New-York tribune., 1909-12-11
HOME RULE PLEDGE
rortipued from first page,

Continued from hrst pox-
ince Of the House OF Lords 20 meddie
with any law to any degree or for any
purpose with national finance
The Premier. continuing. said tnat
neither he nor any other Liberal min-
lister supported by a majority IN the
House of Commons was going 10 SUD
nit again TO the rebuffs and humllia-
tions of the last four years The MN
isters would not assume Office unless
they could secure safeguards which ex-
perience showed to be necessary Tor tos
legislative unity and honor OF their
party The Liberal party. Mr. Asauitn
declared. was not promoting the aooh-
ton of the House of Lords or the set
ting I'D of a single chamber. but II asked
the electorate that the House OF Lords
should be confined to the functions
proper of the second chamber and that
the absolute veto must go. He, per
sonally. did not underestimate the odds
against which he had 10 contend, but tne
government was unanimous in demand
ing the absolute control OF the finances
by the House of Commons. the nnalnteE-
ance of free trade and an effective cur
tailment or limitation OF the power OF
the House OF Lords.
The meeting carried a resolution de-
claring unabated confidence in Mr.. As
quiths leadership. David Lloyd-Geofse'
the Chancellor of the Exchequer. VINO
moved q. vote Of thanks TO the chairman
Of tbs meeting, was heartily cheered'
A SINGLE CHAMBER CONSPIRACY.
Mr.. BaIfour proceeds 70 charge the
government with having for four years
aged in a conspiracy 20 secure SIN
gle chamber system. He says there Is
no doubt that the House OF Commons IS
the primary organ Of popular WILL pos
sessing powers certainly not possessed
either in the United states or France;
but these unexampled powers. he be-
ieves. will not satisfy the single cham
Der conspirators. who want the House
of commons 70 be independent not
merely of the peers, but of the people.
Mr. Balfour contends that the single
chamber system is impossible even IN
the region Of finance. and that no ma
chinerv. however imperfect. for obtain
ing an appeal 10 the people should be
abandoned until a better one has oeen
devised. He admits that the House or
Lords is open to reform. but says that
ouestion is only remotely connected with
the present issue.
After a brief criticism of the budget
the manifesto refers at length to the
problem of unemployment as the one
extreme difficulty which is Impossible
to remedy by the government proposals.
1t then goes on TO state that Mr.. Balfour
anticipates great results from tariff re-
form.
UNIoNISTS DISAPPOINTED.
Mr.. Balfour's manifesto will be disap-
pointing 10 an enormous section OF his
political followers. inasmuch as 1t dis
misses tariff reform as the first plank
in the Unionist programme. Mr.. Bal
four makes no attempt 20 define tariff
reform. but concentrates his attack in
an accusation that the Liberal govern
ment il engaging in a conspiracy 10 de-
stroy the constitution by substituting a
single chamber government. like that OF
Greece.
The manifesto is exceedingly long. IL
reviews the history of the crisis. and
says that the governments claim is that
the House of Commons should be the
uncontrolled master OF every class. and
without appeal 10 the country. even in
most extreme cases. He cites the United
States. where the fundamental principle
of the Constitution is that every class Of
property should be taxed alike. and saws
no such measure as the British budget
could be adopted there without a two
thirds majority of both houses. or be-
come law without national mandate
from the still stronger majority OF the
country. while even II the House of Rep
resentatives imposed special taxation il
could be rejected by the Senate or vetoed
by the President.
II am not so immoderste." Mr. Bal
four adds In the manifesto. as 10 de-
mand such security for the British clti-
zens. but only that II exceptional taxa
ton is imposed at the caprice of a min
lister he should not be deprived OF the
only means known to the constitution by
which an appeal 20 his fellow country
men may be secured"
1t seems to me-" Mr. Balfour saws
"a truism that tariff reform will stimu-
late home industries. Only b. tariff re-
form can you hope TO retain colonial
preference. TO modify commercial treaties
IN your favor and secure home produce
from unfair competition in the home
market II viii do no injury I'm neutral
markets. and may give valuable aid i'm
protected markets. Is IL credible. then.
that it will not keep capital here that
otherwise would go abroad. that II N