The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-25
EngIands Brilliant Statesman
Is Heard In Mastery
Speech on Budget
| he SAYS LORDS SHOULD
NOT REJECT BUDGET
Roseberg Creates Sensation BY His
Attitude on the Finance Bill
and Questions of
Reform.

Reform.
London, November 24.--f.ord Rose
berry. the former liberal minister to-
day raised the historic struggle between
the lords and the house of commons to
new plane by one of the finest
speeches he has ever delivered. in
which he warned the lords of the grave
F! risks they were running if they adopted
, Lord Lansdowne's resolution 10 reject
the budget.
If possible, an increase of interest
was manifested in today's debate. There
was not sufficient room to seat all the
people attending, while the galleries
were crowded to their utmost capacity.
The Duchess of Connaught headed a
long list of the foremost peeresses.
compelled to stand throughout.
Lord Salisbury resumed the debate
with speech supporting Lord Lans-
downe's resolution, after the Archbishop
of Canterbury had said that the bishops
would stand aside from discussion as
the occasion was one of strict party
i character. Lord Rosebery followed in a
+ long speech, giving the lords plain
warning of the danger of the ~
were treading.
/ He said
! am quite disassociate,
party and speak from my
awful gravity of the stuan
the greatest political MON
lifetime OF any man born sin
Power to Reject.
Lord Rosebery admitted t
letter of the law. the hous
was competent to reject fin
but since 1882, to which time
had practical control of the ....sS ..
commons, it was not possible that the
! speaker, would be to allow the budget
which the house of lords sho ould go to
/ the length of rejecting. He considered
that the only possible circumstances
I justifying the lords in exercising such
a dormant power would be the direct
authority and condonation of the ma
tion itself Such a circumstance might
+ arise II a budget were presented which
/ lowered the defenses of the contry 10
point which the nation considered
dangerous. He doubted whether they
We're choosing the best battlefield.
They were playing for too heavy
/ stake and were risl<lng the very ex-
E, istence of the house of lords
! A winning policy, continued the
! speaker, would be to allo wthe budget
! bill to pass and give the country six
: months experience of its intolerabfe
! impositions, loss of capital and EN-
/ ployment. They could then achieve.
when they next approached the polls,
| a victory that would surprise them
selves. He looked with considerable
: apprehension to the result of an ap-
/ peal to the country on an unreformed
section chamber mixed up with such
| other issues as would be raised.
| : Il do not speak of menace, he added.
| The house of lords has lived on men
aces ever since I can remember. and II
| is still thriving. But the menaces now
used are used by men bent on having
single chamber. Their efforts are revo-
| lutionary in essence, il not in fact
Questions of Reform.
Dealing with the questions of the re-
! form of the house of lords. which Lord
/ Rosebery has long advocated, he ex-
pressed the conviction that no final adj
| justment of the differences between the
! two houses could ever be arrived at with
| out some form of referendum. He de-
! nounced the budget in the strongest terms
/ and said that one maxim burned into
/ them by bitter experience was that there
should be no taxation without represeA-
tation.
Disregard for that MAXIM" he said.
| ''lost us the United States of America,
and we are not likely to offend against
| 1t again
| Lord Rosebery contended that the bud
get taxed the lords freely and abundantly
without their having word to say or a
vote in the matter. After referring to
| the budget as having been spread over
| the country like fog, of want of conf
| dence and want of credit, the worst dis
eases which could affect commerce, he ut
| tered another solemn warning that the
! pressure of the great armaments was
| eating out the heart and hurrying Europe
| toward bankruptcy.
Expressing regret that he could not
| support the resolution, Lord Rosebery re-
| sumed his seat having spoken for so min
| utes. His picturesque and glowing elo-
| quence produced a tremendous effect,
leaving his hearers somewhat bewildered.
| There was an immediate exodus of lords
| to discuss the situation In the lobbies and
| although the debate continued until mid
| night the remainder of the speeches took
| rather the form OF an ante-climasx.
Lord Miners Speech.
| Lord Milner spoke OF the abnormal
! manner In which the budget was driving
| capital out of the country He declared
| that all the proposed new taxes were bad
| and unnecessary. All the money required,
| he contended. might have been raised by
import duties. not only without injury tor
business and employment, but with actual
benefit to both.
| Lord Curzon will resume the debate to-
morrow. 1t Is not possible tonight to
Judge the effect OF Judge Rosebery's
warning. 1t Is known already that con-
siderable section of the unionist peers
have held grave doubts as to the expedi-
ency of Lord Lansdowne's course and
there is almost certain to be q large num-
Der Of absentess when the resolutAsa