DOES IT MEAN A DISSOLUTION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 563, 19 July 1909, Page 6

DOES IT MEAN A DISSOLUTION.

The cable news to-day contains the substance of an unusually important speech' by Loud Lansdowne.\ 'Ho says that the Lords were "unlikely to proclaim that they had, no responsibility" regarding the Einance Bill, ?and he declares it "unthinkable'' that where there are two legislative chambers, it should be left entirely, at the discretion of one of them to impose "burdens however monstrous, , taxation however ' inequitable, and, a' new financial, system however subversive of society it may, be." Lord Lansdowne's position,;. and the fact .that the fate of the Licensing Bill was settled at a meeting of tho'Lords at Lansdowhe. House, make it, pretty clear that ..his' statement upon the .Budget is practically' a declaration of the Lords' 1 infcontions./A tremendous political fight is therefore about to take, place. It is generally held that the Lords have. although nobody disputes their right to reject 'unamended, a money ; Bill sent up by the Commons.; But/there, have lately, boen some doubts expressed as ,to,; theLords' inability to amend.without, destroying. Loed Onslow, for : example, has pointed out that the preamble to,the Finance; Bill runs, ''Be it enacted by and .with the advice and consent of the; Lords spiritual and temporal," and ho argues that it is ; accordingly;..j beyond question that .in "a financial proposal involving other national ,'; issues," ,; the ■ Lords are "entitled/to .act, in some way. in .their;, collective; capacity.": Should, tho Lords "lay aside" tho Finance Bill ., j-arid thus destroy the bulk, of; the, Government's policy—there can be no .sequel, but,a dissolution.., The.cup.will then be full and running over. In that event, the .Government would ;go to -the'country.; with "the Lords" as the.-issued '-Mk. As-, quith; has never, failed to'say that that' is the dominant issue after all.' 'But'. it is one thing to name the issue," and an-" other; thing;to get' it accepted as 'the/is-, .sue by the, country, especially when there are- other"..'issues ."with: big forces ''behind; them.;. The Government'will find it.difficult,'in:the;event of an election, to prevent the : struggle from becoming a.!-fight between Free-tra'do and' Tariff. Reform,' That, indeed, will be the real issue, sinco tariff reform is the first ''plank of .Unionist policy. It.the by-elections are a safe guide, the Government -will go out of ..of-1 fice.. In.any event, British.politics have entered on a 'new and very; important era:, ■'■ ■'. ' •■'■ ; : '\ V-;':' vv;';; ('.'.-' v; .'. •,;'';.