Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-08
TASK FOR ASQUITH
Premier Troubled to Meet Expendi-
lures with Revenue in Sight.
TALK OF INCREASED TAXATION
While Lords CannOt Amend Budget,
They May Reject IL Entirely if Its
Provisions Appear Too Rad
teal or Onerous.

LONDON. Jan. %2S-slnce the return 10
town OF the members Of the government
there have been frequent meetings Of the
cabinet to arrange the program for the
coming session Of parliament. The liberals
In the past have loaded the kings
speech with proposed measured, many OF
which either have been dropped or been
killed by the lords, and this experience, Il
Is understood, has impelled Prime Mini
ster Asquith to start TINS year with a
numerically sman program. Its Importance,
however, Is expected to exceed that Of any
session in recent years.
Tn outstanding feature will be the
budget. Not for many years have any
any radical changes been made in the sys-
tenn Of taxation. but this year 1t is pre-
dieted will see a departure. In speeches
abine ministers have said that the budget
will not be radical.
III there are no radical changes ask
the critics of the government, "how do
you propose to meet the Increased charges
with a greatly reduced ~revenue?" Thos ls
the difficult question the country is waiting
for the chancellor Of the %excheuquer to
answer. The government will have to find
nearly $ioo.OOO.0OO more than ordinarily for
the coming financial year.
budgeti"t"ie
of names
The old age pension scheme has already
cost more than anticipated and the labor
party and radicals are demanding the re-
moval Of certain disabilities which at pres
ent prevent many old persons from claim
ing the pension. The members of the gov
eminent have further pledged themselves
to maintain the two-power standard with
a 10 per cent margin for the navy. To
provide England with q fleet 10 per cent
larger h the combined navies of Amer
lea and Germany. according to the most
conservative laval officer, in the coming
budget we must provide for at least five
capital ships. There are those who hold
that America should be excluded from the
estimate as being a most improbable enemy,
but cabinet ministers have made no defi-
mite reservations, and even If they do, the
navy estimates must be greater this year
than for many years past.
On top Of this increased expenditure,
which is denied by neither side, is the
deficit. The great problem is where the
money is to come from. Thus far these
methods lave been suggested: To decrease
NhO PoyihShlo vi dCCOunI OF PUBIC deDt,
which the present government has prided
itself on and to take part Of the required
amount from the sinking funds; a heavy
supertax on large incomes; increase the
death duties; tax land values and Increase
the duties on saloon licenses. Only the
last two proposals meet with serious OPP
position.
The taxation of land values is open to
the objection, from a political viewpoint,
that it would be opposed by small land
owners, many of them government sup.
porters. s-.f af r., @
Lords May Veto Budget
Although the lords have no power to
amend a budget, they have the power to
reject 1t wholly. 1t is an open fact that
a powerful section of unionists are urging
Lord Lansdowne. the leader of the House
of Lords. to take that course, should the
budget be considered too radical. The
only possible result of the lords rejection
Of the budget would be an appeal to the
country. With this in view. moderate lib
erals, including the Westminster Gazette,
the government organ. Is urging the gov
eminent to avoid IL possible a further
clash with the lords.
Other measures favored are the house
and town planning and Irish land pur-
chase amendment bills, put off from the
last session, and the India reform bill
foreshawodew in Lord Morley's speech at
the close OF last session.