New-York tribune., 1909-09-05
DUKES AND BUDGET
Not Efectiue Election Agents
Costly Shooting Preserves.
London. August %.


Gomez by their friends the enemy. When Mr.
Chamberlain startled the kingdom by renounc-
ing Free Trade and advocating Tariff Reform
the dukes and the majority OF the titled class
fell In behind him and became his most enthu-
siastc supporters. Practical politicians asserted
at the time that the real leader of Tory denioc-
racy would be fatally embarrassed by the
offlcous patronage of the dukes. since they
would prejudice the masses against his expe-
dients for broadening the basis of taxation and
uniting the empire: and their forecasts have al
ready been fulfilled. The dukes have also taken
the field against the budget. with it's new land
taxes and valuation scheme and they are as
sIsting the Liberal government without intend
ing 10 do so. Their declarations to their ten
ants and servants that increased taxation Will
compel them to become economical. to discharge
dependents TO reduce their shootngs and to cut
of subscriptions TO charities and hunting packs
serve to bring them into ridicule. Orators ana
demagogues at budget meetings find their most
effective texts In the doleful confessions of these
great landhoders that their principal pleasures.
such game preserving. shooting. deer stalk
ing and hunting, in danger of being taxed
out OF existence The dukes with four or five
castles retinues of five hundred servants and
immense landed possessions are contrasted with
the industrious worker with four or five rooms
who does not own either acre or COW. The dis
contented voter without land is easily convinced
that the land owners ought TO be taxed moro
and more heavily for pleasures and luxuries.
The Duke of Northumberland. for example,
who owns 1S6.397 acres. represents the ancient
houses of Percy and Smithson, and lives in
splendid state at Alnwck. has been thinking
aloud about the catastrophe which Will be
caused by economies enforced by Radical taxa
ton. He maintains a series Of fine residences.
extensive parks with herds of deer. two big
farms several ancestral gardens. shooting es-
tates of large acreage we'll stocked with game,
stables with strings of horses. kennels with
hunting pack and garages with a dozen or more
motor cars. and. apart from his industrial in
vestments. he employs from FIVE hundred TO
thousand servants stablemen. gardeners. game
keepers. beaters and underlngs. He cannot
contemplate unmoved the sorrows Of this large
company of hirelings when the revolutionary
land taxes ruthlessly levied and he is forced
70 restrict his recreations and TO turn many
worthy dependents adrifs Sir Edward Grey
has attempted TO reassure him by suggesting
that at the worst he can sublet his sporting
rights find tenants for some Of bis houses and
sell portions Of his estates: but he has received
this common sense advice with fresh lamenta-
tions and deplored the suffering which will be
caused to tenants field hands and house
wants by the shrinkage OF his expenditures on
luxuries and entertainment and the reduction
OF the acreage now devoted TO sport. Radical
speakers naturally amuse their audiences by
ratiri1ing the dukes Affections. and point the
moral that rural England Will be better of IL
the land can be redeemed from game preserving
and fox hunting and restored to profitable agri-
culture
Lord Londonderry. alarmed by the inept ad-
dresses of the dukes has attempted to broaden
49, 90 aANfN
to his tenants at Wyngard he has contended
that the pleasures Of landholders are not wholly
selfish. since the maintenance OF shooting parks
and gardens involves the employment OF large
number of workmen. Moreover. considerable
consignments OF game sent out in time OF
distress for the relief OF the unemployed, and
grounds and gardens are occasionally thrown
open to the public. The wealthy land owner. ac-
cording to this version. does not find so much
satisfaction in entertaining smart people in a
country house and in shooting. hunting and play
ing bridge with them he does from living on
friendly terms with his humber neighbors. dis
tributing venson, grouse. cartridges or pheasants
among them and allowing them once in a while TO
stroll through the gardens. The titled land own
will have TO invent a more plausible plea
than this IL land is to remain sacrosanct against
taxation and they to be accounted public
benefactors as we'll elegant entertainers. Oc-
casional presents OF game and the admission OF
villagers TO parks cld gardens under certain
restrictions will not be accepted adequate
offsets to the systematic differentiation OF large
estates for local purposes and to the squander-
ing of immense tracts OF land shooting pre-
serves and pleasure grounds for the privileged
class. The dukes do not need to run away from
the moderate taxes proposed in the land
schedule: and II any economies are requisite
retrenchment can be effected without the dis
charge OF family servants and estate depend
ents
The dukes have impaired defniteness and vi
vacity TO the debate over the budget. which is
now carried on throughout the kingdom in plat
form addresses There twenty-seven OF
them. royal persorages being excepted. and they
own over four million acres Five them, the
Dukes OF Sutherland. Buccleuch. Richmond Fife
and Athol. have an aggregate acreage of 2556.-
264; ten. with the Dukes of Devonshire, Port
land. Argyll. Northampton and Hamilton added
twenty-seven ducal estates. mining properties
shooting rentals and metropolitan holdings being
excluded. Is estimated Mt 100000: and when
the immense acreage and the magnificent resi-
derces are considered this seems unreasonably
low. Certainly a valuation conducted on prin-
ciples recognized in America. Germany and the
colonies just and necessary with ADEQUATE
allowances for undcveloped resources. local i'm
provements and building Sites win be an un-
mixed gain for the local administration since II
will establish new and broader basis for rating
property. 1t will also open another source OF
imperial revenue. which can be developed by the
Somerset House stan scientifically as income
taxation or death and succession duties Tbesa
the broad grounds which the new taxes
are advocated by the land reformers throurhout
the country: and popular audiences are con-