THE CRUMBLING BLOC

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 523, 2 June 1909, Page 7

THE CRUMBLING BLOC

—^— 9 —_... . GERMAN FINANCE. . : CONSERVATIVE-CENTRE ALLIANCE. TO DEFEAT DEATH DUTIES. (n* TBLBOftAPIt—tttESS ASBoOiATION—COFYntOH*.) I (ReO, Juno 1, 11.15 p.m.) Berlin, June 1. With the object of defeating the sneecssion)(donth) duties, the Conservative mem' i bors of tlie Reiohstag's, Mniuice Committoo ] ooalesced with the members of tho Oatholio Centre. • j Subsequently, after a stormy scene, the National Liberals and tha Radicals (who lmvo ': hitherto been grouped with tho Conservntiyes in the Bloe), also tho Socialists (who have been In opposition with tho Oatholio Centre) withdrew,; protesting against this Inequitable of tho Conservatives and the CeU* tre.' Thereupon tho Conservatives and the Cen« tre rushed through new or Increased indirect taxes, totalling £19,350,000 sterling per annum, including duties oil lighting and cooking apparatus, spirits, ■ cosmetics, beer, tobacco, railway tickets, matches, grain milling, and export of coal) also £4,006,000 from Stocks hnd shares, and £3,000,000 from increased land valUM.and land transfers. There are indications that Prince Bulow -"who so far has governed With the aid of the HOW willing to make terms with the Clericals (Catlielfo Centre) and the Conservatives. WHAT THE NBW ALLIANCE MAY DO.; It was originally stated that £25,000,000 of new taxation was required. ; The Conservatives ■ and Catholio Centre, by thotr sudden alliance, appear to have provided for £26,350,000 without ineuMlhg death duties, the bbjcot of their mutual hatrod. Their self-interest on this point,seems to have driven them together! and in these- circumstances it is not clem- how the ' Conservative-Liberal-Eadical Bloc Can hold together, Many Berlin corrcspendents hhvo pfedioted its collapse in connection with tho new taxes, so the news is not unexpected. The important points are how Prince Bulow, who has governed by aid of the Blbc, will accent the Conservatlvo'Catholie alliance, and—etill moro important—how th&t alliance will accept Prince Bule;v. According to the Berlin correspondent of the "Daily Mail," the consummation of that alliance would meaif the doom Of the Strange things are, however, possible under tho group 6Vstem of polities. The relations of parties and details of the financial proposals Were dealt with In Tni! DottiKiott of May S. The crisis has been developing for somo months, and has Its root in the navy burden, Ei ,li.,.i.i,rmi,jj