FISCAL PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 52, 25 November 1907, Page 7

FISCAL PROBLEM.

CROMER AND CRITICS. DEAKIN REPLIES TO HALDANE. . '■ PENSIONS AND REVENUE. DT TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. London, Novombcr 22. Lord Cromcr, continuing his speech at the dinnor given by tho Unionist Freo Trade Club, said ho hoped a majority of Liberal Free Traders would not advocate an impracticablo old ago pohsions policy, or ono loading to the same goal that tariff reformers sought to attain. There nover was a time when unity of action by moderates was moro necessary. It was a difficult position, but ono that they must oxpect to obtain until the lesson of a general election was applied, and tariff reform was definitely laid on/the shelf. ■ ' ECYPT NO PARALLEL. FEAR OF AROUSING ANGLOPHOBIA. WHAT USE THE FLEET? '; .London, November 22. "Tho Times" twits Lord Cromer with borrowing Mr.' Balfour'S oppononts' epithet of "proteotion" for "tariff reforms." Tho Times" admits that it preached toleration toi tariff reformers, but unconditional surrender was impossible It urges that tariff reform is defensive, and adds: "Wo administer Egypt under international supervision. There is no analogy between Egypt and Britain." . "The Times" continues: "If wo dare not use at home for dofensfvo purposes machinory freely used by all other nations, offensively and defensivoly, what is tho good of .talking about our fleets. Can it bo seriously argued that wo are unablo to onter into arrangements with the colonies without stirring up universal animosity? From an Imperialist theso arc strange 'doctrines."

The "Tribune" says: "Lord Cromer speaks with twofold weight; he is a great financior, and export in Britain's foreign.relations." ' Other Liberal newspapers aro silent. DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE. AGAINST THE REPUDIATED POLICY. . . ■ • . • London, November-22. The Duke of Devonshire, in a letter, saya tho Unionist party's main work is to strenuously oppose Homo Rule and'- certain ill-con-sidored moro or loss socialistic measures, the chiof objection whereto is economic. He added: "The party's influence in this work would be greatly impaired by re-adoption of the fiscal policy repudiated at,tho last election." . ' WHO BANCED THE DOOR? HOW THE AUSTRALIAN TARIFF WAS •-■ FRAMED. "in thbflight of/ , mr churchill's ' '."• .'• 'speech. ; : • i , Melbourne, November 23. i. With, rdference to the speech at of Mr; Baldane-, Minister for. War (who said the real banging of the door was Mr. Deakin's when ho introduced his tariff), Mr. Deakin, interviewed, said:—"l was greatly surprised that a man of Mr. Haldane's eminonco and ability should place such'a gloss upon facts • and dates. Six months ago at Edinburgh, Mr. Churchill (Under-Secretary for 'the Colonies),, asserted that they had banged the door upon Imperial taxation of food. Ho. (Mr. Churchill) declared that they bad banged it, barred it, and bolted it; that their majority was the largest majority ever seen in the"House of Commons; that it had

its. back firmly against the door, and that the door would never be opened—not a chink of it would ever bo oponed again. He said they. would not givo one farthing's worth 'of preference on one single peppercorn.

"Mr. Churchill, in that speech, was speaking for Mr. Haldano, and all his other-col-leagues in tho Government. It! needs no comment of mine to emphasise how unmistakably and fully Mr. Haldano's colleagues havo banged the door. . Our tariff was not

introduced until three , months afterwards, and, of course, in the light of that declaration.. So far, howcVcr, from emulating tho irreconcilable attitude of Mr. Haldane and his colleagues, a foaturo of our tariff was preference to Great' Britain by way of gift, without' any return. This was valued at ono million and a half sterling per annum.

" The real banging of tho door occurred in May, when Mr. Churchill spoke at Edinburgh. The re-opening of the door;" Mr. Deakin added, ''was when we introduced our tariff. ; That event has now been perverted by Mr. Haldane into banging it." i ' ■ •

GERMANY WATCHING. Berlin, November 22. The German Chancellor (Prince Bulow) is watching tho effect of the Commonwealth tariff on German exports beforo fixing the duration of the proposed renewal of tho favoured-nation clause to Britain and her colonies. • "'■The \ Times" is -. replying to Lord Uoraers argument that protection or preference would arouse Anglophobia in foreign nations, whicli-whilc placing a tariff on British goods-now enjoy British trade, and that Britain can administer Egypt on 'y° n tho Principle of the open door. .." 1 ,V 1 T re K a " 1 to th o question of "toleration, Lord George Hamilton—;i Conservative Minister, who resigned along with tho Duke of Devonshire when the split occurred over. Mr. Chamberlain's tariff proposals-has expressed satisfaction that there nro to be no mpro! "court-martial exclusions." In his Bir mingham speech Mr. Balfonr said it was impossib o to lay down in black and white what constituted party loyalty. Following on this Lord Milncr, ft strong supporter of preference' said that "while al were for toleration, and while there were different Unionist views on fiscal policy, he was totally opposed to anv compromise on pnncaple." J

It is notable that the two Unionist ProConsuls, Lord Cromor and Lord Milner, with their long.oversea exponents, differ diametrically on the fiscal question. The Duke of ■Devonshire, is, or was until recently, President of tho Unionist Freo Trade Club Ho iS,! a similar appeal to tho Unionist party ni-inr Vn the introduction of the Government's I,i ß h Councils Bill. . n