The Irish standard., 1909-06-05


ri social: circumstances as separate as
\ any two countries in the world could
4 be it.fcllows necessarily that Budget
d which may be arguably fair for Great
Britain may be horribly unjust to
ireland 1cheers). That has happened
over and, over again. a.. -
IL. d have listened with great attention
!, to the speech Of the Chancellor of the
very able speech and
! logical and exceedingly difficult to
\ reply to. He. drew picture of the
n special benefits that, had been con-
ytsferred upon Ireland and the Irish ten
4 antry by acts of Parliament carried
in this house and by his own party.
and he asked Are we now to be
called upon to make fresh concession
because we have already made great
concessions and given. advantages to
Ireland. in the shape of state credit
and facilities for land purchase which
1--WE have not offered to the people Of
+, this country?" But am quite sure he
!. saw the fallacy Of the argument, Sure
~ he must have seen that the very
!. fact that this great powerful country
was compelled to offer these advan-
. tages to Ireland was a. proof Of the
extreme need and necessity that ex-
listed for them (applause). Why did
I the British treasury consent. very UNI
willingly and under tremendous and
y long pressure to provide all these spe-
!. cial facilities for land. purchase in, Ire
land?; Because they were absolutely
Y forced to recognize that they had in
: Cured tremendous debt Of obligation
to the people of Ireland. and had a
duty to raise them from the slough
. CT despond and of poverty into which
(. they had been sunk by the system
of, government from this country. It
was not out of pure benevolence of
Z. the British Government that these
/: facilities for land purchase were
granted. 1t was because the historical
wrongs which had created these con-
ditions of poverty in Ireland had made
1t impossible for successive Govern
r ments to refuse to make these special
provisions for land purchase There.
fore, there Is no, force in the argu-
~ ent in which he draws attention to
i''tnese extraordinary advantages which
Il have been conferred upon Irish tenants.
II n ~ r &rT nN,,t j,,f
s,,atforh.. -"
AZ 1t Is quite true to say. as he said.
Y that he was making no discrimination
against ireland in these taxes. It is
flequaly. true to say that the tax will
.s,fall upon poor people in ireland witt,
-, weight that bears no proportion to
2 the effect it will have. upon people In
this country, because here these taxes
Il WALL mainly affect wealthy men Ono.
i nqeO..s' Yes,"1: telievee they will, Do
7ypu mean to tell ma you have I'M this
4 country anything like the same pro,
portion of small holders that there is
1 IN Ireland. We have absolutely more
small holders of land, and it cannot
be. said that the small holders of
property In this country who will sell
that property will be in anything like
the same body Of the population, or
4 IN the same proportion poor men, in
4 the sense that the people in Ireland
-tare (cheers). The Incidence Of these
n taxes as compared with Great Britain.
Will fall with immeasurably greater
4 weight on the poorer part of the popu-
>Slation in Ireland.
~ The transactions among small hold
s:srs are multiplying. think that is a
wholesome thing. It is one of the
u effects Of land purchase. In the old
H days, II a man broke down and was
\ unable to cultivate a small holding
he hung on. and If he was nut ont
ne was a. broken MANA beggar. But
now. by process Of national selec
ton, the holdings are kept among
i men OF sufficient means, who can cul-
tivate> them. And even now. II the
t.s1nan- has not means. he does not 90
out as a beggar. He sells his inter.
Il est and some other man comes in his
h place, who has the money and skill
necessary to cultivate the farm. These
!. transactions, are becoming moro
numerous. and our argument is that
a.8in ireland this tax will have a. diff
I ferent incidence, from the same tax
4 IN Great Britain, and, therefore, from
our point of view, it is unfair. Much
h as I sympathise. with many features
OF the Budget, apart from ireland. T
II don't think it is fair argument to
on to the question Of taxes this
f. question OF land purchase. If YOU
want to be just you must consider
tho condition Of Ireland as it stands.
sSa ana then measure the incidence of tn.