The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1909-12-11
Big ELECTION
STIRS BRITAIN
Trade Little Affected But Slightly
Stimulated by a Hard
Campaign.
MILLIONS TO Be EXPENDED
Budget Controversy and Action ol
House Of Lords Prompts Stu
pendous Quantity Of Elee-
tion Literature.

London, Dec. 11.-Persons In the
United States. where the presidential
campaigns usually have depressing
effect upon business, will be surprised
to learn that in Great Britain almost
every trade and profession is pleased
with the prospect of general elec-
tion. SO seriously has business been
affected by the budget controversy
that the stimulus to certain branches
of trade which a general election al
ways provides is a welcome relief as
1t provides temporary employment at
least for many thousand extra work
ers. II Is estimated that before the
campaign now on comes to a close
total of between $15O00.0O0 and $20,-
100000 will change hands. The ex-
penses of the candidates alone will
amount to millions.
In addition to the candidates or.
dinary election expenses immense
sums will be expended by the various
political organizations in propagating
their views. The newspapers are full
of articles, speeches and letters Tor
and against the budget and defending
or denouncing the action of the house
of lords, while already stupendous
quantity of election literature has
been issued from the headquarters OF
the various party organizations. Poll
tical tracts are flying about the coun-
try in unprecedented numbers.
Ten million dollars is conservatively
estimated as the amount that will be
expended by the various political or
ganizations i'm propagating their views.
These organizations include the Ma
tional Union of Conservative Associa-
tions, Liberal Federation. Budget
League. Tariff Reform League. Free
tYrade Union, Budget Protest League,
and the Liberal Unionist Council.
Many religious and temperance bodies
have also taken up the fight The
labor organizations. all strong sup
porters of the budget, have thrown
themselves into the fray with unpar-
alleled zeal, while the suffragettes, too,
who have been comparatively quiet for
time, apparently were only reserving
| their resources lOr IL cruCldl tlloIt.
Altogether. the prospects are
bright for one of the liveliest political
campaigns ever witnessed i'm the Bril-
tish Isles. However much one may
desire to escape from the discussion of
the economic and fiscal policy of the
British Empire, it will be impossible
to do so as long as one remains in
England A perfect food of political
oratory Is to be let loose during the
next few weeks. David Lloyd-George
chancellor of the exchequor, and Win
ston Spencer Churchill, president OF
the board of trade. who are held chief
Nv responsible for the budget, and Lord
Iansdown and ]. Austen Chamberlain
the most ardent opponents of the
governments measure, will deliver
speeches practically every day and
night until election day, each speech
warranted to prove as clear as day
light that the empire will go to rack
and ruin if the policy advocated 10y
the speaker is not adopted.
Self Rule for ireland.
London, Dec. 11.-Herbcrt Asqulth
British premier. last night announced
his policy was to set up In Ireland q
full system of self government, in re-
gard to purely Irish affairs.