Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-26

r DO not address the suggestion to the
present government. l hope and
believe that within a very short
time the British nation will have placed
in power half a dozen able men and that
the gang Of incapable lawyers will have
gone.
Everybody Is convinced that If we are
to preserve the Empire q change Is i'm.
perative. Everybody. except the gov
eminent, Is determined to make every
sacrifice and win the war al any cost.
II is not moment for dependency,
but rather for eXultation. Britain rules
the greatest Empire the world has ever
seen. That Empire has been built up by
men OF genius, organizers, rulers. We
nave immense resources; ample supplies
or men, We are not towards: on the
contrary, we are exceedingly brave. But
we are slow to move, and We have
allowed ourselves to fall under the gov
eminent of lawyers. We see our mis-
take. The lawyer can talk, but he can
not act. His whole training breeds in
decision. He lives upon delay. He Is
the last man in the world to lead ma
tion In arms. Therefore, he must 60
. The Budget showed the indolent mind
OF the well-paid Official. 1t was the
work OF people who did not know their
business. 1t imposed duties on currants
without nquiring whether such duty was
legal. 1t tried TO tax hats without
knowing what n hat was. II placed
duty on plate glass, and was unaware
that the war had destroyed the import
OF such glass. 1t turned the admirable
idea OF tax on war profits into an ex-
cess profits tax (from which lawyers
are exempt, which will injure the pros
porous rubber trade OF our youngest
colony We are spending $9,1OO,0OO,OO0
year. and we arc offered Budget
which leaves q deficit Of s71600O0 900.
/ suggest that we put war tax upon
titles.
submit that those who desire to
continue in the enjoyment OF their titles
and honors should, for at least five
years pay the State a very heavy tax.
! also suggest that any rich person who
desires to show his patriotism should
be allowed to pay the State an annual
tax, and thus acquire a title which
should last as long as the tax was paid.
- Every one will admit that titles are
a luxury, and most people will confess
that they are desirable. At present they
are sold by the Whips on a more or
less definite scale. Five thousand
pounds (S25.000) for knighthood and no
questions asked. Ten thousand pounds
(s50,000) for baronetage, and forty
thousand pounds for a peerage Lord
SallSDury was IN the haDlt OF lnquirlng
whether those whom he was asked to
recommend were eligible. He exercised
his power Of veto. cannot find any
instance Of the present Premier having
followed this good example, though no
doubt he has done So
The public will take kindly to the tax.
1t likes titles. and in future honors would
show that the recipient had helped his
country. 1t cannot be said that up to
the present honors have been distributed
for merit. Many who have made
plumbers have been shelved, and their
fall has been softeneu by the pillow of
pecrage. In future honors should be a
mark Of patriotism and self-sacrfce.
There are probably fifty thousand very
rich men in Great Britain who could
afford to pay very heavy war tax. In
exchange for which they should receive
high honor. There arc an equal mum.
Der Of less wealthy men who would