New-York tribune., 1909-09-19
Mr. AsQUITHs DEFENCE.

The British Prime Minister at BIRMINGHAM
as described by our London correspondent IN
his Illuminating special cable letter yesterday,
finely vindicated his reputation for both tact
and tactics and also for straightforward conf
denCe in the people and courage in committing
his cause to their judgment His speech had
been looked for q reply to that Of Lord Rose
berry at Glasgow q week before but II proved
10 he no such thing. II was an explanation and
a defence Of and plea for that epoch making
budget which Mr. Lloyd George introduced
last spring and which Mr. Asquith himself ro-
modelled and reintroduced last month, and II
was declaration that Mr. Asquith and his
colleagues "stand pat upon their latest fnan-
cial proposals, but it was in no real sense
reply or an attempt at a reply 10 the vigorous
attacks Of the former leader OF Mr. Asuuth's
party.
In choosing this course Mr.. Asqulth undoubt-
edly disappointed the extremists on both sides
including at least two OF his fellow ministers,
but he acted with both partisan shrewdness
and patriotic wisdom. Many Unionists had
hoped that he would make some radical utter
ances against the Peers or against land owners
and capitalists. which would further alarm
Englshmen and arouse them against what its
critics call the penal budget, while the Hot
spurs of radicalism and socialism hoped that
he would commit himself In terms 70 their nm
concealed warfare against the Peers and
against the existing system Of property owner
ship. He was too wise and too wary TO he led
into such courses, or to Join controversial is
sues with such a past master of debate as the
great Scottish peer. The time and place for
such fighting will be at the hustings during the
electoral campaign which now looms large
upon the near horizon. For the present as the
responsible Prime Minister Mr. Asquitn confines
himself TO his best Parliamentary manner even
when addressing acclaiming multitude In the
very stronghold Of his political opponents
1t will however, not escape notice that bv
Implication, if not by direct declaration. Mr..
Asquith practically associated himself with the
extreme policy of those Radical colleagues OF
his whom Lord Rosebery described as social
lists, and who indeed, in some respects answer
pretty closely 10 that name. He did not, It is
true, cry Down with the Lordsr' but he did
make ii clear that he stood with Mr. Churchill
in insisting that if the Peers exercised their
power Of suspensory veto on this occasion
there would be an appeal to the country for
abolition Of that power on any occasion-sub.
stantially, for abolition of the House OF Lords
as a legislative body. Also he committed him
self TO Mr.. Lloyd Georges land tax scheme
without in any way disclaiming approval OF
that Radical statesman's avowed policy of max
ing this tax a stepping stone TO the nationalist
ton OF all land. Thus, through the very re-
straint and conservatism Of his utterances Mr..
Asquith emphasized the intensity OF the issues
between the two parties and made it more clear
than ever before that this dispute over the
budget involves one of the greatest constitu-
tional crises which the United Kingdom has
known in our time.