Mr.. Asquith's scheme is as fol-
lows: That persons at the age Of seventy
and upward shall be entitled to a pension
Of five shillings q week. There are some
thing like 1s7."o in the united kingdom
are to be ineligible. Criminals and luna
ties are excluded. as also are paupers ac-
tually in receipt of poor-law relief
The pensions are to be confined to Brit
ish subjects. and, as naturalization is
cheap and easy In this country. he sug-
gested that long period OF residence on
the part of naturalized British subjects
say ten TO twenty years-should be a con-
dition Of their receiving the pension.
Moreover. II husband and wife are both
over seventy they would be able 10 claim.
not ten shllings a week but only TO or
80 each. and II the income Of the person
over seventy amounts to ten shllings a
week. or a married couple to ESQ per
year. they will get nothing at all. but.
presumably. II their income were f3s a
year. they would be entitled to oid-axe
pensions.
Mr.. Asauith went on to indicate that
the local post ONCE should provide the
machinery for paying these pensions. and
that in order to keep the pensions from
any association with the stigma 0. the
poor law the money would come from
the treasury and not through the local
authority. who often might have to con-
tributs 70 pensions quite out Of proper