The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-30
STRONG SPEECH
MADE ON BUDGET
BY LORD M0RLE
Peer Suggests That Finance
Question Cannot Be Sub
miied to Referendum
MORLEY SAYS BRITISH
ARE NOT SOCIALISTS
Other Members of House of Lords De-
fend the Budget and One Con-
tends That British Credit Is
Best in the World.

London, November 2g.--Lord Nor
ley's powerful speech was the absorb
Ing event of the budget debate today
in the house of lords. The secretary
of state for India dilated upon the i'm
portance of the issue as viewed. both
at home and abroad. and he called at
tention to the fact that foreign nations
we're watching anAiousIy the outcome
/ Of the conflict to ses whether there
would be any change in England's
| financial policy.
He quoted Burke to the effect that
the house OF lords had no right in any
sense to the disposition Of the public
purse and contended that If there was
one thing that could not wisely be sub
mitted to a referendum it was the
budget, with all its complexities.
In addition, a referendum would
weaken what was most important to
ma In tain; namely a sense OF RESPONSE
bility in the house of commons.
AS to the lords contention that their
rejection of the budget would arrest
the wave of socialism, he refused to be-
1ieve that British artisans were preda
tory or socialistic, but even granting
that the misery existing among some
classes had produced movement akin
to socialism, 1t was hardly wise of the
lords to take up a position exposing
them to the charge of straining the
constitution and of being champions
of the rich against the poor.
1.-The more triumphant the majority
for Lord Lansdowne's amendment" said
Lord Morley, 'the hugher the disparity
between the numbers of the opposition,
the more fragrant will be the political
scandal"
Morley's Warning.
Lord Morley concluded his speech
with an impressive warning that when.
tomorrow. the curtain fell on an empty
ouse, they would know that the note
had been sounded for an angry, and
perhaps, a prolonged battle.
When the speaker resumed his seat, the
small minority of liberal peers broke into
enthusiastic cheers. Lord Rothschild lib
| era unionlst, spoke briefly, dwelling
| chiefly on the difficulty of raising capital.
| even for the best English enterprises.
| while Russia and Japan found IT COM
| parative1y easy TO borrow money.
| Lord James of Heresford quoted Pitt.
| Palmerston and Lord John Russell
against the lords claim of power to reject
| the budget. Lord Swaythling defended
| the budget. He contended that British
credit was still the best in the world.
pointing out that Japan was able to bor-
row because it offered large interest.
Many other peers spoke, nearly all of
them in favor of Lansdowne's amend
ment and the debate was adjourned at
midnight.
Powerful Arguments.
Although the result of the division to-
morrow is a foregone conclusion, 1t can
not be doubted that the house and the
country have been greatly impressed with
the oratorical skill displayed in the upper
house, and especially by the powerful ar
guments Of the liberal peers against the
course the lords are pursuing. Evidence
| of this is beginning to show itself in the
conservative press.
The daily Telegraph, which has been a
firm advocate of the rejection of the bud
get, makes the significant admission that
| the moral OF the brilliant debate is not
| that the house of lords should abolish, or
be shorn of, the power to veto. which is
essential to its existence; but that It
should be reconstructed, SO that its more
distinguished members should not be
swamped in the lobbies by the peers who
have never given proof of political ca
pacity-
Collection of Taxes.
Taxes had been collected, Lord Morley
said on the authority OF the House OF
Commons, by custom and nor by law,
and all went on regularly until an APP
preparation bill was passed when the
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