New-York tribune., 1909-10-21
THE BUDGET CRISIS
"a Political Impasse and the
Way ont.
London. October Q.


.,es proceedings over the budget.
ls,cb have exhausted ths energies OF tho
-,.,-nuent and the Hodse Of Commons
ere leading 10 a deadlock between
-. rrivileged and representative cham
- anance hin introduced by the
.,sllor over seven months ago has
-, forced through committee after IN
-..ssented gse Of closure and strenuous
,,sition day and night. So many con
~.ss,ons and changes have been made
s..-,,v the arduous struggle that minis
eve compelled 10 adjourn the Com
..ons for a week in order 20 allow the
s-.f,srnen time for revising the measure
- erecting final readjustments. Finan-
-, experts are to he closely employed
aurin0 the interval in recasting esti-
--u,es and in ascertaining how much
-,vcnue can be depended upon for Treas
~ reouirenents. and ministers them
sslves are 10 have leisure for considering
.be relations Of the two houses and what
ss currently believed 10 be the conoilia-
.orr sovereign's ardent desire for avoid
snoe Of conflict. After an unexampled
-sriod of waste and legislative time and
s1srgv there is a breakdown an around.
sn phvsioaI endurance of ministers and
commoners in department resources NJ
ehe Treasury and in the traditional and
constitutional usages Of the houses: and
shs sta:esmanlike King. with his un-
rivslled tact and influence, is perhaps
slone capable Of extricating Parliament
= Il al
fling inlpasse.
That q nodus viVendi wfll he found
through the Kings initiative is highly
proba bic His diplomacy is ordinarily
successful The conjecture may not sur
vive the ocean passage of this letter. hut
venture 10 forecast the natural course
ef events during the next few weeks.
The budget or finance bill will be taken
up after the weeks recess, carried
through report stage 20 the final reading
OF III Commons and enacted by the
Lords after protracted debate; and the
general elections viii be held under the
new register in January This will be
satisfactory compromise for moderate
men in both parties, but il will disap-
point extremists. The government will
secure the passage of the finance bill
sithout alteration by the Lords or sacri-
fee Of the traditional right Of the repre-
sentative chamber 10 control taxation.
snd the IJnionists viii obtain a speedy
appeal 10 the country on alternative
nchemes Of financial policy without hav-
Ing il complicated with the question Of
the veto power Of the upper house. I'm
certainty respecting the validity of taxa
ton for the current fiscal year will be
dispeIIed, and the country. released from
the storm and stress Of a constitutional
struggle embittered by partisanship and
class hatred. viii be allowed TO make a
deliberate choice between rival parties.
Extremists alone Zin be unhappy if a
compromise be arranged on these or an
slogous lines. Earnest Radicals will nat
uraIly prefer the rejection of the budget
ty the Lords and straight out fight on
Eha veto, because those conditions will
Bs most favora bic for the defeat of the
OPPOSITION on the oNermastering issue Of
lsxation and representation. Uncompro-
missing Tasiff Reformers and privileged
land owners are equally eager for an ap-
peal 10 the country against socialism
tfrough summary election Of the finance
till. The advantages of position and the
tisks of conflict viii be minimized by the
ecmpnomise, and for that reason it is
tkely TO be favored on sober second
thought by men Of moderate views and
sound judgment.
The precise form OF the modus vivendi.
Tor which negotiations have been con-
6ucted at Balmoral with Lord Rosebery,
Lord Cawdor, Mr.. Asquith, Mr.. Haldane.
Lord James Of Hereford and other lead
ers is not yet known. The Kings main
object. It may safely be assumed. has
been TO forestaIl and to prevent the
greatest constitutional crisis since the
revolution of 1858.
He is not likely to fail. The only
practical method is that Of securing
acceptance Of the budget by the Lords.
In that event the exclusive rights of
the House OF Commons to control taxa
tion and supplies viii be vindicated; /;
there viii be no intermediate period of
emergency measures and bewiIderment,
ard there viii be no precedent for the
intervention Of an irresponsible house in
financial administration. The Prime
Minister when asked for advice in the
present emergency cannot take lower
ground than the maintenance Of the
usual practice by which money grants TO
the Crown come from the Commons. If
that fundamental principle I'm the rela-
tons Of the houses 10 the Crown be con-
oeded ne is bound to be content with the
situation. He cannot reasonably insist
upon having the Lords reject the budget
50 as 10 enable him 10 appeal 10 the
country under the most favorable con-
eitions for sweeping Liberal victory
Compact or bargain there cannot be
When the King is arranging an arnistice
IN the interests Of domestic peace and
national security. yet there must be a
concession Of some kind if the Lords are
70 sanction what a majority Of them con-
cider q ruinous and socialistic budget
and apparently il viii be an implied
understanding that the general elector-
hte shall be allowed an early opportunity
for deciding whether or not they ap-
p prove # the new methods Of finance and
@ keeping the Liberal government in
power
Ministers may refuse to commit