New-York tribune., 1909-11-07
BRITISH POLITICS
BLUNDERS IN LORDS.
Nationalists Likely to Hold
Balance of PoScer.
TBy Cable 70 The tribune. }


London, Nov. 6.-There are no signs
OF royal activity in making peace be-
tween the houses Of Parliament The
King has his usual round Of social en-
gaeenaents, and he continues 20 enjoy
himself as though there were no con-
stitutional crisis in sight. yet his in
fluence Is held In reserve to enable the
government and the Lords to avoid blum
ders irl tactics, and 10 agree upon ad
interim finance arrangements II the
two houses are in open conflict. the min
listers have not made any mistakes in
ranying their party and carrying the
budget through the Commons by an i'm
mense majority.
The chief Liberal whip has announced
that the elections will be held early In
January Whether the budget goes
through the Lords or is held up by the
three hundred peers leagued together for
It's destruction, the elections will not be
deferred. The ministers themselves will
seek a vote Of confidence from the coun-
try, and will not allow the Lords 10 pose
as the unchaIlenged champions OF de-
mocracy.
Ii the Lords really want the people 10
vote on the budget thsy--have only 10
pass The fnance bill and it viii virtually
become a referendum for the nation IN
January. without being complicated by
the constitutional issue: This is obvious
Is the safest aud best course for the
lords but they are no- likely 20 avoid
the mistake OF throwing out the budget
and forcing general election on the
constitutional issue itself. which is pre-
c!sely what the extremists on the Rad
ic;.l side want them 20 do. II is natural
for them TO want TO destroy the budget
when there is evidence that the country
does not like II and considers il neces-
sary TO have a fiscal policy conducted
with reference 10 a revival OF home in
dustrics and the employment Of idle
labor, but destroy the budget they
cannot. As soon as they eiect II, they
will be called on to legalize by special
acts the tea duties, the income tax and
other revenues supplied by the budget.
The Treasury cannot be exposed TO
liability for duties already collected
under the resolutions adopted last
spring. and the budget viii have TO be
made over and put in operation after
conferences between the two houses
The Lords will refuse 10 sanction the
land section, the licensing duties, and
possibly the increased death duties, and
when they sanction the other ad interim
arrangements for tiding over the Treas
ury crisis they will impair the force Of
their intervention. since they will be
convicted Of pulling the finance bill 20
pieces, protecting their own interests as
land owners and delivering the publicans
from ruinous taxation. II the collective
intelligence OF the majority OF the peers
were higher. blundering tactics like these
would be impossible. AS il is. the reiec-
ton Of the budget by the main body Of
exasperated and furious peers is prob
able
The result Of the general election is not
predicted with confidence by the work.
ing politicians on either side. The Lib
erals admit large loss Of seats. b.it
hope TO obtain narrow majority over
all factions. The Unionist calculators AT
headquarters expect "A majority over the
Liberals and Laborites, but concede that
the Nationalist group viii be in posses-
sion Of the balance of power. Tarir re-
form would rapidly become unpopular If
II could only be carried by the concas-
sion Of Home Rule TO Ireland.