The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-15
MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE
Great Wing Peer and Statesman, With Whom Rests the
Fate of the Present Liberal Government in England


uonary budget, IL may De OF Uulely inter-
est 10 give here a few brief notes OF
the british statesman, who TO a far great
er degree than ex-Premier Arthur Balfour
Is the leader OF His Majesty's Opposi-
tion," and who Is directing the fight
against the extremely radical financial
proposals OF the Liberal administration.
While the latter is able 10 boast Of a
large majority in the Commons, its nu-
merioal inferiority IN the Lords is so
pronounced as 10 be beyond repair by
the creation OF a few peerages. al the
instance Of Prime Minister Asquith.
The upper house has always been so
reluctant to interfere with the financial
measures OF the Commons, which by
usage rather than law possess the monop-
oily OF determining the question Of sup
plies. that Il has been hoped that the
Lords would give way, as they did in
the case Of the so-called death duties,
and submit 20 the projects OF the chan
cellor Of the eXchequer, Lloyd-George,
rather than embark upon a conflict with
the lower chamber on the subject OF
money.
These hopes have been disappointed.
cabinet are. however, OF such a social
istic and spoliatory character that, con-
fronted with something equivalent TO
ruin. the peers have determined 70 fight
Or. rather. / should say. Lord Lansdowne
has resolved upon war. for the decision
has rested not with Arthur Balfour, but
with him. He has proclaimed that the
Unionist majority in the House OF Lords
will refuse 70 ratify the budget proposals
Of the chancellor OF the excheQuer. en-
acted by the Commons, on the ground
that the latter. in the opinion OF the
upper chamber, no longer represent the
viii Of the people
He declares that while Increase Of reve-
nue. Is imperative, the masses would pre-
fer the Introduction OF a customs tariff 10
financial measures that are equivalent 70
the spoliatiOn Of capital and the expro-
priation Of landed property He admits
that "the Will Of the people must prevail
in the end" but demands in behalf Of
the greas Zionist majority In the Lords
subject 10 his leadership that the people
Of the United Kingdom be given "fuu
and sufficient opportunity 70 express that
will. full and sufficient knowledge Of the
subject" That is 20 say, he intimates
that the Lords win reject the Lloyd
George budget en- toto, and will thereby
force the administration 10 dissolve Par
lament. and 90 make an appeal to the
country in the form Of a general election.
The Lords, so the marquis states, are
ready 70 try conclusions with the Com
mons az the polls in the matter OF the
new budget. and adds by way Of con-
clusion that 'the Lords will accept the
verdict Of the people" This means that
II the popular verdict. as shown by a
col I'll. aH..rr -
George schemes. the upper house Of Par
lament Will give way and abandon all
further opposition.
This is a fair enough proposal. The
House Of Lords in England. like the
Senate at Washington. has always been
regarded as a sort Of check and tenn
porary resident upon impulsive and i'll
considered legislation, Of a sometimes so
cialist order. enacted BY the lower cham
Der Of the national legislature. The Sen
ate and Lords are not an obstacle TO
progress. as has been so often alleged,
but merely a sort OF steadying rein upon
reckless measures.
The Lords will not permit the Asquith
government budget. which involves a
radical reorganization Of the financial
system Of state revenue 10 20 through
until the people at large have had an
opportunity To express their views about
the matter The present House o. Com
mons. dating from 1906. was not elected
on the LlOyd-George financial platform.
Of which no one but himself had al that
time any conception. Lord Lansdowne is.
therefore, justified Ia asserting that the
present House of Commons cannot be re-
garded as representing the views OF the
masses about the matter.
These views cannot be ascertained save
by an appeal TO the country IN the form
Of general election-a sort OF popular
referendum-and according TO impartial
observers and to careful students Of Eng
hsh affairs. II by no means follows that
the verdict will be in favor Of the gov
ernment For, arrayed against the So
cialist projects 10 which the chancellor
Of tho exchequer has committed the AS
Quith administration. are all the great
bankers, manufacturers and merchants.
the employers Of labor and 10 a great
extent the people in their employ, the
liquor and brewing interests, the church.
the small capitalists and property owners.
as we'll as the big ones
1t is claimed. not without reason. that
the Lloyd-George scheme will drive cap
tal abroad. destroy England's pre-em-
lnence as the greatest money mart OF the
universe. arrest industrial and CONNER
cial enterprise, for which capital Is need
ed. and discourage all property owners
from developing their property.
True, by expropriating the territorial
magnate. Il may create new class OF
petty land owners, and small-very small
farmers, whose holdings will be OF the
peasant order. But II IS a question
whether this Will be as advantageous 70
the nation as the present system OF large
landowners, whose estates have been IN
their possession for centuries. whose
tenants some Of them farmers in a large
way, are occupying property that has
been held by their families not merely
for generations, but for 400 and 500 years
without interruption.
II Is a system where the lord Of the
soil considers himself responsible not only
Tor the moral. but also for the material
welfare OF every man. woman. and child
born on his property, renting their rent
In years OF bad harvests and assisting
them In every way 10 such an extent that
whereas here IN America, when a reputed
millionaire can boast Of 100000 a wear he
has free and unrestricted disposal OF
every want thereof. In Great Britain the
land owner, with a similar nominal in
come, may esteem himself lucky II he
has ten, or even FIVE per cent. OF that
sum to spend as he pleases, all the re-
mainder being swallowed up by charges
Of one kind and another in connection
with his ownership OF the soil, such as
grants TO tenants. the repairs Of roads.
bitches. farm buildings. &C. and the
maintenance Of all sorts OF local enter
prises Of useful. educational, and phil
anthropic character.
All this will disappear II Lloyd-George's
schemes so through That IS WHY Lord
Lansdowne denounces them as revoIu-
uonary-as socialistic, In that they are
designed TO tax the Industrious for the
idle and the thrifty for the squanderer.
and Insists that the question OF their
Introduction shall be determined. not by