OCR Text |
Show FOUGHT TO A STANDSTILL. In view of tho returns from tho British Brit-ish clcctious, it is ovidont that a vor diet of "no decision" must bo cnlorcd up, so far as tho verdict of tho voters on tho budgot is concerned. Tho influence in-fluence of tho Lords is very great in the rural eonst.it uencies, and that counted count-ed against tho budget; it, was exorcised because tho budget proposed lo tax the Lords fairly upon thoir proporty values. It proposod where tho Lords get a rental of 50 per aero that thoy should not be lot ofT with a taxation of IS or 20 shillings shil-lings per ncre, and where rental vnluos wero counted at the rale of 100 per acre tho budget would use that as the basis of taxation and not tho 1 per aero that tho Lords havo been assessed horofoforo. Still, though tho Lords loudly announced an-nounced that they wore referring the budget to (ho country, it unfortunately happoned that tho country considered a good many other things besides tho bud-got. bud-got. The workmen in tho navy yards and in tho great ports were made to boliovc that tho navy was not kopt up to propor staudard, and so thoy voted against, tho government in order to oxprcss their discontent and lo install members who would insist upon moro work on tho navy, more ships and stronger ships, moro thorough pre-eminonco upon tho ocean, both for defense and for offense. And in the smaller manufacturing districts dis-tricts tho Chamberlain cry of "fair trade," meaning protection to British industries against tho flooding of the markots with cheap-made foreign goods that pay no duties, cut a. largo figure ngainst tho government, gaiuiug scats for tho opposition by tho scores. So that it was 110 referendum on the budgot. It was a genoral eloction, and of course tho opposition was glad to urgo any ploa that they chose bofore tho electors. Tho result is a victory for nobody. Evor3' party will be help-loss help-loss in tho now Parliament. Tho only hope of having any Ministerial programme pro-gramme will be in the union of moro thnn ono party or faction. Such unions as that, however, aro frail dopondenco for the government, and it is not likely that a Ministry made up of shreds and patches like that could last for any length of time. Wo, therefore, look for the speedy dissolution of tho new Parliament, Par-liament, and anothor general election. It is probable that tho budget as framed will .bo decisively beaten in tho next general election, not on its merits, not because it is submit tod as a question of referendum, but bocause tho British affection for an overpowering navy and the discontent of tho British workmen at tho inundation Of their homo markets by foreign made goods that aro admitted duty free, will bo decisive against any Ministry that may bo ormed in support sup-port of tho now plan of taxation. |