The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-05-15
BRITISH POLITICS.

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The budget recently passed by the
British parliament would seem to be
more than justified in view Of the
enormous amount of land held by a
comparatively few individuals Out OF
a population of 44.0OO,OO0. the entire
country is owned by s1s.56O persons,
leaving 43,6sO.45O without acreage OF
a home of their own
Six hundred peers own nearly one
fourth of the entire area of England,
and twelve landlords alone hold $4,-
800, 900 rich acres among them. Ac-
cording to w. B. Northorp, In his ar
ticIe en- Wealth and Want" the en-
tire land OF the country is in the hands
OF a comparatively few individuals.
The total area of England and
Wales is S4,524,7s4 acres, Of which
total IS,546,94e acres, or more than
one-half, are in the hands of 4,217
people, or less than one-thousandth
of the population. OF the controllers
of this vast area 400 peers and peer
esses Gown" 5,T29.07s acres, while L.
ass great landlords own" s,4S7,Se9
acres, or 1858 persons own" 14,227,-
SIS acres.
The author calls attention to the
facts that in England the laboring
classes own no land whatever, where
as in even so small country as Bel
GUM there are more than 100000
small landowners. In France there
are 100000 small landowners. each
with 7A acres. and in addition there
are 100000 small proprietors each
with seventy-fve acres. In Prussia
100000 Of the laboring classes hold
land and have a stake in the coun-
try
II was high time. therefore. that
some such plan as that evolved by the
chancellor of the exchequer, Lloyd
George, should have been incorporated
IN the budget and the great land hold
ers compelled TO shoulder a fair pro-
portion Of the burden of taxation
Mr.. Northorp shows that while the
workers pay the vast sum OF E11s, $780,
000, the ground lords pay less than
single million, because they are as
sessed in accordance with a valuation
their property has increased more
than 1000 per cent in value, they are
paying on a valuation passed more
than 200 years ago.
At the same time. these ground
lords extract a revenue Of one billion
The budget does not go as far as some
future budget will go in the matter of
equalizing the taxes in Great Britain
The lords and landowners made a big
fight and caused the dissolution of
parliament and a new election before
they ungracefully submitted to the in
evitable.
Owing TO such opposition the com
mons started a movement having for
its purpose the curtailment OF the
veto power of the lords, which may
result in the complete emasculation Of
the upper chamber of parliament The
sudden death of King Edward has
caused a temporary truce. Once the
funeral is over, the battle will be re-
neH;ed.
The attitude of George V and what
Fart he will play cannot be stated. He
is more than likely to stand aloof and
await the outcome. Prudence would
dictate such course upon the part
of the new monarch
The political fight over the ocean is
particularly interesting to Americans.
While the political parties Of Great
Britain are battling over the questions
OF taxation, distribution of the land
and abolition of the house Of lords, a
strcng sentiment has been awakened
in the interest of protection as against
free trade. and if parliament IS again
dissolved IN the near future the Cob
denites will have to defend themselves
on the hastings.