LORDS AND BUDGET.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 716, 15 January 1910, Page 10

LORDS AND BUDGET.

END OF THE GREAT DEBATE. 'THE SCENE AT THE DIVISION- : The' Parliamentary correspondent of tho "Glasgow Herald" thus describes the conclusion of tho great Budget debate in tho. Houso: of Lords :—.'■. '■'-■' Tho end of the great debate has come. With the sanction' of ah overwhelming vote tho Houso of,. Lords has declared that it cannot; give, its consent to ,the Finance Bill until it has been submitted to tho judgment of the country. , ..The people is left 'free to exercise in duo course its high prerogative. .It matters little now.what.tho House of Commons.! does or .leaves undone. Never surely has there been a more impressive close to an impressivo : drama—a drama :of many days/filled with ''scenes of thrilling interest. A tightening of the .strain, a deepening,of the sense of tho gravity of the deed, a great stirring in the .very heart of the Assembly of all the elements of .party strife—these; marks of ;the momentous character of the; occasion were indelible. The inoxperienccd eye could see them, and,to the observer versed in the affairs of. Parliament they were disquieting omens as to the nature, of tho: election fight. If such -passions can/be excited.amongst the leaders.in : the Cham-: ber. of deliberation/ how; much.: fiercer, must' bo ■ the. struggle' in; the field amongst tho'.rank. and filo., I have .noted the impressiveness of'tlie House. .The scene and' its setting might well have.inspired, the artisfs ..brush,, but. the-artist must needs have had au insight into some things that pigments could-not-in themselves ro-. present. There.was the. historical atmosphere—an atmosphere filled for those who :had the.eyes, to see, and whose ears were open, with scones of other,, days , and echoes of other voicau. These men in the flesh—who were they?.. The descendants, the bearers of tho very names, ninny .of. them, of those who held high .debate upon.occasions not less important.in.the slow > evolution of this, same ; unwritten Constitution. Wore the proceedings'-anyv thing., else indeed ''-'than'.../a '/.resumptionafter an adjournment; of/decodes,: of/the ■old controversy whose.beginnings/wecan'. discern only iaintly away,down/the.long vista of the, years?, .■:■-•',- ...';■:;''-/>".,-■ '/ ■"■'. ,■;,/;'.

'■ /The ; Archbishop of ;vYbrk.; ; .;,''/,'. Tho first speaker .was the :now''Archbishop, of York, theson of the old minister of .the Barony'. Parish! in' Glasgow;, Dr.. Cosmo Lang came before the Houso with an enviable reputation. .'Still upon the threshold.-' of .his prime,' he ':.has reached a dignity only a little lower than that of his . brothor. .of Canterbury; .His; countenance has- tho freshness, of ..boy--hood.'. 'His accent is that ;: which seems best, to express tho; -King's',-English—the plain' enunciation of. the- cultured ..Scot, mellowed somewhat by the tpnos.bf the English: tongue., It was a' find .speech in; tho best I sense •; of the/ term. /In . a seriso; it - was; also', an assertion of,-tho- ancient''claim :,thai'.;the.-Prim'ato ,of..York..owns' no. vassalage' to.-'the Primate. who ..rules' from Canterbury. Dr., advised ■ his : brethren-' ito abstain', from. taking sides. ~Dr. Lang "felt, compelled :'with, great reluctance" .to vote; with. tho' Government. ; At tho beginning of the debate; it is true, he. thought it/would be -proper-arid for the to "abstain/from.; participation "in , tne quarrel; Now/ho was- compelled,-'hav-, ing been entrusted with/ a. vote, to make uso of it ,and to eiplain his reasons.; ! A .murmur, of ''npplsusb; from I the. Liberal benches was follbwcd/by, n,mo'voment;,in other; quarters ;that/reveale:;l a, feeling -of ■ pained; surprisb i ";,'arid'' : the :Dulce ;of Nbr r thumborland,/ who./ma^. be,; regarded' as a' neighbouring - territorial- magnate,, foso. from ,the Woolsack and,-retired to. the; more comforl'ablo distarice.bf, the .barrier in front of;the Thrond.;;:This;little' incident, may.:/;have •, been-./accidental,-nevertheless pome;smiled; •;• - ; /.'•'.' ' ~ ; I do. not .follow' out' the; argument with which the young -prolate 'justified ; his ac-' 'tion.; ,; Much—perhaps too; much-rof: tho ; speeoh was an anpi'eciation-.of the 'causes' Socialism as.thoir goal;'•■■. He sjioke,;,ho' said, .rnorely as/"a/humble stn-" dent of economics." More important' 17ns his "summary. "Theso' Budget proposals may be sound or unsound; they may .'bp,wiso or unwise; but -canthey.'bo,described /as. unconstitutional'; in: /method or, revolutionary -in .character?.;:!. rio,'do : thoy' merit/the ~unparalleled;treatment; now/advocated?",' In - -his. opinion they, were neither unconstitutional nor revolutionary. -.. But,- he went ■ on,!it was. said the danger lay/inost/'in the. intention.' Was., it, riot enough;/ for the "-present •* to have regnrdto the actual proposals? Mr.' Lloyd'Gbofgo's eloquencb ; kft;,him"calm;. it -only" moved him' to "the use of 'ear-: ensm. .The tendency of the ■•' what 'was'.; 1 it, in: reality? -.'Was: it' not, merel.v'the idea" that 'had 'arison, out of; thb> Chancollbr'.'of the/Exchequer's; im'-; passioned rhetoric?. -A/rhetprip.that .wasthe. outcome, of the, Celtic /temperament to 'responded, its. eiivirbnmentrrto be cbriciliatory: in tho : House.';of.-,Common's' and. inflnmmatpry -at': Limehouse; -a. mystefir .oil? obsession which, made'/the:• speaker/ soy' he;knew/not :what'and ..exoitdd .thii Icnpw/not "why./' Bearing that rhetorib in mind, what was thought bf'.thoso who' ran about amongst" infln'm-, matory materials/ with crackers/and :squibs ?'.' Ho ' didVnot ■■. believe that:.,the, wholo of' the responsibility for the ■ untoward, results of;,.this great campaign should bo ■ laid upon / the'/ shoulders 'of • those 'who were constrained t6/votb';.;\rith' ■the Marquis of Lansdowne.*'; No .'doubt, tho/House could reject, the Bill' in/right; There ,was another right—one more u'n-/ questionable - and. more'. ; ,impdrfojit—the right of the' House to control' not'.taxation but legislation, and if:was, with, the: object '.'if/safeguarding'/.- that- greater, right • that he- deeply:.regretted the 'course to' .which;. the,' House/ was committed./': ..'„.

.Lord' Curzon; '//.'■-/''.':;:-:/';::/>/ .':•.//'■'// ■;' Lord Curzon. then stepped, to /tlie table./ He had been ill, and he still; looked some-: what exhausted,-but as he'warmed' to his subject the .old vigour revived. ; His pre-; , face'.-. was ..complimentary—yWo'.- may. not ;all'of. us agree with the' Prelate's'. con-'. elusions, but at least-we shall respect the 'eloquence and sincerity, with.which they wcro:' advaiiced."/'Then he. launched out' upon a/vindicatioh.'more masterly-.than anything:to which we have.listened- since: Lord;Lnnsdowne threw down the gauntlet.. 'TVe support this : resolution, to refer the: .Budget, to/the people with, perfect .'confidence . in our. own integrity.' What of the plea that, tho Bill'should .be'accepted: as an.-.instruinent of: sooial. reform ?■: He and his/ colleagues did not regard •; this' Budget as a' means of social.; regenora-r----tion../On: the: contrary, .'the/ principles upon" which it 'rested must lead to- the social demoralisation of the'people./'.There was,- another.;matter. '■ Ho. hoped- the debate had.'at, least, dispelled- one illusion.; The. resolution - was not-.the .result of pressure from'behind; against which Lord Lansdowno could not contend. /Moreover Lord Milncr and ho himself had been described . as 'leaders,: of ..tho. unruly .party, "This ;\tnay be a good: story; it ;rather re/ minds /one of- the/Lord: Advocate'.at. "his best. There is the ".same vivid; imagihiitioh, cultivated, by assiduous,/practice,. and.iiiipervious'to correction.br'control.'* The only drawback to. the story-was,"that it 'did not; contain, ono .word of truth. As for tho talk about precipitating: a constitutional. crisis, was it.: not the case that that was bound ,to come sooner. or: later?' "The'rod is in pickle for us anyhow." But he. saw'another issue than that involved with'tactics.. This was the constitution of their Lordshins' House itself. In the highest interests of the nation it: was imperative,, to say the least,. that legislation should be regulated by an effective Second Chamber. . Quito likely-, the contest, upon: which the country was now /embarked would be. Jong and- arduous,' nevertheless .some .upon.; these/ Unionist beuohes would, not shrink from/the consequences of this vote, even if these,included a recasting". of the constitution of their: assembly. -They and ho looked forward to a reformed ;Honse. ; At, the coming election the issues might be confus«d; still, at some subsequent election, ho hoped tol'find on unmistakable. mandato/in favour of "a' Second Chamborthat would be,no mere phantom, but would be superior, to , this—independent, fearless,: and strong. ■--/' ■'■-.:, : .For, the. next hour, or-two smaller .men held sway. / It is no disparagement to' write that, their, contributions were neither, .fresh-nor very important. . In fact," thoy did ..no nioro than emphasise familiar arguments; and the. majority of. tlioHbnse found tho interval'. convenient for a hurried 'sojourn to 'quarters whore, refreshment other than mental could ,bo obtained. '.By nine . o'clock -a change ;Qamo ovor/tho sceno. /..The benches filled again/and the. Peeresses thronged the l/'ileries in all tha glory of evening drcssi

Seated in tho Royal gallery. ■. was : the Duchess of Conuaught. The Duke was again on tho oross bench. Another (lis-, tinguished listener was the Grand Duke Michael of Russia, and with him one: saw tho: Countess Torby.•'..'•.Tho• picture with all its - moving ■ interest hold. the spectator.as by a spell. Lord Cawdor.: . ' The final speeoh.of tho. Opposition was . made by Lord Cawdor, tit?. ■ statesman who was Mr. Balfour's last civil head of, the Admiralty. '; Although no finished orator. Lord Cawdor has the power of compelling, attention by, .the very force of •his i business-like style. 1 His success was undisputed.: .-No.' better, defence, of the: position .of the. party could have ' been , made. -It .was. immediately effective, and I fancy that in print the, full weight of the arguments will bo ■■'.'even '■-. more, appreciated. He brushed aside tho contention that thoir Lordships did not - possess, the right to reject. The man in the street would be -under'ho'".-misapprehension; - That wise, individual knew that: the approval of their Lordships - was needed before any bill .could becomei lawj.and .ho would ask : if that were so how. it could bo -asserted that approval had no alternative. There was another aspect... What: would be. the' result of. giving wayf : "If- you pass this Bill .you will have destroyed for ever all power in the Second Chamber of this .'country.".-- :A deep," long-drawn cheer ■ gave decisive corroboration. But, it -was.said, why should not the people be. allowed:to.stew in. the- juico of tho Budget ,for : a: month or two ? Indeed.Would that be a course productive of any honour?;; Surely it was' perfectly clear that-the object of a-Secohd Chamber was n6t to let'the people stew, in the juice of .undesirable legislation,, but to : -guard' .the. pobple..against unwise, and. dangerous, proposals. - The consequences—well, what of. them?.To put sucha question was to suggest .that if their Lordships hesitated they hesitated .through fear of the result to themselves. ."No; we. need not trouble much as. to: the consequences. So long as wo are perfectly satisfied that -'we: are doing.right, with au easy mind wo may let the: consequences'-' take' .'care of themselves.; Quite so,-: yet there might ; be ?haos,_ Not unless the. Government want ■v"n. »' si others, "you :are"cowed •by the fear, of-Socialism." We'are not. :We : .are not .afraid of Socialism .if .you put it,as a clear issue before tho people; but,,we; are.. afraid: of tho' action': of the Government in'dealing," while denying.it in jworjes with ! Socialistic principles'.and' pursuing Socialistic -objects.":,'■'■; V: : /. ■ '■:. ;■ ;>;>J-J >•'Y ; ~'.\Lord:Crowe. V ■■"; ;^-'.:c'. ■■;'Th'efcheers.that punctuated the Unionist .Leader s peroration were mingled with those "which: welcomed another cham- . pion,,_tho,.titular - head'of the Ministerial minority.';. It is .not. easy to' describe'the mannerisms,which-,make,-,'up' so.laWe'.a. part;, or ■'"•.Lord: Crewe's oratorical,:style: ,1. once suggested: that his attitude":was , over-deferential,, that bo' was, for'ever apologising to ,the : air for -the.-trouble'",he' gave it in carrying., his words! Tonight ??^ a s;still .deferential, but from''.-time'. '. ■.to- time the '■■ circumstances moved .him" to dip, his words in gall.: He is, .one/of those speakers, who turn-sentences m unconventional phrases, ■: the sting* :6f which;.emerges just as. the pen is touching tho paper with the completing.'-'stop." I'or.a good half hour' tho ■ Minister'''examined'thoto details of,bis colleagues' financial policy. ;Then: he took: up 'the .problem of .the. relations .between : the Houses.;, f. Some. time ago their ; Lordships ' hodman .interesting-,debate upon"colour: blindness- amongst.'• soame'n". :•; "If'i..may. say■ so, .your..LordshiDs; are suffering from' a colour blindness, constitutional ineverysense,: of'.tho :Word,: which, disables'you from .distinguishing.; tho- differences -.between; these .red -benches and -the' ; green .benches of .'another place,.'and:-it's is' a > form of 'colour: blindness which ~l\t ear" Is'.steering your ship straight in torn, collision with; another ship which you: will--find heavier., and -stronger than .yourselves.-'-.' 1 Truer tho Opposition, talked of' ah appeal-' to ■• the. .people.'- .■■ "I '.would .respect' that theory, ,;he, said, with slow-impressive-. ness,: much more than. I-do if-1 believed, it;was.really advanced"in 'order*, dioate'. an- ancisnt right l ' instead: of : beingadvanced;;, to' .promote a/ new-fangled -policy/', v Besides,ibeing' Leader of-the :he v was Colonial Secre-' tary.: How: would tho self-gdveniin-.Db-: minions .regard, the i adoption of 'this' ; strange -resolution ? If: you. aro right: and the country approves.' our beyond-the seas .'will-not' look 'to 'the , Mother 'of Parliaments, but they will :'ask if.:.the .citizens of .'tho Old Country are altogether : fitted _to -exercise .responsible government;'!.- In;short,:by being,afraid of .being thought, to-he. afraid, the Opposition; was: about to'commit.a tragic blu'nder.,,For inany,years the two Honses-had. jogjred/ajong !as acquaintances. l Afteftonight they ■ would.barely be-on speaking terms.;; LordCurwih had talked.about re--form.; It; was, however, an unreformed '.Hous9 pf.-.-Lords .which 1 was" throwing out this' Budget, and whether Liberals sat'on the right or the- left of tho Chancellor m the'iiiext' Parliament; they, must;'after this action set'themselves-.to obtain guarantees—hot ■ the. .-.old-'.'., guarantees,, bnt . guarantees fenced about, hy*the- force,'-'of statute, .which'would prevent.that indiscriminate:- destruction of their legislation of which this night's deed,'was the'climax ond the crowns >'• •■'i-'' ; .'.'-.--."-- : :'.;' '.'■.;:-v'V-.''■-•

' : «.; ; ,1' '[Electricity^.of:Excitement.! :■;;;':;. A,great, ; and echoing cheer marked the beginning '■': of -the -• endiv'v The .'bells., rang, and the House' wascleafed. ;i.' ...' ~ ;

•.The division was a.wearying proceeding, alike .to ['the; watchers';V the Chamber and .the greater.'throngs.in.-the central , hall and in .the streets.'-'By and; by.'tho doors opened,:'and aß.the'-benches slowly filled:. the ; placo ■ again-, became charged with the [electricity-,of excitcL ment. ,Ih a calm:voico the Chancellor.'announced the .results...By, 350 votes, t0'.75 their Lordships had supported Lord-Lans-: 'downo- against the' .Government. r.Membefs of the House of. Commons;-, standing in the corner galleries,, hissed and booed. The demonstration; however, '.passed -.unnoticed, and.'in a'few moments a ■ passage was .being forced through.the- orbwd.for the participators ii the 'greatsevent.;-"; :