The sun., 1909-06-22
REVOLUTION, SAYS ROSEBERY
ne CALLS BRITISH BUDGET An
ACT or DESPOTISM.
nation Has No Voice In It-Great Flaw In
the Constitution lndicated-Ex-Pre-
mler sounds an Alarm In Letter to the
Z Prcss-Hint from the Chief Justice.

mer sounds an Alarm In Letter TO the
Prcss-Hlnt from the Chief Justice.
special Gable Despatch TO THE SUN.
LONDON. June 22.--The rapid forcing
through the House OF Commons by the
help Of the Governments faithful major-
ity Of the Sooialistic provisions OF the
finance bill, which embodies the budget,
has moved Lord Rosebery to send to the
press one OF those striking letters whereby,
as well as by speeches. he keeps himself
in the forefront Of politics although
playing lone hand In the letter printed
this morning he says, among other things:
This is not a budget, but social and
nolitical revolution of the first magni-
tude 1t is obviously intended as one;
il is one on the face of it. To say this is
not 10 Judge it, still less TO condemn it,
for there have been benefcient revolu-
pons. am not now concerned with the
merits of this one. but the feature OF the
case which impresses ME most Is this:
1T will be effected. il it is effected, with
out the participation OF the country,
without the country indeed having the
least pretenoe Of d voice in the matter
II will be carried over the heads Of the
people by the majority OF the Commons
without the faintest desire or attempt to
ascertain the views OF the people in regard
to the vast changes projected. The
British people will no more control them
than il they were Tartars or Lapps.-
Remarking on the absence OF the refer
endum in the British Constitution and the
fact that powerful Government natur-
ally does not seek a general election. Lord
Rosebery continues:
The boasted freedom Of our Constitu-
ton has really come to this, that the most
sweepins changes may be carried out by
a Ministry Of great numerical backing
in the Commons without the nation hav-
ing OF ever having had. or hoping to have.
q voice in the matter before it is decided
Lord Rosebery, after stating that a
general election usually turns on the de-
merits Of the retiring Government and
that the nation has still five or six years
70 watch the new Government. continues:
Surely the country must begin to SEQ
that there are vast flaws in the consti-
tuition and that the absolute rule OF the
party in power differs very little from
the absolute rule OF the individual. which
Is what We are used to call despotism.
If not, the nation must have changed
its character, and its former jealous vigi-
lance in regard to its liberties has been
replaced by an apathy which is a sinister
If not IN alarming symptom"
The letter is a powerful contribution
TO the protests Of large section Of the
helpless electorate, which has lately been
emphasized by the revolt of some Lib
erals and the remarkable prediction Of
the Lord Chief Justice in public speech
that Judges might in future be called
upon to protect, the interests Of the people
against the executive The prediction
was based on the proposal in the finance
bill to create a treasury official to whom
alone a taxpayer is allowed to appeal
against arbitrarily excessive assessments
without the option of an appeal to the
courts Of justice.