Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-03
THE BRITISH ELECTIONS

hE results or the elections recently
held in Great Britain so distinctly
evidence the right sort of advance
VI that country in the applied science of
soVerhment as to afford announcement
the world over to people who are inter-
ested in endeavoring to force those
most able to bear the burdens of gov
ernment to contribute their share.
BEFORE the budget, which was the
ground OF contention in the recent Brit
lsh elections. was reported by its au-
thor' Lloyd-George, his country led ours
py good deal in proper regulation
ana adjustment of the burdens of gov
erhment on its citizens. This is illus
trated by the fact that the revenue
from taxation raised by the British
government for the last year was six
hundred and thirty-five millions of dol
lars, or nearly the same as that raised
by the United States for the same pe-
rlod. OF this enormous sum two hun
dred and sixty millions, or 40 per cent
OF the total, was produced by taxing
incomes and estates.
The new or Lloyd George budget re-
fusal Of which by the house Of lords
resulted in the elections iust held in
Great Britain, proposed a decidedly
heavier levy upon both incomes and es-
tates. In that budget the death duties,
beginning at 4 per cent on estates of
$4,000, rise to 10 per cent on estates of
$75O,0OO and 10 per cent on IS 900 900 or
above. The tax on earned incomes be-
low $l5,O00 a year is not changed; above
that amount the levy is nearly per
cent. Yet in the United States, where
there are more millionaires and richer
millionaires than in any other country
In the world, and where these vast for
tunes, largely on account of govern
ment favoritism in the form of protec-
ton to manufacturers, grants to rail-
roads, etc, have been made more easily
than in any other country in the world.
not one cent is contributed to the ex-
pense of the national government by
either of the two items, which, under
the law as 1t has heretofore existed in
Great Britain, have contributed more
than one-third Of the expenses of the
government, and will, under the Lloyd
George budget just approved by the
result of the recent election, contribute
still more.
The effort Will doubtless be made by
the defenders of wealth and special
privilege In this country to minimize
the result of the recent British elections
by calling attention to the fact that
the Liberal party only elected one more
member Of parliament than the Con-
servatives, who represent the opposi-
tion to the budget. The fact is, how
ever, that there are two other parties
in Great Britain, the Nationalists and
the Laborites, both of which are as
much supporters of the budget as are
the Liberals whose cabinet ministers
originated It. These parties together
elected over one hundred members of
parliament, so that when the new par
lament meets Mr.. Lloyd-George will
find his budget has a majority in the
house Of parliament of more than 100
out OF a membership OF something
over GOO.
There was also involved in the recent
elections the question of reforming the
British hereditary legislative chamber.
the house of lords. There seems to be
no doubt that as a result Of the cleo
tions this reformation will take place,
and when it does occur the result will
certainly be to take away from that
house its power ultimately to obstruct
the legislative program Of the house Of
commons, members of which are the
direct representatives of the people.
The Lloyd George budget also In
volved levying heavier taxes upon the
great landed estates of Britain. which
have never to the present time con-
tributed anything like their share In
bearing the burdens Of government.
The owners of these landed estates
principally the aristocracy-represe
in their relation to the burdens of goY-
ernment heretofore, the millionaire
class of our country. in that they have
managed to prevent their vast accumu-
lations Of wealth, in the form of lands,
bearing their just share of the burdens
Of government, just as our Hllll4oIie'llS co
manage, through various tricks ana
lodges, to escape their just share of the
burdens Of our government.
The result in Great Britain furnishes
much encouragement to those reform
ers in this country who are endeavoring
to so change our revenue laws as to i'm
pose the heaviest burdens of govern
ment upon the shoulders of those best
able to bear them, and, conversely, to
relieve those least able to bear them,
hut who have heretofore borne most of