FISCAL ISSUE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 67, 12 December 1907, Page 7

FISCAL ISSUE.

, $ MR. ASpTfl AND MS CHALLENGE. AMERICA AND GERMANY. BAD ARGUMENTS FOR PROTECTION. Br TELEGRArit —rUESS ASSOCtA/rIOH—COrTKIGIIT. (Rec. Dec. 11, 9.38 p.m.) London, Decomber 11. Speaking at Nottingham, Mr. Asquith, Chancellor of tho Exchcquor, twitted Mr. Balfour for not answering his challenge. In proof of tho productiveness and resourcefulness of Free Trado as compared with Protection, Mr. Asquith contrasted Britain's present position of booming prosperity with tho financial crisis in America, and tho difficulty of finding fresh sources of taxation in Germany. In his challenge Mr. Asquith invited tho tariff reform leaders to declare what they wo'.ild las—whether Corn, or meat, or wool? The Chancellor has had an indecisive skirmish with Professor Hewins on the same subject. In hii roply to tho Professor —who had asked him to state his arguments, in order that they might be refuted—Mr. Asquith stated that his arguments were clearly and repeatedly stated in his speeches during the fiscal controversy. He added that his time is so fully occupied that he does not feel called upon to accede to the suggestion to re-state and summarise his arguments for Professor Hewins's ' use. Professor Howins roplied that Mr. Asquit-h's arguments were unsupported by evidence while the Preference schemes that wero submitted to the Imperial Coriferor.ee were supported by the Tariff Commission's tables.