Evening star., 1909-05-23
THE BRITISH BUDGET
Longest, Strongest and Bold
est Ever Made.
TWO POINTS IN MEASURE
Income Tax Change and New Deal
for Landowner.
NEW SULTAN'S FINE PALACE
Sad Story Behind Death Of Olive
Logan-Interest in Lord
Brooke's Wedding.
NEW SULTAN'S FINE PALAC
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

LONDON, May 8, 1909.
Mr.. Lloyd-George's budget Is the longest.
strongest, boldest and most complex
treasury statement l can ever remember
to be made. 1t is hailed by the liberal
press as "a heroic budget "a people 8
budget democratic" great" epoch
making and human" while the Tory
press denounce 1t as ''socialistic." ''op-
pressive to the rich and middle classes"
"vindictive" and penal and predict that
it is the last free-trade budget since the
last resources Of taxation under tho
"fetich" have been drained to their
dregs."
The two bese points in the measure are
doubtless the further graduation Of in
come tax upon more reasonable basis
and the new departure Of taxing land
and making the landowner who holds
building property idle disgorge 20 per cent
of his 'unearned increment" This last
device is almost revolutionary in this
country. but 1t Is reform sorely needed
and might In a number Of cases be ex-
tended to agricultural land withheld from
cultivation.
The budget contains far too much and
too many contentious measures which are
sure to raise immense and widespread op-
position. Already among those who can
the chancellor's new measure Is called the
baby budget" owing to the abatement
of f1O for each child under sixteen on in
comes under G5O0.
This and the promise OF further old-age
pensions will give 1t popularity in middle
and working class homes. Otherwise the
most general comment that can be heard
among members in the lobbies was that It
was an electioneering budget, ana also
Mr.. Lloyd-George's first and last budget
ic n.
Georges performance was disappointing.
He was long-winded and discurSive and
far from being clear and lucid. He left
the impression that he had not himself
mastered the intricacies Of the subject.
and his manipulation of his figures was
weak and hesitating, in great contrast to
the ease and lucidity with which Mr.. As
uuith presented his financial statements.
The speech was far too long, and he fire.
quently lost the attention of the house.
Liberals and Labor Men Delighted.
The liberal and labor members are de-
lighted with the proposals. They con-
slider that the burden of taxation Is be-
ing placed upon the right shoulders
those of the rich. The baby abatement.
the super-tax and increased death duties
are received by them with real enthu-
siasm The liberals also welcome the tax
on licenses as a means OF getting their
own back on the trade. The proposals
for higher license duties were. l am tod.
drawn up by Mr.. Asquith. and 1t was
pity he did not introduce them. for he
would have impaired some life and SUBJ
stance to them.
The opposition will naturally oppose
the budget with all the strength at their
command They have not yet formulat-
ed their line of attack, although the
chief whip has appointed a committee
to examine the proposals. 1t Is certain
that the death duties, the super-tax and
license duties will be strenuously fought
and obstructed. But the favor with
which the budget has been received by
the labor members will make 1t awkward
for the opposition to seriously oppose the
super-tax and death duties.
To summarize the general sense. as ex-
pounded by representatives of all par
ties. the budget is thought to be exceed
ingly well contrived to meet a difficult
situation: that on the whole 1t Will pro-
woke strong but not violent opposition,
and that only from comparatively small
if powerful class: that 1t is devised with
an eye to the chances Of a general cleo
ton; and that 1t is very unlikely even II
the government should remain In power
for another year that Mr.. Lloyd-George
would introduce another budget.
Among liberals the following fairly ex-
presses their opinion:
1--WE do not expect that the budget will
be popular among the classes who have
hitherto shirked and evaded their obli-
cations The. land taxes will not be pop
ular among landlords. and the death du-
ties will not be popular among mil
lionaires. But all the taxes upon
the wealthy will be popular with
the great bulk of the nation which
is neither rich nor poor. The glorious
feature of this epoch-making budget is
the fact that 1t turns the key in num-
Der of doors which have hitherto been
closed against taxation"
Mehmed VS. Palace.
The decision to make the Palace of
Dolma Bagcheh the official residence OF
Mehmed v is in accord with the prevail
Ing spirit in Turkey-it is far more ac-
cessible than Yildiz. BY land 1t Is reach
ed from Pera by road shorter and of
far less varied gradients than the Yildi1
road and one which is quite decently
paved compared with most Turkish high
ways.
1t is situated Immediately on the Bos-
phorus and so is in direct communities
ton by water with the Porte at Stam-
Horn. Then. again. it has since its build
ing. about sixty years ago been associ-
ated with most public occasions on which
the sultans came into personal contact
with their subjects. Ii possesses a throne
room which is one of the largest of its
kind in Europe. This has for many years
been the usual scene of the suitanS an
nual Bairam receptions, and here In 1917
was held the inaugural sitting of the
first Turkish parliament.
Some of its contents are beautiful and
valuable. and its gallery with pictures by
Gerome and other artists tmostly French)
particularly interesting In point of archi-