Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-11

the right to compel dissolution of the
popular chamber and, third, the asser-
ton of the House of Lords of their
power to make and unn1ake the exec
utive government Of the crowd.
What has been DONE" declared Mr..
Asquith, may be done again. 1t be-
comes our first duty to make its re-
currence impossible. We shall, there
fore, demand authority from the electo-
rate to translate an ancient. unwritten
usage into an act of Parliament and
to place upon the statute book recog-
milton explicit and complete of the set
tied doctrine of our constitution, that
it is beyond the province of the House
of Lords to NEEDLE with any law to
any degree or for any purpose, with
national finance"
The premier. continuing, said that
neither he or any other Liberal minis
ter supported by a majority in the
House of Commons, was going to sub
nit again to the rebuffs and humilia-
items IF the last four years. They would
not assume Office unless they could
secure safeguards which experience
showed to be necessary for the eXecu-
tive unity and honor of their party. The
Liberal party, Mr.. Asqulth declared,
was not promoting the abolition of the
House Of Lords or setting up sin
gle chamber, but it asked of the cleo
torate that the House of Lords be con-
| fined to the functions proper of the
second chamber and that the absolute
veto be abolished. He, personally, did
not underestimate the odds against
which he had to contend, but the gov
eminent was unanimous in demanding
the entire control of the finances by
the House of Commons, the mainten-
ance of free trade and an effective
curtailment or limitation of the power
of the House of Lords.
The meeting adopted resolution de-
clarng undated confidence in Mr.. AS
quith's leadership. David Lloyd-George,
| the chancellor of the exchequer, who NOV
ed a vote of thanks to the chairman of
the meeting, received an ovation.
| Mr.. Balfour's manifesto will be disap-
pointing to an enormous section of his po-
litical followers, inasmuch as it dismisses
| tariff reform as the first plank" in the
Unionist program Mr.. Balfour makes no
| attempt to define tariff reform, but con-
centrates his attack in an accusation
| SANo~o---o
in a conspiracy to destroy the constitu-
ton by substituting single chamber
government, like that Of Greece.
| The manifesto is exceedingly long. 1t
reviews the history of the crises and de-
clares that the governments claim is that
| the House of Commons should be the nm
controlled master of every class and with
out appeal to the country, even in most
! extreme cases. He cites the United States,
where the fundamental principle of the
Constitution is that every class of prop
| erty should be taxed alike, and says no
such measure as the British budget could
be adopted there with two-thirds major
| ity of both houses or become law with
| out national mandate from the still
| stronger majority of the country, while
even if the House of Representatives i'm
posed special taxation it could be reject
ed by the Senate or vetoed by the Presi-
dent
II am not so immoderate," said Mr.
Balfour in the manifesto, "as to demand
such security for the British citizens, but
only that, if exceptional taxation IS I'M
posed at the caprice of minister he
should not be deprived of the only means
| known to the constitution Dy WHICH all
appeal to his fellow countrymen may be
secured"
Mr. Balfour proceeds to charge the gov
eminent with having for four years en-
gagged in a conspiracy to secure single
chamber system like Greece. This time
he develops at great length He says
there is no doubt that the House of Com
mons is the primary organ of popular
will. possessing powers certainly not pos.
sessed either in the United States OF
France; but these unexampled powers he
declares will not satisfy the single cham
Der conspirators, who want the House Of
Commons to 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 machinery
however imperfect, for securing an appea